Saving data in PDF format

In order for users of Windows forms applications to use the SaveAs method to save data as PDF, they must first download and install GNU Ghostscript on their computers as described in the procedure that follows. If you are setting up a Web server for a Web forms application, follow the same procedure to install Ghostscript on the server. Ghostscript is not required on the client for Web applications.

The use of GNU Ghostscript is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License (GPL). Users should be asked to read the GPL before installing GNU Ghostscript on their computers. A copy of the GPL is available on the GNU Project Web server.

StepsTo install GNU Ghostscript:

  1. Into a temporary directory on your computer, download the self-extracting executable file for the version of Ghostscript you want from one of the sites listed on the Ghostscript Web site.

  2. Run the executable file to install Ghostscript on your system.

    The default installation directory is C:\gs. You can select a different directory and/or choose to install shortcuts to the Ghostscript console and readme file.

Location of files

When you save a DataWindow object as PDF, the DataWindow server searches in the following locations for an installation of GNU Ghostscript:

If GNU Ghostscript is installed using the Ghostscript executable file, the path is added to the Windows registry.

If the Ghostscript files are in the relative path of the pbdwn105.dll file, they must be installed in this directory structure:

dirname\pbdwn105.dll
dirname\gs\gsN.NN
dirname\gs\fonts

where dirname is the directory that contains the runtime DLLs and N.NN represents the release version number for Ghostscript.

You might not need to distribute all the fonts provided in the distribution. For information about fonts, see Fonts and font facilities supplied with Ghostscript.

You must also deploy the default PostScript printer driver and related files that are installed in Sybase\DataWindow.NET 2.0\drivers. These files can be copied to or installed on the target computers. They must be located in this directory structure:

dirname\pbdwn105.dll
dirname\drivers

PostScript printer profile

Each user’s computer (or the Web server for Web applications) must have a PostScript printer profile called Sybase DataWindow PS. This profile is added to your development computer automatically when you save a DataWindow’s rows to a PDF file in the DataWindow painter.

Users can add the profile manually using the Windows Add Printer wizard. In the wizard, click the Have Disk button and browse to the Adist5.inf file installed in the DataWindow .NET 2.0\drivers directory, or to another PostScript driver file.