Q: Evaluating FLY SDK or FLY Batch
I want to try Fly Batch or the Windows SDK, but the download only gives me the desktop version. How can I get the API?
A:
The desktop version of each product uses the same DLL engine as the API and command line developer versions, so evaluating an end-user version provides a reliable indication of the core functionality and output quality. The standard Windows download also allows testing of the command line, which is a straight-forward interface for many development environments. Contact us for instructions on how to use it. Evaluations of the API are available upon request. Please contact support@visual-integrity.com for more information.
Q: Is there a developer kit of pdf2image, pdf2picture, pd2cad and PDF FLY ?
Is there a developer kit of pdf2image, pdf2picture, pd2cad and PDF FLY ?
A:
Yes!. We offer for example pdf2image Pro, which is an inexpensive line of products for internal and non-commercial. FLY SDK provides robust functionality for OEM's and commercial developers. Please contact us to discuss your project and get onto a fast-track evaluation. We'll help you tune the parameters and optimize the rusults to ensure your integration is smooth and makes the most of our robust capabilities to one of our output formats.
See http://www.flysdk.com for more information !
Q: How do I choose between FLY Batch and FLY SDK?
What's the difference between the two developer components - FLY SDK and FLY Batch and how do you choose which one to use?
A:
Visual Integrity offers two different approaches for accessing and integrating our conversion framework into a process or application. Depending on which is more appropriate for your needs, you'll either use:
- FLY Batch to call the batch executable via the command line
- FLY SDK to make VB/C++ API calls to the DLL engine
FLY Batch is used via the command line to automate conversions as part of a larger process or work-flow. It works without user intervention based on scripted calls or watch folders. It supports many standard image and vector output formats as well as text. Output can be highly customized using intelligent filter options which are applied as part of the conversion.
The API developer tool, FLY SDK, calls the DLL engine from a VB/C++ program is a separate file containing LIB and header files and sample source code. It requires a license code to be unlocked. The DLL can be used to convert specified files or via Windows GDI calls.
For both the FLY Batch (command-line) and FLY SDK (API/DLL), all filter parameters such as rotation, resolution and font mapping are defined in the tgc.ini file. An overview of the options and their use is available in PDF format below. These options are checked and applied during conversion to the output format.
Developers need to download and install the current version of PDF FLY or META FLY, which is the same product that end users download. This includes all developer interfaces and the DLL's as well. It also includes all of the command line scripts. When called from the command line, the software will run in evaluation mode by default stamping a watermark on every output file. The license key file received upon purchase removes the watermark.
Q: Using the command line in FLY Batch
Can you please help me understand the syntax of the FLY Batch command line and how to apply filter options to the conversion?
A:
FLY Batch is for process automation, integration and server-side automation. The powerful batch executable allows you to invoke the DLL engine via the command line. The functionality is embedded in the standard PDF FLY and META FLY downloads for evaluation.
In order to enable the batch conversion engine for use via the command-line, you must add the installation path for the software to your %path% variable. This can be done via the Control Panel -> System -> Advanced->Environment
Variables: %path% variable
Variables: %path% variable
By default PDF FLY is installed in C:/Program Files/Visual Integrity/PDF FLY
This installation path must be added to the %path% directory.
On the command line you can do this by:
Set path=%path%;"C:/Program Files/Visual Integrity/PDF FLY v__" (fill in version number)
This installation path must be added to the %path% directory.
On the command line you can do this by:
Set path=%path%;"C:/Program Files/Visual Integrity/PDF FLY v__" (fill in version number)
FLY Batch for PDF and PostScript (Adobe PostScript, EPS and PDF input)
• To convert PDF files, run pdf2xxx. Settings for pdf2xxx are defined in the pdf2xxx.ini file.
• To convert PS or EPS files, run ps2xxx. Settings for ps2xxx are defined in the ps2xxx.ini file.
FLY Batch for Metafiles (WMF and EMF input)
• To convert WMF files, run wmf2xxx. Settings for wmf2xxx are defined in the wmf2xxx.ini file.
• To convert EMF files, run emf2xxx. Settings for emf2xxx are defined in the emf2xxx.ini file.
General Usage:
• See the “options” PDF file for an overview of the variables and their use. You can open and edit the .ini files with a text editor like Notepad. The pdf2xxx.ini file is used for PDF and the ps2xxx.ini file is used for PostScript and EPS.
• The extension of your source file determines which conversion filter will be invoked.
So to convert myfile.eps to for example myfile.svg run: ps2xxx myfile.eps myfile.svg.
To convert myfile.wmf to for example yourfile.jpg run: wmf2xxx myfile.wmf yourfile.jpg.
To convert foo.pdf to for example foo.gif run: pdf2xxx foo.pdf foo.gif
Need help? Call us or email support@visual-integrity.com.
Q: How easy is it to add the API calls of the FLY SDK into your program ?
How easy is it to add the API calls of the FLY SDK into your program ?
A:
FLY SDK is very powerful conversion engine yet simple to integrate into your application code. You just need to customize your conversion profile (.ini) and then hook into the engine. Only two API calls are needed to convert to any of the vector or bitmap output formats, Below are some examples:
Convert 4dbar.ps to 4dbar.wmf using the ps2xxx.ini configuration file
VgPsLoadOptions(PS2XXX, "ps2xxx.ini");
VgPsConvert("4dbar.ps", "4dbar.wmf", PWMF, NULL);Convert 4dbar.pdf to 4dbar.png using the pdf2xxx.ini configuration file
VgPsLoadOptions(PDF2XXX, "pdf2xxx.ini");
VgPsBitmapConvert("4dbar.pdf", "4dbar.png", PNG, NULL);Convert 4dbar.emf to 4dbar.svg using the emfxxx.ini configuration file
VgPsLoadOptions(EMF2XXX, "emf2xxx.ini");
VgEmfFileFlowTo("4Dbar.emf", SVG, "4Dbar.svg");
Q: Why should I choose your PDF output engine?
Why should I choose your PDF output over all the others out there?
A:
PDF has been added as an output format. Unlike other technologies which use printer-driver-based solutions to create their PDF-file, we have developed a core engine to create the PDF-file directly from either a PostScript or EPS file. Because the engine powering all Visual Integrity products includes a PostScript output engine, PDF can be created more efficiently from Windows via the WMF and EMF formats as well as on Linux and UNIX.
Q: Can I operate at the object level in the PDF file?
Can I add or delete objects in the PDF file during cnversion?
A:
The FLY SDK API has been extended with a powerful, new option to parse through a list of text, vector and image objects in a PDF-file and then edit, delete or add objects to the page. This page can then be generated as a PDF file or any of our other output formats which include DXF, HP-GL/II, WMF, EMF, CGM, MIF, SVG, ASCII, TIFF, BMP, JPEG, GIF, EPS, and PostScript. This new feature has great importance in the regulation and compliancy markets, among others, where you could identify and remove privacy-related information from files.
Q: Can I program stamping or watermarking during conversion?
Can I program stamping or watermarking during conversion?
A:
The new "Merge & Mark" feature allows you to add any PDF, EPS or PS file during your conversion as a background, watermark or stamp to the files that you are converting. This new merged file can then be fed to the conversion engine and output in any of the supported vector and image formats.