If you want to save to PDF using the distill method, you do not need to change any properties. The distill method is used by default when you select Save Rows As from the File menu in the DataWindow painter and select PDF as the file type, or when you use the SaveAs method with PDF! as the file type.
PowerBuilder uses a PostScript printer driver specifically designed for distilling purposes to configure the PDF output. You can choose to use a different PostScript printer driver if you want to customize your PostScript settings for generating PDF.
To use a custom PostScript printer driver, you must set some properties.
To save customized distilled PDF output in the DataWindow painter:
Select the Data Export tab in the Properties view for the DataWindow object.
Select PDF from the Format to Configure drop-down list, select Distill! from the Method drop-down list, and select the Distill Custom PostScript check box.
Select the Print Specifications tab and specify the name of the printer whose settings you want to use in the Printer Name box.
Save the DataWindow object, then select File>Save Rows As, select PDF as the Save As Type, specify a file name, and click Save.
The properties you set in the DataWindow painter are saved with the DataWindow object and are used by default when your application runs, but for more control, specify the properties in a script before saving the DataWindow object. To specify a custom printer driver in a script, set the Export.PDF.Distill.CustomPostScript property to Yes and specify a printer with the DataWindow.Printer property:
int li_ret
dw_1.Object.DataWindow.Export.PDF.Method = Distill!
dw_1.Object.DataWindow.Printer = "\\prntsrvr\pr-6"
dw_1.Object.DataWindow.Export.PDF. &
Distill.CustomPostScript="Yes"
li_ret = dw_1.SaveAs("custom.PDF", PDF!, true)
Users must have administrative privileges to create a PDF file.
To support saving as PDF using GNU Ghostscript, you must download and install Ghostscript files on your system as described in the Installation Guide. The default PostScript printer driver and related files are installed in Sybase\Shared\PowerBuilder\drivers.
When you deploy applications that use the ability to save as PDF with the distill method, you must make sure your users have installed Ghostscript and have access to the the drivers directory.
See the chapter on deployment in Application Techniques for more information about redistributing these files.
