Trying to use Filemaker to print PDF

[hartmut]

Hello

I have a layout and record I would like to print as a PDF> When I go to do it nothing happens. I have tried saving every type of pdf and it does nothing. I try asking for a preview and it does nothing. Is there something I can do to make this work?

Thanks

Dave

[bcooney]

Well, let's start with what do you see if you choose Preview Mode, because that is what should be created when you Save as PDF. Are you using the FileMaker command to create a PDF or the option in the Mac OS X Print dialog?

[hartmut]

I am using the option in the MAC osx Print Dialog. In this dialog box in neither lets me preview or print the PDF

[bcooney]

Why don't you try FM's Save as PDF?

[_henry_]

Hello Bcooney,

If you choose Save as PDF from the Script, then if you want to print the document out, you would open the PDF and choose print from there?

Thanks..

[bcooney]

Yes. Save as PDF saves what would have printed to a .pdf file, that will open with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

That is why I would troubleshoot by looking at what Preview's in Filemaker. What you see is what you get.

[hartmut]

I tried the same file on my laptop and it works. but it doesn't preview or print to PDF on my desktop. It acts as if it does but it doesn't print to pdf.

Dave

[hartmut]

I just found this in an apple discussion

I upgraded to Leopard. Now when I attempt to create a PDF file by printing using the Adobe PDF 8 printer, the file will process into the printer job list, and then the printer will PAUSE. No amount of Resuming or restarting the print queue will get the job to process and actually create the PDF file. Each time, the printer queue will Pause the printer. I have tried this with several different applications.

I have tried to use the PDF button and Save as PDF. I now get a dialog box stating that this feature is not supported.

[dpouliot]

As a me too post, since I upgraded to Leopard, the PDF button in the Print dialog no longer works for Filemaker Advanced 8.5v1. I just updated to v2, and it is still busted.

[Elaine Jones]

In case my related problem gives you a clue, I am able (using FM7 Developer) to save as PDF on my Mac, but on my PC using the same program, the pdf option is not available in the print menu. I'm wondering if it may have something to do with not having Adobe Acrobat on the PC (on the Mac I have a Preview program that probably does it).

Can anyone clarify this issue? Thanks for the assistance.

[bcooney]

Yikes! I know FMI's stance is that they only support 9.0v3 on Leopard. Does their knowledgebase have this as a known issue?

[Elaine Jones]

I am able (using FM7 Developer) to save as PDF on my Mac, but on my PC using the same program, the pdf option is not available in the print menu. I'm wondering if it may have something to do with not having Adobe Acrobat on the PC (on the Mac I have a Preview program that probably does it).

Can anyone clarify this issue? Thanks for the assistance.

[comment]

There is no PDF capability in version 7. You are able to save as PDF on a Mac, because this feature is provided by the operating system to ALL applications, as part of the printing dialog.

AFAIK you can achieve a similar thing on Windows by installing a "PDF printer" - I believe there are several options to choose from, some of them free.

[sean o mac]

To get back on topic here, I tried the suggestion above and yes, SAVE to PDF works as both as a stand alone command from the menu bar, and as a Script step. Based on my scrolling through a couple of dozen posts on the topic in these forums, it seems that the 'print to PDF feature' in Leopard is non functional when accessing it from either FM8, FM8.5 or even FM9.0.3

Until either Leopard is updated or FM comes out with a new FM9 update that allows the print to PDF or Preview buttons to work, Save as PDF seems to be the only solution to get your PDFs created. That said, not a bad solution in the long run.

To be sure, I only came across this issue because I was using the normal method of choosing the Acrobat Pro printer driver like I would any other printer on my network only to discover that Acrobat Pro isn't actually working EITHER on Leopard at the moment. Adobe is saying end of Jnuary 2008 for that update but its, ummm, Feb 5th already.