No Printer in PDF-XChange Viewer

[AZAmsoiler]

Yesterday, I downloaded and installed the latest version of PDF-XChange Viewer (PDFXVwer.zip). I did this for two reasons, one was because I am having trouble trying to use all necessary functionality of an online PDF form. The other problem was that I could not print from PDF-XChange Viewer in Firefox V 3.6.8. If I attempted to print from within Firefox, the Print dialog window came up, but there would not be a printer name in the drop down box and there would be a message in the page inset stating NO PAGES SELECTED. If I used the file save dialog or icon, and saved the pdf document to my local machine, I could then open the document with PDF-XCV and have full print functionality. The version of PDF-XCViewer I had been using for the last several months, and which I uninstalled yesterday, was V 2.0. Build level was 45 or 46, I think.
I also had Foxit installed, and it would work the same way from within Firefox, so I uninstalled Foxit earlier this week.

After uninstalling the earlier version of PDF-XCV, I rebooted prior to installing the latest version yesterday.
Now that I have downloaded and installed the latest version of PDF-XChange Viewer, I can no longer send ANY pdf document to a printer. The problem is identical to what I just described above for pdf documents from within Firefox, except that now I also can not print any document stored locally. This means that I no longer have the ability to print a pdf document, as I plan to never install any version of the Adobe Reader on this machine.

Can you tell me if there is some setting or something else that I missed during the install? Does the latest version of your free Viewer app no longer allow users to print to paper?

Thank you.

System Details:
OS: Windows XP Pro Version 2002 SP3
CPU: AMD Athlon Thunderbird 1.20 GHz
RAM: 1.00 GB
Browser: Firefox V 3.6.8
PDF-XChange Viewer (free) V 2.0 (Build 54.0)
Inkjet Printer: Canon Pixma iP4600

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

Can you send us screenshot of print dialog ?

[AZAmsoiler]

This is my first time, so I'll see if I can do that.
Because I had MSWord open, I pasted the screen capture from the Windows Clipboard into a new Word document, saved, and zipped it.
If it does not work right, it is because I've been up for 20 hours plus.

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello AZAmsoiler,

Thank you for the file.
I have asked Ivan to have a look at it, and he will advise shortly.

Regards,
Stefan

[AZAmsoiler]

Ivan & Stefan,
Can you tell me if there is any solution or help for this issue?

I'm having another small, but irritating issue with PDF-XCViewer when opening a PDF file. I'm not sure if I should put with the current issue, or start a new posting.
If I already have one or more files open, each in its own tab, and try to open another, the new will not appear until after I switch to a different application and then come back to PDF-XCV.
The result is the same regardless of how I select the file to open. It can be via the File | Recent Files menu, double-clicking in Windows Explorer, or Windows Start | Recent Document selection. The color of the PDF-XCV Title bar at the top fades to a lighter shade indicating a change in the focus of the OS. But no matter where in the window that I click, it does not change that faded color, nor does the focus come back to the PDF-XCV window. I cannot get any action from a menu item or button in the window.
However, as soon as I click on different application icon in the Windows OS taskbar, I can immediately click on PDF-XCV and switch back to view the document that is now open. Waiting for it to open won't help, but switching focus to a different app and then back, and it's like magic! What gives?
This only started after I installed the latest version a week ago, it was never a problem in the previously installed version.

My other issue has to do with being unable to utilize all of the functionality of a fillable form on a website. I am supposed to submit reports on a regular basis, and the simplest way is to do it on their web site. There are spaces for 3 email addresses so that the submitted form goes to the headquarters, two other officers, and myself. Everything works fine except the submit function. If I leave a required field blank, I get an error message telling me to fill that field, but if all are filled out correctly, it will not submit and send the emails.
We are supposed to use Adobe V 7.0 or higher to access or fill out the forms. I do not want to install that bloatware on my machine. It is old enough that Adobe uses too many of the machine's limited resources. I was able to submit the form from another machine with Adobe, but it's a pain to do it that way.

Is this something that can be corrected? I think I did find a posting somewhere that somebody referred to a Javascript, and neither PDF-XCV or Foxit is capable of working correctly with that. I know that Foxit also did not work for me on this form.

Thanks for your help.

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

Looks like there are some conflicts with another installed application on your computer.
Can you send us report via Help -> Report a Problem with viewer's settings, printers list and loaded modules options turned on?

[AZAmsoiler]

I just now did as you requested. I hope it gets to you. I've never done this before, and do not know what to expect. I did not receive a confirmation from the app, the dialog box simply disappeared when I clicked on the "next" button.
So please let me know if you don't receive it.

Thanks

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello AZAmsoiler,

Clicking the "next" button should launch your mail client, and you should send us this report as a normal e-mail (we receive those in a special account), but there is currently no report, so please do try again.

