PDF conversion on web server

[keith.langer]

Hi,

I'd like to know the cleanest approach to generating PDF files on a web
server. I am looking at converting multiple document types, but for
now I'd like to know about .doc files. Basically, the user would upload
their original file, and it would be handed back to them as a PDF.
Does MS Office need to be installed on the server? Is there a way to
do this without Office? Do I really need a third party component, or
is it possible to do this conversion without investing months of time?
There could be potentially over 100 simultaneous requests, and I'm
concerned about being able to serve all requests at once.

thanks,
Keith

 

[Edwin Knoppert]

I'm sure you'll need Word to print.
While this is not that difficult to do (com object or shellexecute api >
"print" instead of : "open") will print.

Here is a topic for ASP.NET which shows how to print to PDF using
ghostscript:

http://www.hellobasic.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl?board=dotnet;action=display;num=1134897582

 

[John Timney \( MVP \)]

Given office doesn't convert to PDF (yet), you need some third party
component like ActivePDF.

You may however wish to consider installing and automating staroffice which
does doc to PDF output and having a crack at invoking it via interop.

 

[keith.langer]

Do most PDF conversion utilities intercept an application's print
function? I guess if that's the case then the app must always be
installed on the server.