If you want to save to PDF using the distill method, you do not need to change any properties. The distill method is used by default when you select Save Rows As from the File menu in the DataWindow painter and select PDF as the file type, or when you use the SaveAs method with PDF! as the file type.
PowerBuilder uses a PostScript printer driver specifically designed for distilling purposes to configure the PDF output. You can choose to use a different PostScript printer driver if you want to customize your PostScript settings for generating PDF.
To use a custom PostScript printer driver, you must set some properties.
To save customized distilled PDF output in the DataWindow painter:
Select the Data Export tab in the Properties view for the DataWindow object.
Select PDF from the Format to Configure drop-down list, select Distill! from the Method drop-down list, and select the Distill Custom PostScript check box.
Select the Print Specifications tab and specify the name of the printer whose settings you want to use in the Printer Name box.
Save the DataWindow object, then select File>Save Rows As, select PDF as the Save As Type, specify a file name, and click Save.
The properties you set in the DataWindow painter are saved with the DataWindow object and are used by default when your application runs, but for more control, specify the properties in a script before saving the DataWindow object. To specify a custom printer driver in a script, set the Export.PDF.Distill.CustomPostScript property to Yes and specify a printer with the DataWindow.Printer property:
int li_ret
dw_1.Object.DataWindow.Export.PDF.Method = Distill!
dw_1.Object.DataWindow.Printer = "\\prntsrvr\pr-6"
dw_1.Object.DataWindow.Export.PDF. &
Distill.CustomPostScript="Yes"
li_ret = dw_1.SaveAs("custom.PDF", PDF!, true)
Users must have administrative privileges to create a PDF file.
To support saving as PDF using Ghostscript, you must download and install Ghostscript files on your system as described in the chapter on deploying applications and components in Application Techniques. You also need to install PostScript driver files.
If you have installed a PostScript printer on your computer, the PostScript driver files required to create PDF files, PSCRIPT5.DLL, PS5UI.DLL, and pscript.ntf, are already installed, typically in C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86 on Windows XP or C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ntprint.inf_1a216484\Amd64 on a 64-bit Vista system. You must use the version of these files that is appropriate to the operating system where the PDF file is created. You should copy the files to the Sybase\Shared\PowerBuilder\drivers directory.
If you have never installed a PostScript printer, use the Printers and Faxes option in the Windows control panel to install a generic PostScript printer. If the Pscript5.dll has never been installed, you may be prompted to insert the Windows install CD.
Other related files are installed in Sybase\Shared\PowerBuilder\drivers.
Saving as PDF fails at runtime on Windows 2003 Server. This is caused by a Group Policy that by default disallows installation of printers that use kernel-mode drivers. Kernel-mode drivers have access to system-wide memory, and poorly written drivers can cause system failures. To allow installation of kernel-mode drivers, follow these steps:
Select Run from the Windows Start menu.
In the Open box, type gpedit.msc and
click OK.
In the Group Policy console, expand Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, and Printers.
Disable “Disallow Installation of Printers Using Kernel-Mode Drivers.”
When you deploy applications that use the ability to save as PDF with the distill method, you must make sure your users have installed Ghostscript and have access to the drivers directory.
See the chapter on deployment in Application Techniques for more information about redistributing these files.
