PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

PDF-XChange Viewer SDK for Developer's
(ActiveX and Simple DLL Versions)

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reinierkops
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PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by reinierkops »

Hello,

In our project we are trying to use the ActiveX viewer, without installing it (i.e. register no entries in registry) because this has benefits.

I have figured out how to do this for COM objects (ActiveX controls) in a DLL, using manifest files, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms973913.aspx, but for .EXE-s this seems not possible.

The problem is that the ActiveX control (coclass CoPDFXCview in PDFXCviewAx.dll) wants to create an instance of coclass CoPDFXCviewMgr which lives in PDFXCview.exe, and activation fails.

Is there a way to solve this?

Regards, Reinier
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Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team »

In current realization you should call:
PDFXCview.exe /RegServer
In the future we will solve this problem and allow to use PDFXCview.exe in free-registration mode.
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reinierkops
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by reinierkops »

In what time can we expect this feature? Will this be in 1 month or 1 year?
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John - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

As soon as possible - less than 1 year - probably more than one month - any other estimate is likely to be 'fiction'

We cannnot always be specific, thanks for your patience.
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Victor
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Victor »

1. I do not know sense to divide the product functionality to 2 file (PDFXCview.exe and PDFXCviewAx.dll).
If the inner code is good organized it should be simple to merge it in one ActiveX library.
In this case the problem of registrationless using can be solved by SxS.
Moreover I was shocked the PDFXCview.exe has started as separate process for every opened PDF document!!!

2. This is bad Delphi code in your samples:

Code: Select all

  except
    on ex : Exception do
      ShowErrorMessage(EOleException(ex).ErrorCode)
  end;
You cast "ex" to the type EOleException without any checking!!!
If the call will raise a non EOleException then the ErrorCode will reference to wrong memory point,
because it does not exist in the class Exception.
This is correct variant:

Code: Select all

  except
    on ex : EOleException do
      ShowErrorMessage(ex.ErrorCode);
    on ex : Exception do
       ;// handle some different 
  end;
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John - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

Victor,

firstly we are not Delphi programmers - the examples are supplied as just that - to show you how to use our products and not how to code in Delphi and its the develepors responsibility to code their products and applications in their chosen development tool in the correct manner and using the best practices, I will however ask our project team to revise the example code as suggested..

With regards the manner in which our products work and without being specific, I think we are probably better placed to judge the best manner they should work and why they should work that way - and there is always a reason, not least that any product matures through its development cycles and what may seem a a good path at the outset may constrain future development in the future and need re-engineering as the product matures - hence Version 3 due in the spring to address just such issues.

Respectfully whilst we appreciate all constructive criticism - yours is posted in a manner not likely to elicit anything but a defensive and hostile response.

Let us know if your comments require a serious response or if you are just choosing to post a message, in a public forum - of a negative nature because you have some other agenda ?
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quietstorm
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by quietstorm »

John - Tracker Supp wrote:As soon as possible - less than 1 year - probably more than one month - any other estimate is likely to be 'fiction'

We cannnot always be specific, thanks for your patience.
Hi! We're interested in using your product from a USB dongle, so we need the version without need of installation.

Any news about this feature? I hope so... :D

Greetings!
Fabrizio
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

Hi,

This will be possible I am afraid - only when Version 3 is released later this summer.
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quietstorm
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by quietstorm »

John - Tracker Supp wrote:Hi,

This will be possible I am afraid - only when Version 3 is released later this summer.
Hi everyone!
Ok, it's summer... and it's a little later... any news about registrationless ActiveX?

Thanks, bye!
Fabrizio
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Paul - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Paul - Tracker Supp »

Hi quietstorm,
Ok, it's summer... and it's a little later... any news about registrationless ActiveX?
not quite late enough in summer...
We are very active on the development of this (v.3.0) and currently on schedule for a release after summer. As a developer I'm sure you are aware of the need to have the product as stable and clean as possible. We appreciate your patience.

hth
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PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

In a related topic... I've asked this in anothe thread, but I'll try again here:

I now want our tester to try out the app i did up to silently fill in a pdf form and save the output file

" PDFXCview.exe /RegServer // registers the exe-part of our com-server
regsvr32 PDFXCviewAx.dll //registers the dll-part of our com-server"

I don't mind registering the pdf-xviewer.exe if that's what I have to do (no pdf will be displayed by the app), but in this case, I do not want it to change any settings on the user system related to pdf files. fe, if their viewer of choice is acrobat, I want it to stay that way.

