Windows Messaging¶
Distiller supports Windows messages that can perform the following tasks:
Specify the file or files to process and the output destination
Confirm when each file specified in the first Windows message has completed processing
Determine the Distiller version number
The enumerated data types and constants necessary to use Windows messaging are defined in the file distctrl.h. This file is included in the Adobe Acrobat SDK. Source files that use the Distiller control interface must include distctrl.h.
Note
The WM_COPYDATA interface provides compatibility for older applications only. You cannot use any of Distiller’s newer features with it, such as Adobe PDF settings files and input piping.
Specifying input and output files¶
Members of a structure of type DISTILLRECORD (defined in distctrl.h ) are set to specify the list of files to distill and the destination for the output files. Applications should fill in the structure members listed in the following table.
Members of the DISTILLRECORD structure
Structure member |
Description |
|---|---|
param |
One of the values listed in the table EnqueueOption constants. |
fileList |
Comma-delimited list of files to distill (char). |
outputFile |
Destination path for output file or files (char). If multiple files are specified for |
Determining use of the Save dialog box¶
One of the options listed in the following table must be specified in the SendMessage call to control the appearance of the Save dialog box when each source file is processed.
EnqueueOption constants
Constant |
Description |
|---|---|
EQ_NO_SAVE_DIALOG |
Do not display the Save dialog box. |
EQ_DEFAULT_OLD_DEST |
Display the Save dialog box. Use the most recent destination directory as the default destination directory. |
EQ_DEFAULT_SOURCE |
Display the Save dialog box. Use the source file’s directory as the default destination directory. |
Processing the file list¶
To instruct Distiller to begin processing the file list, a COPYDATASTRUCT containing the DM_DISTILL message and a pointer to a filled out DISTILLRECORD is sent to Distiller. The following example instructs Distiller to process a PostScript language file and store the resulting PDF file in a specified directory, omitting the unnecessary Save dialog box.
Processing a file list and omitting the Save dialog box
DISTILLRECORD dr; /* from distctrl.h */
COPYDATASTRUCT cds;
BOOL ok;
LRESULT rtn;
WORD res=0;
char msg[ 80];
hinst = ShellExec( NULL, "acrodist.exe", strCmdArgs, NULL, SW_SHOW);
if (res<32){
sprintf(msg, "WinExec failed: error code = %d", res);
return;
}
CWnd *hDistillerCWnd = FindWindow("Distiller", NULL);
if (hDistillerCWnd != NULL)
{
strcpy(dr.outputFile, "c: OUT.PDF");
strcpy(dr.fileList, "C: TEST.PS");
dr.param = EQ_NO_SAVE_DIALOG;/* from distctrl.h */
cds.dwData = DM_DISTILL;
cds.cbData = sizeof(DISTILLRECORD);
cds.lpData = (PVOID)&dr;
ok = (BOOL)hDistillerCWnd->SendMessage(WM_COPYDATA,
(WPARAM)m_hWnd, (LPARAM)&cds);
if (ok)
/* wake up Distiller */
hDistillerCWnd->PostMessage(WM_TIMER, ID_TIMER, 0L);
}
If the sending application is specified in the WPARAM parameter of the SendMessage call, a WM_COPYDATA message is returned to the application after each file specified has been distilled. The LPARAM parameter of this WM_COPYDATA message will contain a COPYDATASTRUCT that will include a Distiller DM_DONE message and a pointer to a structure of type DISTILLRECORD. The fileList member of the structure contains the name of the PostScript language file that was processed, and the outputFile member contains the name of the resulting PDF file.
Determining the version number¶
To determine the Distiller program version number, send a COPYDATASTRUCT containing the DM_VERSION message to Distiller. The Distiller version number will be returned in the return value. The high word has the major version information and the low word has the minor version information.
