PDF Creator Pilot

Keywords:

Adobe PDF, PDF, portable document format, Acrobat Reader, PDF maker, PDF software, PDF editor, PDF script

Overview

The guys working with me have been always interested in some kind of software that generates PDF documents, especially if it can do it "on the fly", for example in a script that outputs contents into a browser window. we were looking for a highly customizable interface, and what can be more customizable than your own code? So, we downloaded PDF Creator Pilot function library and started testing it.

Installation

There is a single setup file. The installation goes smoothly. After it you'll have a DLL registered in your Windows. I downloaded a trial setup file, that means the content produced by PDF Creator will be slightly modified with some messages or notifications.

Process description

First I studied examples. The developers supplied their customers with a considerable library

Download example PDF file.

of examples for different languages (ASP, Delphi, VBScript, Visual C++, Visual Basic). I chose ASP, though I’m going to test it in C++ and PHP as well.

First I experienced certain difficulties. It was pretty hard to understand how I could draw a rectangle and fill it, for example. If I didn’t have an example in front of my eyes, I would hardly guess how to do it. But sooner or later I began to succeed in my experiments. I played with fonts, colors, figures and the whole document.

I took on of our project’s description as a template for my final document. I was not as patient as to finish it all, but at least I’ve had enough imagination of PDF Creator Pilot.

PDF Creator Pilot doesn’t support GIF images as far as I tried to do that. At least if you want to add an image the way it is made in one of the examples, and in case this image is in GIF format, none of available compression types match.

I find it somewhat strange and inconvenient to specify RGB colors in values from 0 to 1. So white color would be defined as [1, 1, 1], and gray [0.5, 0.5, 0.5].

I didn’t find any means to align text to the right or center. Also obviously there is no way to automatically wrap text. You have to do it manually, I mean, calculate the edge of the page.

Output format

As you may guess, it is PDF :)
I should mention that PDF Creator Pilot has excellent support of fonts, including True Type.
Another useful feature is ability to output the contents of the generated file directly into a browser (for ASP scripts).

In case this is interesting to anyone: PDF Creator doesn’t encrypt text inside a document.

Interface, wizards, help files

Their help file doesn’t contain index :( I was searching for the way to add a default header with our logo and company name, but didn’t find it.

Interface is absent because this software is a function library.

Competitors

PDF4NET (.NET library), Document Converter Pro from Neevia Technology, PDF In-The-Box, AspPDF from Persits Software Inc.

Prices, where to buy, URL

The application is produced by Two Pilots company. This is the URL of the product family:
http://www.colorpilot.com/pdfprinterpilot.html
There are three versions of PDF Creator that vary by their functions and price:
PDF Printer Pilot ($29)
PDF Printer Pilot Pro ($49.95)
PDF Printer Pilot Pro + Windows 2000 Terminal Server support ($149)
According to the information on their web site the users of PDF Creator will get free upgrades during 12 months since the purchase.

My personal conclusion

Well done, but requires more help and functions description. Also it’s worth to think of GIF images.