The PDF Reader control

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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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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.

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).

Please note: The PDF Reader control field is not available under Windows XP.. The minimum version required is Windows 10.

Available features

This control allows you to:

Open PDF files,
Find text in PDF files,
Print PDF files.
Enable end users to fill out forms.
etc.

The ribbon of this control includes the most common actions. For more details, see PDF Reader control: use 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".
Click at the desired location to create the control.

Note: The dimensions of the field created are optimized to occupy the space available at the position indicated.. If the field size doesn't suit you, use the Ctrl + Z key combination: the field will return to its default size.

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

Characteristics of PDF Reader controls

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

Initial document: Indicates the initial document displayed in the PDF Reader control ("General" tab)..
With ribbon: Specifies whether or not to display the ribbon ("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_PDFReaderRibbon" window is automatically included in your project, in the WDAAF internal component. This internal window can be modified as required. 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.
Display the thumbnail pane: Specifies whether the thumbnail pane should be displayed by default in the PDF Reader control..
Allow the change of document (Open, Dnd, ... ): Select whether or not to display buttons in the ribbon to open 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.

Related Examples:

Unit examples (WINDEV): The PDF Reader control

[ + ] Using a PDF Reader control