Compression and Image Type when Exporting to Image

[TatianaS]

Hello,
I have a scenario when I need to export multiple PDF documents to multiple TIFF images (no merging) from my MDI.
Is it possible to accomplish it with 'Export to Image' tool when multiple documents are loaded into one ocx viewer?

If not, Is it possible to set 'Image Type' and 'Compression' (these are from 'Image Saving Options' window) via API.
I cannot just export the settings to the .dat file because the compression will change depending on image type (LZW vs Goup 4 for fax) so I need to set the export options on the fly.

Please advice on possible solutions.
Thanks
-Tatiana

[Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team]

Is it possible to accomplish it with 'Export to Image' tool when multiple documents are loaded into one ocx viewer?

If not, Is it possible to set 'Image Type' and 'Compression' (these are from 'Image Saving Options' window) via API.

Yes, it is possible. By:

Code: Select all

SetProperty("Export.Image.Type", 1414088262); // (1414088262 == 'TIFF')
SetProperty("Export.Image.Mode", "AllToOneMultiImage"); // each pdf will be saved to individual multipaged TIFF-image
SetProperty("Export.Image.FileName", "<File Name> <Auto Number>"); // == <SourceFileName>[ <AutoNumber>]

for (GetDocumentsCount())
{
     int docID; 
     GetDocumentID(0, out docID);
     ExportDocument(docID, PXCVA_NoUI); 
}

and sorry - currently you cannot change compression level programmatically.

HTH

[TatianaS]

Compression is very important for us, because we have thousands documents coming throw our system every day.
can I export with command line with DLL and set compression that way?
or maybe via printing to file?

[Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team]

can I export with command line with DLL and set compression that way?
or maybe via printing to file?

Sorry, no way to specify programmatically the custom compression options. You may setup it like end-user only and use then the EU.ExportSetting/ActiveX.LoadSettings method.
Why the default TIFF compression options isn't enough for you?

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

I guess the easiest way to solve your task is to use Simple Viewer SDK which has a function PXCV_DrawPageToIStream.
Using this function you can render a PDF document page by page to specified IStream object.
You can specify format of the image (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc.) and bits per pixels. Unfortunately there are no way to specify compression level/method right now, but it can be added in the next build of the SDK.
Do you need to specify only compression method/level, or other parameters as well?

[TatianaS]

The problem is that I do not have access to set the image to be monochrome or colored or compressed via api, which mean I need to use your UI if I want to change any of these properties, but I can't use your UI because it looks like it only handle one document at the time, but I have multiple documents which need to be exported in a batch (not merged).

What can you recommend for such use cases?

Please Help,
Tatiana Stenberg.

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

Does your app have to use Viewer ActiveX, or it can be changed to use Viewer Simple SDK ?

[Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team]

but I can't use your UI because it looks like it only handle one document at the time, but I have multiple documents which need to be exported in a batch (not merged).

I set custom compression (like end-user) for TIFF and saved my custom settings to an external file.
Then I opened our FullDemo SDK example, loaded custom settings and exported one document, second document ... and viewer keeps my custom compression settings as well, for all exported documents. So I was able to export multiple documents with the same custom compression settings..

[TatianaS]

Yes, I understand that I can set the custom settings to external file. What should I do if I want user to have an option to choose between colored and monochrome TIFF, or use gray scale or colored JPEG 9 (from my own UI)? Should I have .dat file for every setting?

Thank, I am greatly appreciate your help.
-Tatiana

[Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team]

Hi, Tatiana.

What should I do if I want user to have an option to choose between colored and monochrome TIFF, or use gray scale or colored JPEG 9 (from my own UI)? Should I have .dat file for every setting?

Understood. Unfortunately, using many setting-files for customizing of image-export options is wrong way definitely.
We can add special API for full customizing of image-format parameters in the next build(in January)...

Best
Regards.

[TatianaS]

Wow, that's amazing!!!
Thank you so much

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

[Dorwol]

We can add special API for full customizing of image-format parameters in the next build(in January)...

> in the next build(in January)...
Is this meanwhile possible? I need to set b/w, graycolor and/or the number of colors.

[Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team]

> in the next build(in January)...
Is this meanwhile possible? I need to set b/w, graycolor and/or the number of colors.

Unfortunately, but it still not implemented, sorry. All time we spent for new Editor SDK and we did not have a chance to modify old Viewer ActiveX SDK..

[Dorwol]

Unfortunately, but it still not implemented, sorry. All time we spent for new Editor SDK and we did not have a chance to modify old Viewer ActiveX SDK..

Do I understand you correctly? The new Editor SDK will be a replacemant for the "old" Viewer AX SDK? So the Viewer SDK will not updated in future? The Editor SDK will be a all-in-one component? And still "PDF-XChange PRO" is the "All included Pack"?

[Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team]

The new Editor SDK will be a replacemant for the "old" Viewer AX SDK? So the Viewer SDK will not updated in future?

