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Help / Developing an application or website / Controls, windows and pages / Controls: Available types / PDF Reader control
  • Overview of PDF Reader control
  • Available features
  • Creating a PDF Reader control
  • Characteristics of PDF Reader controls
  • Context menu
  • Limitations
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Stored procedures
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.
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).
WINDEV Caution: The PDF Reader control is not available in Windows XP. The minimum version required is Windows 10.

Available features

This control allows you to:
  • Open PDF files,
  • Find text in PDF files,
  • WINDEV Print PDF files.
  • WINDEV Enable end users to fill out forms.
  • etc.
WINDEV The ribbon of this control includes the most common actions. For more details, see PDF Reader control: using the ribbon.
WINDEV Several keyboard shortcuts are also available:
ShortcutEffectShortcutEffect
Ctrl + ASelects the entire content of the PDF fileCtrl + CCopies the selection to the clipboard.
Ctrl + FStars a search in the PDF file. Ctrl + 0Opens a PDF file.
Ctrl + PPrints the current PDF file.
Ctrl + mouse wheelChanges the zoom.Ctrl + 0Sets zoom at 100%
Ctrl + homeMoves to the beginning of the document.Ctrl + EndMoves to the end of the document.
Page UpDisplays the previous page.Page DownDisplays the next page.
Creating a PDF Reader control
To create a PDF Reader control:
  1. Select the control to create from the ribbon:
    • WINDEV On the "Creation" tab, in the "Graphic controls" group, expand "Office" and select "PDF Reader".
    • AndroidiPhone/iPad On the "Creation", in the "Graphic controls" group, expand "PDF Reader" and select "PDF Reader control".
  2. Click at the desired location to create the control.
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.
AndroidiPhone/iPad 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"
Characteristics of PDF Reader controls
The following options are available in the description window of the PDF Reader control:
Describing the PDF Reader control
  • Initial document: Specifies the initial document displayed in the PDF Reader control ("General" tab).
  • WINDEV With ribbon: Specifies whether the ribbon will be displayed or not ("General" tab). If the ribbon is displayed:
    • the "Ribbon source IW" area allows you to:
      • use the default ribbon. In this case "Ribbon source IW" corresponds to "None".
      • customize the default ribbon.
        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 all 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 create 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.
  • WINDEV Display the thumbnail pane: Allows you to specify whether the thumbnail pane will be displayed by default in the PDF Reader control.
  • WINDEV 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.
Context menu
By default, the PDF Reader control includes several options in the associated the context menu. To disable this context menu, use the ContextMenu property with the contextMenuDisabled constant.
Limitations
  • The PDF Reader control does not allow users to interact with other elements via JavaScript (e.g. hidden link inside an image, etc.).
  • The PDF Reader control is not available in Windows XP. The minimum version required is Windows 10.
  • AndroidiPhone/iPad The PDF Reader control does not support password-protected PDF files. A toast message indicates to the user that the file is password-protected.
  • Android Starting with version 28, the PDF Reader control is not supported by 32-bit ARM processors. The new PDF features in version 28 require a 64-bit execution mode. If an application is intended for devices with 32-bit processors, it must be generated with WINDEV Mobile 27.
Related Examples:
The PDF Reader control Unit examples (WINDEV): The PDF Reader control
[ + ] Using a PDF Reader control
Minimum version required
  • Version 23
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Last update: 03/07/2024

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