Re: PDF/Postscript in gtk+

[Daniel Kasak <dkasak nusconsulting com au>]

Raul Dias wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I need to display pdf documents (PDF::Api2 generated documents) inside a
> perl-gtk+ app.
>
> This app will be cross plataform (linux/windows).
>
>   
Do you have to have the pdf rendered inside your app, or is opening an 
external app OK?

I do this:

---

if ($^O eq "linux") {
  
   $browser = `which firefox` || `which mozilla`;
   chomp($browser);                    # Remove stray linefeed ( or 
something ) character
   $pdf_viewer = `which acroread || `which evince` || `which gpdf`;
   chomp($pdf_viewer);                    # Remove stray linefeed ( or 
something ) character
   $report_dir = $currentdir . "/.sales/reports/";
  
} elsif ($^O eq "MSWin32") {
  
   $browser = 'C:\Progra~1\Mozill~1\firefox.exe';    # Yuck. DOS.
   $pdf_viewer = '"C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat 
7.0\\Reader\\AcroRd32.exe"';
   $report_dir = 'C:\\.sales\\reports\\';
  
}

---

evince and gpdf can't currently print pdfs very well at all. They have 
major issues with spacing and alignment - particularly with pdfs 
generated by PDF::API2 ... trust me ... this is just what we do :(

So I default to Adobe's Acrobat reader under Linux & Windows. It works 
fine, but is a little slow to load, and it doesn't have a print dialog 
that lets you select a printer, so I also install 'gtklp', and use the 
'print to a custom command' option from acroread - which 'prints' to 
gtklp, which in turn gives you *stacks* of handy options like which 
printer you want to print to :) If you don't have to print, but only 
view, then take your pick out of evince ( slow but better interface ), 
or gpdf.

--
Daniel Kasak
IT Developer
NUS Consulting Group
Level 5, 77 Pacific Highway
North Sydney, NSW, Australia 2060
T: (+61) 2 9922-7676 / F: (+61) 2 9922 7989
email: dkasak nusconsulting com au
website: http://www.nusconsulting.com.au