Will the 2 lines be a problem?

Paul
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team »

Hi Paul.

PDFXCview.exe /RegServer // registers the exe-part of our com-server
regsvr32 PDFXCviewAx.dll //registers the dll-part of our com-server"

- it registers some our COM-objects in the user's system, it does not change the any pdf-associations or other system-preferences on the user's machine.

Best
Regards.
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PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

Excellent! Thank you!

Paul
PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

... errr, does this have to be executed with Admin Priveleges?

"The app failed to init properly error 0xC0000022

Paul
PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

Sorry - user error, the parameter was incorrect

however, doing regserver produced no output, but the subsequent
regsvr32 pdfxcviewax.dll gives return code 0x80070005

errorlookup says that's access denied.

so - back to - do I need admin rights to do this?

Pauil
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team »

Hi,

Yes, you should have the admin privileges for installation of our ActiveX control (it's required for our COM-components installation).
Exists other method for installation for our control on the target system: you may use our .exe installer for developers.
1. Download it from: http://www.docu-track.com/download/PDFXV_dev.zip
2. In your installer run the:
PDFXV_dev.exe /VERYSILENT /DIR="<YourProgramFolder>” /NOICONS /NODESKICON /NORESTART
See the attached help file for details about command line.

Best
Regards.
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PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

Oh, that's great! Just what the doctor ordered. Thanks.
PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

Does this install process add the path to the environment at all? That seems to be something I had to do to get it working.

I used:
s:\pdf_inst\pdfxv_dev /verysilent /Dir="C:\program Files\Tracker Software\" /NOICONS /NODESKICON /NORESTART /Organization:"Our Company" /LOG=s:\pdf_inst\results.log

Paul
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John - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

We do not modify the Enviroment Variables - but usually when registering an Ax this is not required ...
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PaulT
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by PaulT »

Ok, well I don't know what happened then, maybe it was coincidence. Alas - no matter, unbeknownst to me, we already had other software to do what I'm trying to do, and it doesn't have the issue with later using the pdfs in Acrobat. So - it's been a learning experience. Thanks.

Paul
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

Thanks Paul - pleased you have a solution.
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quietstorm
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by quietstorm »

Hi everyone, and welcome back from summer holidays! (for the ones who went)

I just like to know if there is any forecast for version 3 release (registrationless activex)... that would be really nice!

Thanks, bye!
Fabrizio
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John - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

Registrationless Ax is coming for sure in V3 - as far as a date is concerned it is going to be later than hoped because of the shear volume of work required, but we will be releasing one major update (build 2.50) after build 2.0055 which will contain some features we had been reserving for release in V3 - most notable of which is XFA forms support. After that we will definitely not be releasing anything but service releases if required so we can concentrate on completing V3 ASAP.

HTH
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Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team »

Hi All.

The our Registration-Free Viewer ActiveX (see about this here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165432.aspx) will be available in the next build(upcoming).
Wait a few weeks.

Best
Regards.
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prosozial_schmitt
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by prosozial_schmitt »

Hello

ok - the Pdf Viewer ActiveX Control registrationless activation is now available. Great :-)

But how to use it in code?

Could you please give me a example in VB.NET or C#?


Greetings
Hans-Peter
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Corwin - Tracker Sup »

Hi,

In DotNet environment you should create application without manifest (this may be configured in VS->Project->Properties->"Application tab"->Manifest->"Create application without manifest"). After this you need to add following files to your application directory:

Code: Select all

PDFXCviewAx.dll
PDFXCview.exe
resource.dat
YourAppName.exe.manifest 
PDFXCviewAx.X.manifest
All needed manifests files may be found in "Examples\Registration-Free COM\" PDF-XChange Viewer SDK directory. And don't forget to rename "Client.exe.manifest", so it should have "your-app-name.exe.mainfest" name.
HTH.
prosozial_schmitt
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by prosozial_schmitt »

Hi

I've tried to create a sample-application with registrationless activation of PdfViewer (v2.5.189.0). I create a Visual Basic .NET Application with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1 and added the manifest-files to the project, like you described.
But I could not find the Option "Create appliction without manifest" in Project->Properies->Application.

