auto create PDF from Excel report

[egraham]

Hi, it seems topics similar to this one have been brought up several times both here and at the NI forums, but I haven't found an answer yet. Thought I'd try my luck with a new post.

Using the Report Generation Toolkit I am saving Excel reports to a folder location named with the current date. All that is required from the user is the click of a front panel button. I'd like to also create a PDF version of the report without any additional requirements from the user. I've got a couple of great tools at my disposal. I'm using Office 2003 and I have PDFMaker 7.0 installed and I can also print to Adobe PDF. I can get as far as prompting the user to choose a name and location for the PDF file, but like I said, I would like this to be automatic. I want the PDF to be named the same and saved in the same location as the Excel file from which it is generated without manually having to do this.

The Report Generation Toolkit allows me to call macros in Excel so it seems that if I knew Visual Basic I could control the file name and the save location this way.

OR

I can use the print report.vi to bring up a save dialog for the PDF file, but I don't know how to automatically choose the file location and save it. If I knew the right command line code, the System Exec.vi might allow me to do this?

Given my knowledge this is as far as I can get. Any suggestions? If not, maybe I need to spend some time getting up to speed with Visual Basic.

[crelf]

QUOTE (egraham @ May 6 2008, 06:49 PM)

I'd like to also create a PDF version of the report without any additional requirements from the user.

I've used the http://home.iprimus.com.au/gilsmith/Products/Product_LabVIEW_PDF_Toolkit.htm' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">LabVIEW PDF Toolkit form Matrix Consultants. From the webpage:

QUOTE

The MATRIX Consultants PDF toolkit allows the user to programmatically create a pdf file ... and programmatically determine the target pdf file (with or without a dialog).

It was a long time ago, but as I recall it worked great.

[egraham]

QUOTE (crelf @ May 6 2008, 04:50 PM)

I've used the http://home.iprimus.com.au/gilsmith/Products/Product_LabVIEW_PDF_Toolkit.htm' rel='nofollow' target="_blank">LabVIEW PDF Toolkit form Matrix Consultants. From the webpage:

It was a long time ago, but as I recall it worked great.

Thanks for the insight crelf. Considering the $500, maybe I'm better off trying to learn a little VB.

By the way, did you write a LV book? I was on Amazon a while back and I thought I saw something that could have been written by you. I'm new to the LV community so maybe everyone already knows this.

[crelf]

QUOTE (egraham @ May 7 2008, 11:52 AM)

Thanks for the insight crelf. Considering the $500, maybe I'm better off trying to learn a little VB.

No worries - maybe if you contact them directly (the guy's name is Gil Smith) he would do a deal for you.

QUOTE (egraham @ May 7 2008, 11:52 AM)

By the way, did you write a

LV

book?

I did - it was a few years ago now There are a few of us here that are authors of LabVIEW books.

[Karl Rony]

I use Win2PDF (www.daneprairie.com). The $35 dollar program allows one to control the filename and other properties by writing to the registry.

[djolivet]

I've been using PDF995 and it seems to work relatively well. If you read through the Developer's FAQ you sould be able to achieve the automated functionality. It isn't the best solution that I can think of, but it only costs $10 for the non ad supported version.

Good luck

[RalcoBe]

In the Open office version of Word, there is a "create PDF" button.

I didn't check, but I think it must be there in their Excel version too.

a free, simple, quick solution, without logo (some free pdf converters include a logo or watermark)

I don't know if there is any automatisation possible, easy or difficult, it's only a tip.