PDF Files as Attachments

[BudMan]

I was told it was not supported, but I thought I would double check first. In one of my databases, I often need to attach PDF files. Unfortunately, these files do not print when I print out the report. Is there any way to accomplish this? I find it rather strange that MS doesn't support PDF files natively. On a few occasions, I was forced to convert the PDF to a PNG file in order to get the report printed out as intended.

Thanks!

[Micron]

Best advice I can give you is never store files in an Access db even though you can. It can soon make your db approach the file size limit and IIRC you would never be able to upgrade to any version of sql server should the need arise. What you do is, have a table field that stores the path to the file. When user wants to see it, the file is opened by its native app by default. Storing the paths is made easier by using msoFileDialogFilePicker to pick a file. That dialog behaves a lot like Windows File Explorer dialog.

[Minty]

You can embed a linked PDF as page source in a report if that is what you are trying to achieve?
But you would have to change the source path in VBA if it changed dynamically based on different reporting criteria, so I'm not completely clear on the requirement?

[ranman256]

dont embed pdfs, they look like crap.
best to store the PATH then add a button to open it using: OpenNativeApp txtBox

paste this into a module
it will open ANY document in its native application.

#If Win64 Then      'Public Dclare PtrSafe Function
Private Declare PtrSafe Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpszOp As String, ByVal lpszFile As String, ByVal lpszParams As String, ByVal lpszDir As String, ByVal FsShowCmd As Long) As Long
Private Declare PtrSafe Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
#else
Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpszOp As String, ByVal lpszFile As String, ByVal lpszParams As String, ByVal lpszDir As String, ByVal FsShowCmd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "user32" () As Long
#End If
Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1
Const SE_ERR_FNF = 2&
Const SE_ERR_PNF = 3&
Const SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED = 5&
Const SE_ERR_OOM = 8&
Const SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND = 32&
Const SE_ERR_SHARE = 26&
Const SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE = 27&
Const SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT = 28&
Const SE_ERR_DDEFAIL = 29&
Const SE_ERR_DDEBUSY = 30&
Const SE_ERR_NOASSOC = 31&
Const ERROR_BAD_FORMAT = 11&

Public Sub OpenNativeApp(ByVal psDocName As String)
Dim r As Long, msg As String
r = StartDoc(psDocName)
If r <= 32 Then
    'There was an error
    Select Case r
        Case SE_ERR_FNF
            msg = "File not found"
        Case SE_ERR_PNF
            msg = "Path not found"
        Case SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED
            msg = "Access denied"
        Case SE_ERR_OOM
            msg = "Out of memory"
        Case SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND
            msg = "DLL not found"
        Case SE_ERR_SHARE
            msg = "A sharing violation occurred"
        Case SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE
            msg = "Incomplete or invalid file association"
        Case SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT
            msg = "DDE Time out"
        Case SE_ERR_DDEFAIL
            msg = "DDE transaction failed"
        Case SE_ERR_DDEBUSY
            msg = "DDE busy"
        Case SE_ERR_NOASSOC
            msg = "No association for file extension"
        Case ERROR_BAD_FORMAT
            msg = "Invalid EXE file or error in EXE image"
        Case Else
            msg = "Unknown error"
    End Select
'    MsgBox msg
End If
End Sub

Private Function StartDoc(psDocName As String) As Long
Dim Scr_hDC As Long
Scr_hDC = GetDesktopWindow()
StartDoc = ShellExecute(Scr_hDC, "Open", psDocName, "", "C:\", SW_SHOWNORMAL)
End Function