The PDF Reader control

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Overview of PDF Reader control
Creating a PDF Reader control
Characteristics of the PDF Reader control
Popup menu
Limitations

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The PDF Reader control

Overview of PDF Reader control

The "PDF Reader" control is an advanced control that allows end users to view PDF documents in their applications, without an external software. No need to start an external reader. You know what all end user will see, which makes user support much simpler.

Versions 25 and later

The PDF Reader control is now available for Android applications.

The PDF Reader control is now available for iPhone/iPad applications.

New in version 25

The PDF Reader control is now available for Android applications.

The PDF Reader control is now available for iPhone/iPad applications.

The PDF Reader control is now available for Android applications.

The PDF Reader control is now available for iPhone/iPad applications.

The PDF Reader control can be included in a window of your application (like any other control), or the PDF reader can be opened in a new window (like any standard reader).

This control allows you to:

Open PDF files,
Find text in PDF files,
Print PDF files, etc.

The ribbon of this control is used to perform the most common operations. For more details, see PDF Reader control: using the ribbon.

Several keyboard shortcuts are also available:

Shortcut	Effect	Shortcut	Effect

Ctrl + A	Selects the entire content of the PDF file	Ctrl + C	Copies the selection to the clipboard.
Ctrl + F	Stars a search in the PDF file.	Ctrl + 0	Opens a PDF file.
Ctrl + P	Prints the current PDF file.
Ctrl + mouse wheel	Changes the zoom.	Ctrl + 0	Sets zoom at 100%
Ctrl + home	Moves to the beginning of the document.	Ctrl + End	Moves to the end of the document.
Page Up	Displays the previous page.	Page down	Displays the next page.

Creating a PDF Reader control

To create a PDF Reader control:

Select the control to create from the ribbon:
- On the "Creation" tab, in the "Graphic controls" group, expand "Office" and select "PDF Reader".
- Versions 25 and later
  On the "Creation", in the "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and select "PDF Reader control".
  New in version 25
  On the "Creation", in the "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and select "PDF Reader control".
  On the "Creation", in the "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and select "PDF Reader control".
Click at the desired location to create the control.

Versions 20 and later
Remark: The dimensions of the control are optimized to take up the available space at the specified position. If the control size does not suit you, press Ctrl + Z: the control size will be reset to default.

New in version 20
Remark: The dimensions of the control are optimized to take up the available space at the specified position. If the control size does not suit you, press Ctrl + Z: the control size will be reset to default.

Remark: The dimensions of the control are optimized to take up the available space at the specified position. If the control size does not suit you, press Ctrl + Z: the control size will be reset to default.

To view the characteristics of the control, select "Description" in the context menu.

Versions 25 and later

Preset window: On Android and/or iOS, the PDF Reader control can only be used to display PDF files. There are no buttons or default options to edit the PDF file displayed in the control.
WINDEV Mobile also allows you to integrate a preset "PDF Reader" window into your application. This window contains:

a PDF Reader control,
an Action Bar control containing options for searching and browsing through the PDF Reader control.

This windows expects the path of the PDF file as parameter.
This window can be modified at your convenience.

To integrate this window into your project, go to the "Creation" tab, "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and click "PDF Reader window"

New in version 25

a PDF Reader control,
an Action Bar control containing options for searching and browsing through the PDF Reader control.

This windows expects the path of the PDF file as parameter.
This window can be modified at your convenience.

To integrate this window into your project, go to the "Creation" tab, "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and click "PDF Reader window"

a PDF Reader control,
an Action Bar control containing options for searching and browsing through the PDF Reader control.

This windows expects the path of the PDF file as parameter.
This window can be modified at your convenience.

To integrate this window into your project, go to the "Creation" tab, "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and click "PDF Reader window"

Characteristics of the PDF Reader control

The following options are available in the description window of the PDF Reader control:

Initial document: Specifies the initial document displayed in the PDF Reader control ("General" tab).
With ribbon: Specifies whether the ribbon will be displayed or not ("General" tab). If the ribbon is displayed:
- "Ribbon source IW" allows you to:
  - use the ribbon proposed by default. In this case "Ribbon source IW" corresponds to "None".
  - customize the ribbon proposed by default.
    Simply select the default preset window in "Ribbon source IW". In this case, the "IW_WinDevAAF_DocumentReaderBar" window is automatically included in your project. This internal window (available in English and French) can be modified according to your needs. This window contains the code required to manage the PDF Reader control. It is recommended to check for UI errors and make sure the window works properly after any change is made.
  - use an internal window to propose a specific ribbon.
    Any internal window of your project can be used to create this ribbon.
- "Apply project skin template to ribbon" applies the project skin template to the internal window that corresponds to the ribbon and to all the windows opened via the ribbon.
Display the thumbnail pane: Allows you to specify whether the thumbnail pane will be displayed by default in the PDF Reader control.
Allow the change of document (Open, Dnd, ... ): This option allows you to propose (or not) the buttons in the ribbon for opening a new document. If this option is not checked, the end user will only be able to handle the PDF file defined by the application. Otherwise, the end user can handle any PDF file.

Popup menu

By default, the PDF Reader control includes several options in the associated the popup menu. To disable this popup menu, use the PopupMenu property with the PopupMenuDisabled constant.

Limitations

The following features are not supported by the PDF Reader control:
- Signatures,
- Bookmarks,
- Edit controls,
- Radio button and check boxes,
- PDF/A.
- Interactions via JavaScript (for example, a link hidden in an image, etc.).
The PDF Reader control is not available in Windows XP.
The PDF Reader control does not support password-protected PDF files. A toast message indicates to the user that the file is password-protected.

Related Examples:

Unit examples (WINDEV): The PDF Reader control

[ + ] Using a PDF Reader control