Printing a large image spanning multiple pages

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:22 am

When printing an image with the size 1280x1024 from Microsoft Paint the image is spread over multiple pages. This works fine when printing to a normal printer, however, printing to the PDF driver the image is still spread over multiple pages, BUT the image is the same on each page (should be a section of the image).

We're currently using 3.4 Build 65, but I've tested with the lastest build 87 from your web site, and the problem is still present.

Is there any setting or method to avoid this problem? (we're just about to release our product and thus we a very reluctant to upgrading not knowing if there are any API changes etc. that will break our application)

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:29 am

Hi Mike,

To help we would need an example of the image file for testing and also the PDF you generate from your application.

Please also advise the OS and Service pack status.

It may be also we will ned some example code as used by you - but for now this should get us started.

Please zip any files sent and if over 2MB zipped - please email to usrfiles@tracker-software.com with a URL link in the text back to this forum post.

Or you can FTP to http://www.tracker-software.com

Login = usrfiles
password usrfiles

But please advise you have done so - or we will not be aware you have uploaded.

thanks

Finally - please be advised that the latest build is 91 - not 87, and it is very unlikely any changes/updates to the driver would affect you code adversly.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:06 pm

Seen on:
Windows 2000 Server SP4
Windows 2000 Professional SP4
Windows XP Professional SP2

Now also seen with build 91.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 6:25 am

Hi Mike,

thanks - problem is reproduced and hope to resolve with build 92 in the next 7 days or so.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:49 am

I would HIGHLY appreciate if you could notify me in case of

1) if resolving the problem is delayed
2) when the problem has been resolved

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:18 pm

Mike,

apologies but the release of build 92 has been delayed for a further couple of days as we complete the inclusion of the new 'Commenting feature for Adobe 7 Reader compatible files.

As we will be the only party other than Adobe direct and we have several developers also awaiting this feature key to their needs it was deemed desirable to wait a little longer.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Fri Oct 28, 2005 9:50 pm

Build 92 is now available.

Thanks for your patience.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 12:34 pm

When upgrading from build 65 to 92, the progress bar is not hidden anymore. Also happens using your VBExCOM demo with the lines uncommented.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:42 pm

Hi Mike,

An option to remove the progress bar via the registry was added at the request of developers not using the COM object and it seems this is having a negative effect for those using the COM object - will investigate - for now please use the registry method outlined in the help - or via the PDFsaver3.exe also installed.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:58 pm

I've added a zip file with an outlook message that contains two images. Printing the messages results in a PDF file (also in the zip file) where the first image has an unfortunate color reduction.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:24 pm

Hi Mike,

Can I see your code for this please - please see attached as this is not what I get.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 4:43 pm

Hi Mike,

can you advise the date of your pxclib30.dll - if it is not 30th Oct and size on disk as reported from 'Properties' view in Windows Explorer :

548 KB (561,152 bytes)

Then you do not have the current build.

thanks

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:35 pm

There is no code involved, just a regular print from outlook. I checked the version number of the dll and it says 92. I searched the machine for duplicates and removed those. Date and size is equal to the values you state. I'm getting this on Win2K server with Outlook 2000. Tomorrow, I'll test with different versions of OS and Office packages. However, using a TIFF or regular printer driver everything looks fine.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:41 am

Hi Mike,

to allow us to see the raw file in creation could you please do as detailed in the following FAQ and send the files - this should allow us to reproduce and correct if necessary - thanks.

http://www.tracker-software.com/forum/v ... .php?t=800

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:29 am

file as requested

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:37 am

Thanks Mike - will investigate and come back.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:21 pm

Hi Mike,

having analysed the tmp file I regret to say the image is already corrupt prior to reaching PDF-XChange for conversion - so in this instance the fault lies with Outlooks print output and therefore is beyond our control.

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:35 pm

One possible item worth looking into is you Display drivers (is there and update available) or do you have colours set to 256 by default ?

If the latter - please increase the colour depth - though i doubt you do have this as your setting.

Outlook 2000 does not appear to be converting the TrueColor image into paletted ouput as it should, perhaps because the default Display is set to 256 colors pr possibly the drivers need updating - or because Outlook just has issues doing so.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 1:27 pm

My display driver is set to 16 bit. I changed it to 32 bit, however, it did not make a difference.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 2:36 pm

Investigated a little further

Win XP, Office 2003 - OK
Win 2K, Office XP - Not OK
Win XP, Office 2K - Not OK

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 4:26 pm

Hi Mike,

thanks for the info - but to be honest does not really help - as stated the file is corrupted before we receive for conversion in PDFX - so the issue is in the application sending to the printer (or the display driver) not PDF-XChange.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:48 am

I understand what you are saying. However, I find it very interesting that other printer drivers does not corrupt the image. Next, I've been able to convert the image on two different machines with the same office version/OS (Office 2003/Win XP). One converts the image with colors intact - the other one does not. They differ in their driver and amount of RAM available for the graphics card, but otherwise there does not seem to be an obvious reason (running the same resolution and color depth)

Post by **John - Tracker Supp** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 12:02 pm

Perhaps the Graphics card and driver is the key to the corruption (I dont think memory is the problem) - as I understand the problem it is only from Outlook specifically - not from Office APP's generally ?

Also - the reason you may not have had problems with other drivers is that they may use a different conversion method - perhaps Postscript ?

Any method/mechanism for any task will have pro's and con's - some areas where it performs better than others - some where a differing approach is optimal.

Sometimes you will find PDF-Xchange/Tools are vastly superior to other libraries and drivers available - in fact we hope and believe this will almost always be true - but inevitabley there will be exceptions.