Obtaining the Distiller version number
COPYDATASTRUCT cds={0};
DWORD dwVersion;
CWnd *hDistillerCWnd = FindWindow("Distiller", NULL);
if (hDistillerCWnd != NULL)
{
cds.dwData = DM_VERSION;
cds.cbData = 0;
cds.lpData = NULL;
dwVersion = (DWORD)hDistillerCWnd->
SendMessage(WM_COPYDATA,NULL,(LPARAM)&cds);
if (HIWORD(dwVersion) >= 6)
; //6.x and above; LOWORD(dwVersion) has the minor version number.
else
; // Distiller 5.x and below
}
The distctrl.h file for 32-bit Windows is different from the one for 16-bit Windows since the WM_COPYDATA message and COPYDATASTRUCT structure are not defined for 16-bit Windows. Make sure you use the correct distctrl.h for your application.
Passing in command lines¶
In addition to the old WM_COPYDATA interface that uses the limited DISTILLRECORD structure, the newer WM_COPYDATA interface simply lets you pass a command line. This way you can use any of the command line options, such as /J to specify the Adobe PDF settings file (which the old WM_COPYDATA interface does not allow).
Using the new WM_COPYDATA interface is similar to the old, except you create a command line string instead of a data structure.
Creating a command line string
char szCmdLine[] = "/O outfile.pdf /J myoptions.joboptions infile.ps"
COPYDATASTRUCT cds;
cds.dwData = DM_CMDLINE;
cds.cbData = strlen(szCmdLine) + sizeof(char);
cds.lpData = szCmdLine;
SendMessage( hwndDistiller, WM_COPYDATA,
(WPARAM)hwndMyWindow, (LPARAM)&cds );
Getting the Distiller version number
To get the Distiller version number, a COPYDATASTRUCT containing the DM_VERSION message is sent to Distiller.
COPYDATASTRUCT cds = {0};
cds.dwData = DM_VERSION;
DWORD dwVersion = SendMessage( hwndDistiller, WM_COPYDATA,
WPARAM)hwndMyWindow, (LPARAM)&cds );
Command line options¶
Distiller 6.0 and above support command line and WM_COPYDATA interfaces and add the --deletelog and --nosecurity switches. Options can be passed as arguments on the command line.
The command line syntax is:
acrodist [switches] [inputFiles]
If any switches are present, they must come before any input files. Switches and input file names are both optional. The command acrodist by itself runs Distiller, or if a normal instance of Distiller is already running, it brings Distiller to the foreground.
The switches parameter is a list of optional commands. Either the dash (-) or slash (/) character can begin a switch, which is identified by a single case-independent letter. (Note, however, that the deletelog and nosecurity switches can only be preceded by a double dash (–).) There should be a space after the switch letter, and if the switch takes a parameter, another space after the parameter. The parameter should be in quotes if it contains any spaces. Do not combine switches—give each one its own prefix (- or /).
The parameter inputFiles is a list of file names, separated by spaces or commas. Spaces and commas are both legal file name characters; if a file name contains spaces or commas, enclose it in double quotes.
To process a list of PostScript files, use this syntax:
acrodist [switches] inputFiles[, inputFiles...]
The following table lists the optional command line switches.
