Acrobat 7.0 ActiveX Object example code in Lookout

[23r23]

Help folks!

I'm trying to set up the Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Browser Document ActiveX Object under Lookout 6.0 but it doesn't work. My goal is to display a pdf document by lookout.

What should I set by Property Browser...?

What should I set by Property Pages...?

What should I set by Value Property:?

What means the term "Property" in this kind of objects?

Is there an example code I can get?

Any suggestion will be appreciated.

Thanx.

[Khalid]

Hi,

Lookout doesn't support ActiveX methods or events, just properties.  That (severely, IMHO) limits the use of ActiveX controls in Lookout.  You may want to see this for more details, and a tutorial:

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=190&message.id=815

Fortunately for you, there's a property ("src") for the Acrobat Browser Document ActiveX that will let you open a PDF file.  And that should all you'll be needing.  The rest can be configured by right-clicking the ActiveX control once you have dropped it on the panel (and displayed a PDF in it). 

Basically, you would connect the path to the PDF file to the "src" datamember (property).  I am attaching an example which uses a TextEntry object.  Click the TextEntry Object and enter path to the PDF file.  You should see the PDF displayed.  You can now right-click this and set other properties. 

Hope this helps.

Regards,

-Khalid

[23r23]

That worked great, thanks.

In my application there is no keyboard and mouse connected to the PC (only touch screen), and the access to outside of lookout is restricted by password. This is a good way to show technical documents when needed, with Lookout.

If I need to display documents (.doc), is there any other way like this one?

Thankx

[Khalid]

I don't know of a FREE ActiveX control for MS Word.  However, if you have MS Word installed on the same computer, you can use MS Internet Explorer ActiveX Control to view Word documents. 

But before we do that, we have to make sure that MS Word is set to open documents in the "same window."  This basically opens a DOC file in Internet Explorer itself rather than launching a new MS Word window and then opening the DOC file in it.  To set this (if it isn't already):

1. Launch Windows Explorer. 
2. From the Tools menu, select "Folder Options"
3. Click the "File Types" tab. 
4. From the listing of "Registered File Types," select "Microsoft Word Document," (you can get to it fast by typing "DOC"); click Advanced. 
5. Click the "Browse in same window" check box -- this toggles whether a Word document is launched outside of Internet Explorer. 
6. Click OK to close the dialog boxes. 

NOTE:  if the DOC still opens in a new MS Word window (and not IE), go back and toggle the check-box. 

In Lookout, use the Lookout Webbrowser control (which is nothing but MS IE Control).  Specify the file path to the DOC file as the URL.  I am attaching a process file which does this using a TextEntry object. 

Hope this helps.

-Khalid

PS:  not sure when this changed but we can't directly attach .L4P files to a post.. what a pain!  Please take a minute to add your weight to this request: 

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=130&message.id=2142

Message Edited by Khalid on 12-28-2005 02:55 PM

[Doug M]

These file extensions have been added -- thanks!