PDF Preview in container field optimized for images Mac vs Windows

[Ron Cates]

I need to be able to show a preview in the container in much the same way that a jpg shows the image in the container.

When loading a pdf into a container with Optimize for images selected filemaker has the following behavior.

When loading a pdf into a container on my mac using right click - insert file, or script step - insert file, or simply dragging and dropping into the container, I get a preview of the first page in the container which is exactly what I need. It's visible on Mac, Windows and webdirect ( on both mac and windows ). 

But if I load the pdf into the container on windows or in webDirect ( on Mac or Windows ) I get the file icon and file name. So the only time the preview displays as desired is if the pdf is loaded in FileMaker Pro on my mac. I haven't tested loading in FileMaker Go.

When viewing GetContainerAttributes ( container::field ; "all" ) on the file loaded on Mac with FileMaker Pro I get

 

[General]
Filename: Invoice-INV01183.pdf
Storage Type: External (Open)
MD5: 34F63DEDF9551E4AC24E4B58755CDCF0
File Size: 79970
Internal Size: 94
External Size: 168513
External Files: 3

[Image]
Width: 612
Height: 792

When viewing GetContainerAttributes ( containerfield::file ; "all" ) on the file loaded on Windows with FileMaker Pro I getor webDirect I get

 

[General]
Filename: Invoice-INV01183.pdf
Storage Type: External (Open)
MD5: 34F63DEDF9551E4AC24E4B58755CDCF0
File Size: 79970
Internal Size: 70
External Size: 79970
External Files: 1

[Image]
Width: ?
Height: ?

 

So the issue is the pdf will only show a preview when loaded from a Mac. The client I am working with on this project has all windows 10 computers. Is there something I can do to get the pdf to preview when loaded on a windows machine or in webDirect?

 

The file is hosted on Windows Server 19 Standard

FileMaker Server 19.0.1.103

Testing with FileMaker Pro 19.2

[comment]

My experience (macOS, v.18)  is a little different from what you describe:

If I use the plain Insert File script step to insert a PDF, it is inserted as a file - and the container field shows a generic file icon. In order to insert the file as an image/PDF, I must check the Display content option in Dialog options. Then the result is similar to inserting the PDF using the Insert Picture script step.

Another point that stands out is the question marks in image attributes. When a PDF is inserted as a file, there are no image attributes at all. What you show indicates that there was an attempt to insert the PDF as an image, but something went wrong. Could it be the Adobe plugins?
https://fmforums.com/topic/106880-pdf-not-showing-in-container-field/?do=findComment&comment=482825&_rid=72594

 

[Ron Cates]

Quote

My experience (macOS, v.18)  is a little different from what you describe:

If I use the plain Insert File script step to insert a PDF, it is inserted as a file - and the container field shows a generic file icon. In order to insert the file as an image/PDF, I must check the Display content option in Dialog options. Then the result is similar to inserting the PDF using the Insert Picture script step.

That is my experience as well. When using the insert file script step Display Content of file (when possible) selected.
Inserting on Mac displays the preview which is visible on both Mac and Windows.
inserting on Windows results in the file icon on both Mac and Windows.

I am exploring the Adobe plugin possibility however, I've reproduced the behavior on several windows computers and the result is always the same.

I concur that the problem seems to be that when inserting on windows or in webDirect something goes wrong. 

Honestly I have always worked primarily in windows and for years I have just accepted that showing a preview of a pdf was just not possible in windows. I only just recently realized that if the pdf is inserted using a mac the preview will show on windows. I'm just not sure what i'm missing. Are others able to load a pdf in windows and see a preview in the container?

[Ron Cates]

The video is using FileMaker's Contacts starter file right out of the box. I added a script to demonstrate the insert picture script step but other than that I didn't change the file. The file is hosted on filemaker server 19. I'm using remotePC to my mac to show the different behavior. The reslut has been the same with every windows computer I've tried it on. Some have Adobe acrobat DC installed, others do not.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Ron Cates

[MonkeybreadSoftware]

You can use DynaPDF or PDFKit functions in MBS FileMaker Plugin to generate a preview.

See DynaPDF.GeneratePreview or PDFKit.GeneratePreview functions.

Just pass your PDF to the function, check whether it succeeded and then put the new value in field.

The plugin adds the missing preview picture.

[Ron Cates]

I found out something interesting with this as I researched further. I ran across a post where someone had said they did not experience this with the database hosted on a Mac Mini. In his case, hosted on Mac he was able to load from windows and see the preview just fine. I'm hosting on a Windows server and don't have access to a Mac server for testing. So instead I opened the contacts file on my iMac and shared it from there. When I insert the pdf into this file from my Windows client, it loads and shows the preview.

So it seems the problem may be with the Windows server.

I tried installing adobe reader on the server but that didn't help.

Does anyone have any clue on this?

[silvio]

Ron, I had exactly the behavior you described in the last post:

We used to have FMS on a Mac mini, everything was ok (both on win and Mac clients).

We moved to FMS on windows, then on Mac clients the preview was ok (generated/viewed also from windows), but on windows side inserting a pdf doesn't generate the preview (which neither Mac clients can see).

 

Did you solve someway?

[Ron Cates]

Unfortunately I still have not found a solution. We are still living without the preview functionality.