Approach to PDF input within LC

[Graham Samuel]

I am trying to write an app in LC that reads PDFs (actually just images, so a restricted version) as well as various other formats which LC can tackle directly like JPG (this easy bit is already coded). This has to work on Windows and it has to be free, since my users are very price-sensitive. 

As there is no native method for opening PDFs in LC, I will have to run another process to do this. I want my user to be unaware of the complications involved, and to have a very simple one-step installation procedure. 

I am sadly ignorant of almost everything I need for this (command-line controls, the 'shell' concept, interprocess communication, 'free' software etc etc, even the behaviour of Windows itself), but so far I have seen two possible solutions: to use ImageMagick, which is a freestanding app that can be installed on Windows and run via shell (I think); and using ICEpdf, which is a Java program specialising in PDF reading, which (obviously) means that my user has to install Java as well as the program itself.

For me this is a very steep learning curve indeed, and I would be grateful for any pointers toward the best way to tackle this problem and how to learn enough to do it. Later I will have to go through the whole wretched issue again with TIF files. I almost feel like writing my own input method, since at least I am confident in LC - but I suppose that way madness lies.

TIA

Graham