Best,
Stefan

[AZAmsoiler]

Hi Stefan,
My email client is Mozilla Thunderbird, which is running when I go through the Help | Report a Problem menu item.
Clicking the "Next" button seems to only cause the problem reporting dialog to disappear. No new email message shows up, and I can not find any instance of such a message in my Drafts or Outgoing folders.
I also looked in the My Documents folder and the PDFXCV install folder, and can't find any file that might have been created to send for this.

Please advise what I should do now.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

HI AZAmsoiler

that Report a Problem calls the default "Simple MAPI" email application. Thunderbird is compliant with this and should be successfully called by using "Help --> Report a Problem" even with TB closed the call should launch it and a compose window.

Do you see any evidence of Thunderbird starting in the process list of the Windows Task Manager? When I do this you can see that TB launches for me, I'm wondering if you see it start then fail or simply stop responding or if the call never even gets the TB exe started.

This is what I see in Task Manager when I try. Note that in my case I'm using Vista x64, I can test XP x86 but would expect the same result. Thunderbird was closed when I used Report a Problem.

[AZAmsoiler]

Hi Paul,

I closed the Thunderbird app, so that it no longer appeared in the Task Manager window.
I kept TaskMan open in a small window so I could watch it while trying to report a problem from within PDFXC Viewer.
When I clicked on NEXT Thunderbird did open just as it usually does when I start it normally. An entry for it did appear in the TaskMan window.
It took several seconds for the Report a Problem window to disappear, whereas normally it disappeared within a second or two. No new message popped, though.
I looked through the various folders in Thunderbird, and was unable to find an instance of a message created by PDF-XChange Viewer.

Do you have any further suggestions?

Thanks

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi again AZAmsoiler

so if I am reading your last post correctly it would appear that TB is being called by the Viewer but that it is not completing the task of composing the email.

Is that right?

I might have to get one of our dev team to comment as I'm not 100% certain what is likely happening here.

[AZAmsoiler]

Hello,

You are exactly correct. The email client is apparently being called by the Viewer, but I can not find any instance of a message being composed for sending.
If there is an alternate method of capturing the information you are requesting, I can try to do that.
The way things are beginning to look, it may be necessary to clean every vestige of the Viewer from my system, and start over. From my experience in the past, I have found that does not always fix the problem, because there is usually some file somewhere that I did not know to look for and delete. It's usually some DLL or other similar type of embedded file.

I am open to suggestions.
Thanks

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi again AZAmsoiler,

I think you are right in your thoughts on the next step. I would have you follow these steps:

1: Please uninstall all you have installed so far from the Windows control
panel (in Windows XP this is in the option 'ADD/Remove Programs' - in
Vista 'Programs and Features') and restart your PC when complete.

2: Search the registry for the term "Tracker Software" and remove any keys named this.

3: Remove the folder Tracker Software in Program files if still present.

4: Download and start this installer :
http://www.docu-track.com/PDFXVwer.zip

5: If this is a licensed version : When asked by the installer - please copy/paste your serial number into the installer as appropriate.

6: Now complete the install and restart Windows as instructed

This should result in a clean install. Be sure to let us know how that goes for you.

[AZAmsoiler]

It may be a day or two before I can get this done, and get back to you on it.
Bear in mind that the files in that downloaded zip file show the same date/time stamps, sizes, and CRC as the one I installed as the latest version.

I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello AZAmsoiler,

In that case we would be awaiting your input on the topic before we continue investigating the issue.

As for the files being the same - yes you are running the current version, but sometimes reinstalling does help even if you have the latest build.

Regards,
Stefan

[AZAmsoiler]

Hello Stefan & Ivan,

Sorry it has taken me a couple of days to get back to you on this. So far it looks the uninstall, cleanup, and reinstall has taken care of the printing problems. Though I have printed only a couple of documents, the printer dialog screen does now show my printer for every one of several different documents and forms. That also includes all PDF files and online forms that I have tried.
Yes, printing does work now.

Thank you for your assistance.

However, there a couple of other things that seem problematical. Perhaps this part would be better off in a different posting.
When I fill out and try to submit an online monthly reporting form, the submit action is not successful. The form in question has a button to click which is suppose to cause it to be saved by or sent to the web page host. At the same it also gets sent by email to up to 3 email addresses. None of this works.
After inquiring about it, the IT staff that controls this PDF form did remind me that Adobe 7.0 or higher is required.
I don't know why other PDF apps like Foxit and PDF-Xchange Viewer do not work with this function.

One other irritation I now have, that I did not have before this whole issue came up, is that PDF-XCV is very, very slow to load a document to view in another tab when I already have one open. Sometimes, I can only bring it up by clicking on a different app in the taskbar, then click on PDF-XCV again. Even then sometimes, it will not finish loading for several more seconds. And these are all only one or two page documents.

[John - Tracker Supp]

Hi,

pleased your original problem is now resolved, with regards the other issues mentioned.

1: The submit button issue - : Could we please see an example (see below)

2: With regards speed and the submission of an example as in 1: above.

