The print() function, PDF's, ASP, and other exciting things, etc...

[cryogeneric]

Hi,

I'm writing an ASP application that can display PDF files in a frame.

The user can save or download the PDF, but I need to know when they do this so I can add an activity record to my database.

My first thought was to disable the PDF tool bar and allow saving and printing from buttons that I CREATE. This would allow me to trap the action. I was able to do this for saving using the LoadFromFile method in ASP.

However, printing has been a bit of a nightmare.

Initially, I simply added:

top.framename.focus();
top.framename.print();

...to a javascript event. This works excellent in Firefox! Firefox calls the Adobe Reader Print command just as if I had pressed Print from the reader's toolbar.

To my dismay... Internet Explorer will not, and can not, perform this same feat. I was able to create test scripts that would correctly print the frame when it's in HTML, but the moment the frame is a PDF, IE stops working.

Any way, Can anyone help me? Is there a way to trigger a PDF to print from an outside program (ASP or Javascript) that will work in IE and Firefox?


PS, I'm aware that experienced users could always find ways around. This is a downside to using PDF's and the uncompromising Adobe Reader.

[mrhoo]

What about your server logs? Don't they record the page each request comes from? Once it is in an iframe they have already downloaded it.