Command line switches
Switch |
Description |
|---|---|
–deletelog:on –deletelog:off |
Forces Distiller to create or delete the log file after the PDF file is created. |
/E [pdfSettingsFilePath] |
Opens the Distiller Adobe PDF Settings dialog box to edit the specified Adobe PDF settings file. If you specify a file name with no path, Distiller looks in its Settings folder for the file. If you omit the file name, Distiller uses the current default settings file. This switch cannot be combined with any other command line options. Distiller will not process any PostScript files and does not display its main window. It just opens the Adobe PDF Settings dialog box and exits when you close that window. Put quotes around Adobe PDF settings file names that contain spaces. For example:
|
/F |
Enables or restricts files that can be accessed by PostScript operators, depending on the version of Distiller. Typically, this switch affects file embedding. Between Distiller 8.0 and 8.1, the sense of this switch was reversed to address security concerns. For Acrobat Distiller 8.1 and greater, the Caution Enabling unlimited file access can pose security problems. For Acrobat Distiller 5.0 through 8.0, the Regardless of the |
/J [pdfSettingsFilePath] |
Uses pdfSettingsFilePath as the Adobe PDF settings file for any input files specified on the command line. If you specify a file name with no path, Distiller looks in its Settings folder for the file. If you omit the file name, Distiller uses the current default settings file. Does not affect any of the Adobe PDF settings you can set with the user interface. Put quotes around job option file names that contain spaces. For example:
|
/N |
Runs a new instance of Distiller, even if another Distiller instance is already running. Without this switch, Distiller switches to any “normal” previous instance. The Distiller instance created with this switch does not process watched folders and is marked so that it will not get activated by other “normal” Distillers that get launched later. The number of new instances of Distiller that can be created with this switch is limited by system resources.
|
–nosecurity |
Suppresses the Confirm Security dialog box. No security will be applied to the file.
|
/O outputFileOrFolderPath |
Specifies the output PDF file name or a directory name to put PDF files in. If you specify a directory name, Distiller uses the input file name for each input file. To process a PostScript language file and name the output PDF file use this syntax:
To process a list of PostScript language files and place the output PDF files in a specified directory, use this syntax:
|
/Q [:seconds] |
Instructs Distiller to exit immediately when it becomes idle. Distiller checks this switch only if Distiller is launched as a new instance ( If To force Distiller to terminate when it has finished distilling all PostScript files in watched directories and any that were specified on the command line, use this syntax:
The default watched folder timer is set to 10 seconds, so every 10 seconds Distiller wakes up to check the watched folder. Since it is checking every 10 seconds, it is idle for no more than 10 seconds. If the |
Disabling prompts for output file names¶
Distiller prompts for output file names based on settings that can be managed with a user interface or by programmatic control.
Turning prompting off for the current user¶
Prompting can be turned off for the current user for all Adobe PDF document creation regardless of the application using the Adobe PDF printer.
To turn prompting off for the current user:
From the Windows Start menu, click Control Panel and open Printers and Faxes folder.
Right click on Adobe PDF printer and select Printing Preferences from the context menu. Select the default document folder from Adobe PDF Output Folder menu, or click the Browse button to create your own output folder.
Click OK.
Prompting can be turned off for the current user for Adobe PDF document creation using the Acrobat Distiller.
To turn prompting off for the current user using Distiller:
Start Acrobat Distiller, from the Distiller menu choose File > Preferences.
In the Preferences - Acrobat Distiller dialog box, deselect the Ask for PDF file destination option.
Click OK.
Customizing deployment options to turn off prompting¶
You can disable prompts via the Customization Wizard for Windows prior to application deployment
Programmatic control¶
Prompting can be turned off programmatically by adding a key to the Windows registry. This method applies to the creation of only one PDF document by a specific application for the current user. To use this method, add the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareAdobeAcrobat DistillerPrinterJobControl
This key takes as subkeys:
(Default)
application
The (Default) entry is reserved for possible future use and is not to be used.
The application subkey is the full path of the application for which prompting is to be turned off. The value of the application subkey is a REG_SZ value that is the full path of the output file. For example, the following registry script would turn off prompting for the next printing performed by wordpad.exe , printing to the file c:MyPDFoutputFileName.pdf :
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareAdobeAcrobat DistillerPrinterJobControl]
"C:Program FilesWindows NTAccessorieswordpad.exe" =
"c:MyPDFoutputFileName.pdf"
Note
Though the programming language may require that your backslashes are escaped (for example, "c:MyPDFoutputFileName.pdf" ), the value of the registry entry must use single slashes. This key, once established, remains until used and is removed once the Windows API function StartDoc(HDC hdc, CONST DOCINFO* lpdi) has successfully completed. Also note that the output folder path must already exist with read and write access for the current user and the destination file must not exist.