After compiling and starting the application it doesn't work to open the viewer.
There is an error HRESULT: 0x80040154 (REGDB_E_CLASSNOTREG) which is shown on the first use of the activeX Control.
So I think the manifest-file was not found. Perhaps Visual Studio 2008 SP1 embeds it's own manifest?

What can I do to get this sample-application to work?
I've attached the project. (Because of the size-restriction of your upload, I've deleted the files PDFXCviewAx.dll
PDFXCview.exe and resource.dat)

If the viewer-component would be encapsulated in a second project/assembly - what must be the name of the YourAppName.exemanifest-file?
Still the name of the application.exe which references the second project?
Or the name of the referenced assembly? (PdfViewerEncapsulated.dll.manifest)

Greetings
Hans-Peter
Attachments
PdfXChangeRegistrationLess.zip
Sample Application
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Corwin - Tracker Sup
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Corwin - Tracker Sup »

Hi Hans-Peter,

In VS 2008 VB.NET you cannot create an executable file without the manifest.

However you may modify an existing app.manifest. To do this, just go to the project properties, click on "Viewe UAC Settings". This will open the "app.manifest" file. So you need to replace text in this file by text form "Client.exe.manifest" file. In this case, there will be no need to include the "PdfXChangeRegistrationLess.exe.manifest" in the directory of your exe.

HTH.
prosozial_schmitt
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by prosozial_schmitt »

Hello

thank you for your answer. I've tried it out and it works.

But it seems that there still is a problem.
We need to set the language of your ui to german. So we set the property AxCoPDFXCviewCtrl.SetProperty("International.LocaleID", c_IdLanguageGerman).

In the case the dependency section is not included in app.manifest all works like normal.
But if the dependency section is included, the control throws a COM-Exception:

COM-ErrorCode: -2112674029

System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x82132713):
Ausnahme von HRESULT: 0x82132713
bei PDFXCviewAxLib.IPDFXCview2.SetProperty(String Name, Object DataIn, Int32 Flags)
bei AxPDFXCviewAxLib.AxCoPDFXCview.SetProperty(String name, Object dataIn)
bei Main.InitViewerLanguage() in D:\_Projekte.Tmp\PdfXChangeRegistrationLess.ExternesForm\PdfXViewerSimple\Main.vb:Zeile 37.

I think there is a problem in the control. Perhaps the language-setting is stored in registry and the control can't find it in registrationless mode?

I've attached a sample project. Because of the size-restriction of your upload, I've deleted the files PDFXCviewAx.dll
PDFXCview.exe and resource.dat. You should add them in the project. I use the actual version from your downloads.

Could you please help me and check this?

Greetings
Hans-Peter
Attachments
PdfXChangeRegistrationLess.Simple.zip
Sample
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Tracker Supp-Stefan
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hello Hans-Peter,

This needs investigating and so I have made a ticket for it:
#748: Changing the language in registrationless AX
But today is Christmas for the devs so this will be checked on Monday at earliest!

Your patience is appreciated.

Best,
Stefan
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by Vasyl-Tracker Dev Team »

Hello, Hans-Peter.

The folder with PDFXCview.exe should contain the "Languages" sub-folder with lang. files. So, in your case, the your program folder ...PdfXChangeRegistrationLess.Simple\PdfXViewerSimple\bin\x86\Release\
should contain the "Languages" sub-folder. You may copy this sub-folder from our EU-program...

HTH.
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John - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Viewer ActiveX Control Registrationless Activation

Post by John - Tracker Supp »

I have zipped and included the latest Lang files for the Viewer here for convenience - though these are updated reguarly so please check each build for updates and we do rely on contributors for the updates and consequently not all Lang files are 100% up to date.

HTH
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Languages.zip
Lang Files
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