Yes, the Editor SDK replaces old Viewer SDK(and all other ours SDKs, excepting Driver API SDK). But Viewer SDK will live and all critical bugs will be fixed or very slight improvements can be added too.

The Editor SDK will be a all-in-one component?

Yes, definitely: all features for viewing, creating, editing, printing, exporting/importing of PDF - all in one SDK.

And still "PDF-XChange PRO" is the "All included Pack"?

No, currently the pack "PDF-XChange PRO SDK" includes all old SDKs, but not new Editor SDK. The Editor SDK - is completely different SDK and requires other, separate license.

The detailed description of Editor SDK:
https://www.pdf-xchange.com/product/pdf ... editor-sdk

Best
Regards.

[Dorwol]

The detailed description of Editor SDK:
https://www.pdf-xchange.com/product/pdf ... editor-sdk

Oh, the prices are very expensive, especially yearly update-maintenances.
(25,000 CDLP) Maintenance Plan for PDF-Viewer PRO SDK was $689
(25,000 CDLP) Maintenance Plan for PDF-Editor SDK is $2.799
These are more about $2.000 for each year.
This is too much money for people like me and especially my actualy Maintenance Plan to "2017" -> 2 years Maintenance without any new features!

Or do I understand something wrong on the price list? I hope, yes.

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello Dorwol,

Indeed the pricing for the Editor SDK will be higher than what the Viewer SDK used to be.
If you have a Viewer SDK with active maintenance - we will be able to offer a discount which will be a significant portion of the Viewer SDK price you've paid, but the new Editor SDK is to stay at that higher price. The Viewer SDK will not be developed further unfortunately but any existing functionality will remain.

Regards,
Stefan

[Dorwol]

Thanks for the sincere clarification. I'll test first/now the trial of Editor SDK.

[Chris - Tracker Supp]

Hi Dorwol,

A few points I think will help clarify the licensing/maintenance cost differences are:

1) The scope of the Editor SDK is intended for the needs and requirements of a more advanced end user and a more advanced application being created by developers with high volume user base. If providing Basic PDF Viewing, Standard Annotations and Document manipulation is all developer applications require than by all means the Viewer Pro SDK is probably a great fit for a lot of developers.

The Editor SDK includes both the new ActiveX and Core API SDK library options (accessing many of the features previously only available in the PDF-Tools SDK like programmatic fill-able forms creation), a Plugins SDK module for creating plugins for developer's custom applications as well that can be employed with our End user Editor product. Programmatically customizable toolbars, buttons, and menu items and many 1000's of new objects, properties and methods all engineered in object oriented libraries rather than the flat C style function libraries and a good deal more ;

https://sdkhelp.pdf-xchange.com/view/Main_Page

2) Cost of development, the Editor SDK has 5+ years of development a huge man hour and $ investment which must be recovered...

3) Buy-in prices - The smallest PDF-XChange Editor SDK license is a 100,000 CDLP license for $8995.00 USD ($0.09/seat) while the PDF-XChange Viewer PRO SDK is 25,000 CDLP for $3449.00 USD ($0.14/seat) so the buy in per seat cost is considerably less than the Viewer Pro SDK is priced - and less if you are a licensed 25K+ CDLP Viewer SDK owner with current maintenance...

4) Maintenance prices - Again you need to consider the per seat volume and maintenance amortization when determining the cost benefits.

PDF-XChange Viewer Pro SDK 25,000 CDLP Renewal Term 1 year: $862.25 ($0.034/seat) 2 year: $1293.38 ($0.025/seat per annum)

PDF-XChange Editor SDK 100,000 CDLP Renewal Term 1 year: $2248.75 ($0.022/seat) 2 year: $3373.13 ($0.016/seat per annum)

5) Developers that have active maintenance on their Viewer ActiveX or Viewer PRO SDK licenses, (Not Viewer Simple DLL SDK), qualify for a discount equal to 100% of the current value of their existing Viewer SDK license towards the Editor SDK licenses, no matter how long ago you purchased the Viewer SDK if there is active maintenance you get 100% of your Viewer license value taken off the Editor SDK upgrade.

So Upgrading from the Viewer Pro SDK 25,000 CDLP to the Editor SDK, with active maintenance is $8995.00 - $3449.00 = $5446.00 and your distribution volume quadruples.

Developers with 100,000 CDLP Viewer PRO SDK licenses and active maintenance can upgrade to the Editor SDK 100,000 CDLP license for $8995.00 - $6999.00 = $1996.00 USD

If your needs and user volumes are modest - then the Editor SDK could be an option that is beyond your budget - but if your application needs are more advanced and you have a reasonable client base for distribution - there is NO alternative SDK that offers such a flexible, advanced set of options for anything like the price per seat available - we are confident it offers an outstanding value for money proposition for any developer with serious ambitions addressing the use of PDF files - from any provider - anywhere in the market today !