Use Distiller or what to create single pdf?

[ncsthbell]

I am just not sure the most efficient way to handle this. I have never used Adobe other than to open a document and read it! I have had Adobe Pro 8 installed on my machine to accomodate this request. I have an Access application, (Access 2000). I need 2 of the access reports and 2 word documents to be combined into one single PDF file. I just don't don't know the best way to do this. I can change the printer defaults using the page setup property of the access reports and set them to the 'Adobe printer' and get the access reports created in a .pdf file and I get 2 separate pdf files. Not sure yet on how to get the word docs turned into pdf files... can do manually but all of this need to be done within the application using VB code. Users only want to have to click a button and this single PDF file is created without them having any manual interaction. HELP! Not being familiar with the tool, I am not sure what direction to go into. I was reading about 'Distiller', but not sure if that is the best way. Any help/direction would be appreciated!!!

[Stewart Ross]

I think what your users are after is a very tall order. Acrobat Distiller can certainly combine files, add pages and so on - but I don't think it supports a programmed interface, so no chance of automating the Word and Access documents there. Distiller is also an expensive product, although very capable (it can do many other things, including turning PDF files into forms in which users can enter data).

Another product, the opensource PDFCreator, has a programmed interface - but I am not aware that the product can combine PDF files. Even if it can, learning how to program the interface is non-trivial.

I would recommend that the Word and Access reports remain ouput to separate PDF files. It would be possible to automate an e-mail message to send these files to a list of addressees, say - but as for combining them, the effort is not worth the return in my opinion.

-Stewart

[ncsthbell]

I have Distiller and there looks like there is a 'file watcher' that I could perhaps set up to use to look for files is a specified location and combine them. My major challenge is in the application (access 2000) is to be able to change the default printer to the 'Adobe PDF' printer name and then back to the default. I have been researching and haven't found anything yet that works with Access 2000. We are upgrading to Office 2007, but unfortunately it won't be until next spring! Do you know a way I can programatically grab the current default printer, save it, then set the printer to the Adobe PDF printer, run the reports, then reset back to the original default printer?