MS Access - PDF thumbnail solution ??

[ironfelix717]

Hi,

Trying to implement a thumbnail preview window (say 1" x 1" box) that will preview the full
image in the box, regardless of its dimensions. JPEGs / PDFs. A TURNKEY solution that is robust and needs no support.

Web browser control doesn't work because they did not implement a STRETCH property.

Adobe Acrobat's ActiveX control might work but that means installing this on every single client that would use this DB, right? (or would it remain with the DB?). Even
if the control was embedded in the DB file, this is still lousy on Adobe's part. The control itself is version specific to Adobe Reader, which makes this a PITA to support.

Ideas?

[CJ_London]

Only way I can suggest is use a picture control which has the stretch/zoom features you require. However if you are talking about images of the first page say of a pdf file, create an image of the first page

with regards the latter this link may be of interest and also has links for ways that might work for you

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/...ccess-with-vba
Also investigate WIA, but that might have been deprecated

I suspect the VBA actions will be

open required file if not already open
move to top of document (if was already open)
take screenshot of file window and copy to clipboard (will only do what is in window)
restore scrollbar position (if file was already open)
close file - if not previously open

convert clipboard to BMP file
convert BMP file to PNG file
save PNG file in a directory
save path to PNG file to database

[ironfelix717]

AJAX,

Thanks for your help with this. Your solution looks like it might work. I hadn't thought about that.

Yes, my goal is to just have the first apge of the PDF/image be displayed. I will see what I can work up and report any solution back to the forum!

Thanks so much

[Micron]

IIRC, the bound object control will display an image of a document with the added benefit of being able to open it in the native app via double-clicking. Maybe that's of no use, but hey...

[June7]

AFAIK, BoundObjectFrame control must be bound to OLEObject field. This means documents are embedded in db using up Access 2GB file size limit. Apparently, OLEObject results in even larger file size than Attachment field.

Users might not find the OLEObject dialog intuitive.

Tested and it does work to display first page of PDF.

[Micron]

you're correct so I didn't recall correctly. It's unbound frame, not bound. Object does not have to be embedded or in a table.

[ironfelix717]

Hi,

So, i am still researching... I must admit, this is a tough one to find a "quick solution", let alone one with a free license.

To define my situation:

The user would scroll through some PDF files (or JPEG) on the form and a thumbnail would display for each file they scroll through. If they required to open it, they could but the main point here is just convenience, which is the purpose of a thumbnail i suppose.

The files in question would be external to the DB. I would want to write a sub that takes in a path argument and generates the thumbnail.

The screen-shot method from what I understand requires an assumption that the client has a specific .PDF reader, right? I could perhaps force the code to open the PDF in native windows photo viewer so that the code was consistent and worked. But this solution would also require all this to be hidden, of course. I'm just questioning this approach and whether it is consistent over the life of the application.

However, the second method Micron mentioned (Bound Object Control)... I never used this control. I am reading... Is there a way to set a source object to just a path? This will accept PDFs and JPEGs?


Thanks for your help everyone
Regards

[CJ_London]

the client has a specific .PDF reader, right?

I would think most machines come with a pdf reader as standard - using 'followhyperlink' should obviate the need for a specific application. If using 2013? then word will open the doc.

But this solution would also require all this to be hidden

I don't believe you can screenshot a hidden window, but could be wrong - however would only expect it to be a fraction of a second so perhaps would appear as a flicker to the user or perhaps turning off screen updates for the process might work. I was assuming this was being done as part of a record save/update process.

[Micron]

Is there a way to set a source object to just a path? This will accept PDFs and JPEGs?

You click the "Link" option when setting to set only a path. I don't believe it will display pictures at all. Have to say I've hardly (if ever) used this control so don't read too much into my suggestion. I just knew of how it displays an image of a document and how you can activate the native app by double clicking. It seems that you cannot insert one without the wizard and you would need to be able to alter the source doc property in vba if navigating among records. I don't recall if you posted what kind of form you had in mind but suspect it's best suited for single record. Would be interesting to know what happens in a continuous form but I suspect it wouldn't work.
EDIT: Don't forget. I was corrected; I'm now referring to an unbound control.

[ironfelix717]

I don't believe you can screenshot a hidden window, but could be wrong - however would only expect it to be a fraction of a second so perhaps would appear as a flicker to the user or perhaps turning off screen updates for the process might work. I was assuming this was being done as part of a record save/update process.

Ajax, this is strictly for viewing the content as they scroll through it. The flicker would unfortunately be undesirable.


Micron:
The form would be unbound. I don't build bound applications. VBA is no limitation, the limitation here is getting the actual functionality to either...

1.) Display a preview of a PDF file
2.) Convert a PDF file cover page to image

Either are a solution. If the OLE object control will display the preview of a file, then that is the solution. If it will not display the preview of a JPEG, then that can easily be fixed by replacing/hiding that control on the fly with an image control in the event that the user select a non-pdf file.

I will play around with this and see if it works.


The last resort approach will unfortunately have to be writing a Python or Java 'middle man' to do this and call it from Shell in VBA and pass the arguments I need into it. No idea how this will perform in terms of speed.


Regards

[CJ_London]

your comments

The user would scroll through some PDF files (or JPEG) on the form and a thumbnail would display for each file they scroll through.

and

this is strictly for viewing the content as they scroll through it.

seem at odds with each other - are you expecting a user to scroll through a thnumbnal?

[Micron]

The user would scroll through some PDF files (or JPEG) on the form and a thumbnail would display for each file they scroll through.

Ajax, I think I was looking for clarification on that too in post 9. Didn't get it...

I don't recall if you posted what kind of form you had in mind but suspect it's best suited for single record. Would be interesting to know what happens in a continuous form but I suspect it wouldn't work.

[June7]

I tested using an external path as ControlSource of BoundObjectFrame and it fails.

I could not see any way to use UnboundObjectFrame to dynamically display external files. If there is VBA to accomplish this, I have not found it. Loading a PDF file into control sets following properties:

OLEClass: Adobe Acrobat 8.0
Class: AcroExch.Document.11

Nowhere do I see name of file loaded.

I have seen code to load and extract files from OLEObject field but it is very complicated. I have had only partial success with code. www.lebans.com/oletodisk.htm

An Image control cannot display PDF file, hence suggestion by Ajax for other image type.

[Micron]

I tested using an external path as ControlSource of BoundObjectFrame and it fails.

I have managed to find a sample db for what you tried and it seems to work using string paths in table.

I wasn't able to get an unbound frame to update (at least on a click event), at one point getting an error that said I could not do this in the event I was using, or some such thing. What I've read points to this being possible in the current event though. I also found that the unbound OLEclass property cannot be changed, not even in design. So this comes down to whether or not OP can use Bound frame with table paths and maybe whether or not all doc types are the same. I have no idea if it will accept word for 1 record and pdf for another at this point and there wouldn't be much use in attempting that if it's not a requirement.

Also just noticed that the bound frame Class property isn't there in this test db, so that might be a good sign. It would seem that this point from post 5 is not quite correct after all

AFAIK, BoundObjectFrame control must be bound to OLEObject field

[June7]

Interesting, I tried setting BoundObjectFrame ControlSource to field with string path, also tried static text. Neither method displays object. So how is this accomplished in the sample db?