Reading PDF - a cry for help

[Ken Ray]

> You can also do a limited form of displaying a PDF in a window (you can't get or copy any selections/content in it though and can only navigate under script control by page) through InterApplication communication (IAC)

Yes, I think this can actually be done with a Player object too, but it gives you the same results (no selection/content).

> To open a PDF in LiveCode where you can actually control navigation through script control and get or set the user selections required two things: (a) a PDF library with APIs supporting these actions and (b) creating a set of LiveCode externals that in turn use the PDF APIs to provide these functions. The main problem with this approach is that all (or all we could find) of the open source or free PDF libraries are woefully immature and lack major functionality. Only commercial PDF technology has the supported APIs for this and whether Adobe, Foxit or other commercial PDF technologies providers, all charge typically based upon a per unit shipped royalty model. And some, like Adobe, are really expensive.

Is it possible to open a PDF in a revBrowser control? That *should* (theoretically) give you the same ability as you have with a regular web browser - although you may not be able to "get" the text of the selection in any meaningful way...

Ken Ray
Sons of Thunder Software, Inc.
Email: kray at sonsothunder.com
Web Site: http://www.sonsothunder.com/