Please use the option :

Help -> Report a Problem

and this will include extra useful system info to allow us to investigate, also please include a link back to this forum message in your email body for reference.

Thanks

[AZAmsoiler]

Unfortunately, the issue has shown up again.

This time the problem occurred after successfully printing a poster on several pages for pasting together. The poster was sized 11 inches by 17 inches.
The next time I tried to print from within the viewer, no printer shows in the printer dialog window, just as before.
Am I going to have to uninstall, clean up the Registry, and reinstall again, to get it working correctly this time?

And again, I also am not able bring up a new email message from the Viewer "Report a Problem" menu item. When I click on the "Next" button, the "Report a Problem" screen goes away. If Thunderbird was not already running, it gets started, but no new message shows up. If Thunderbird is already running, the problem reporting screen simply disappears, with no sign of a new email message being created.

Do you have any further recommendations?

Thanks

[John - Tracker Supp]

Can I ask if you are using Kapersky Anti Virus ?

this may have some bearing on the issue and our next actions ...

[AZAmsoiler]

I am using the free version of Avast! Anitivirus.
I have never used the Kaspersky product.

In case it matters, I am also using the free version of Comodo personal firewall.

I hope this helps

Thanks

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi AZAmsoiler

I suggest trying to recreate the issue with your firewall off. If that works then I'd look into setting our software as trusted by your firewall.

hth

[AZAmsoiler]

Hello,

The interesting thing is that my firewall is already set to recognize the Viewer as a trusted application.
Even after exiting the firewall, I was unable to find a printer in the print dialog window.
Apparently there was still enough of the firewall app and/or services still running to block it.
Even after adding the Viewer to the list of "trusted" apps, I could not print.
The Viewer still kept coming up on the list of events that did not fit the defined Security Policies. Some of those policies get set automatically, and some are set apparently as a result of some of my actions.

Finally, after at least 1-1/2 hours spent digging through the different firewall screens and help menus, I was able to track down the desired setting, and change the Viewer from an "Isolated Application" to be a "Trusted Application".
The printer now shows up in the printer dialog window.

What I do not understand is why the printing issue was not a problem after I uninstalled, cleaned the Registry, and reinstalled the Viewer. But it immediately showed up a few days following the reinstall, after I printed a poster on multiple sheets of paper.

I was also able to bring a new email message using the "Report a Problem" menu item.
I have also attached a zipped copy of the online form that has the "Submit" button which does not work, except with the Adobe Reader. I hope you can come up with a solution for this "submit" problem.

The email is being sent in just a minute or two. Let me know if it gets through OK, or if there are issues with it.

Thanks for all your help.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

HI AZAmsoiler,

we got the file OK - thanks.

I'm pleased that you did manage to find the right setting to make PDF-XChange a Trusted Application and even more pleased that this solved your printing and email problems! As to why you saw the behavior change after a short time post installation I cannot say. An investigation might be rather fruitless at this point I'm afraid.

As to your form, we are building support for submit actions into the new version of the Viewer due for release later this year. Until then I'm afraid we can't do much about it.

Sorry, support is coming though....

[AZAmsoiler]

I would appreciate knowing when the update for that function becomes available, as I have to submit that form on a monthly basis.
There also are other forms that we use in a similar fashion, so this would definitely make it a desirable addition to the Viewer. I would hazard a guess that it would also give you a boost over your competition!

Thanks for all your help with this.
I am almost afraid to try printing another poster, but I probably will be trying it again, anyway.

Keep up the great work!

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello AZAmsoiler,

for the moment we can not provide a specific release date, but we will certainly announce it both here in the forums and on the website, when we have any more specific dates.

Best,
Stefan

p.s. Let us know the result of the second poster printing

[AZAmsoiler]

Hello Stefan,

I went ahead and printed the same poster. After printing in several different modes, I closed the Viewer and restarted it. I have just now printed a different pdf file, with no difficulties.

Printing the poster has actually been rather frustrating.
The poster is 11 inches by 17 inches in a vertical (portrait) format.
I wanted to print it on two sheets of paper, each sized our normal 8.50 inches by 11 inches.
It was extremely difficult to be able to print as desired.

I tried several different combinations of settings in the Viewer's printer dialog settings and in the printer properties settings. It seemed even more difficult when I tried to use the printer properties "print as a poster" setting. That was to give me the cut and paste marks for proper alignment.

I was finally able to print as desired, but 20 to 30 minutes of working to adjust the settings and several incorrectly printed attempts, ended up being more time and trouble than it should have been.

In my experience, it probably would not be much different with any other product, but still needed to get that off my chest.

P.S.
I'm still wondering why the original poster print caused the firewall trouble. I am guessing that there was an alert that popped up on the earlier action, and I may have accidentally unchecked the "remember this" when I clicked on the "allow" action.

In any case, things seem to be working just as expected.

Thanks again for a great product and your great support.
AZAmsoiler

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

- very pleased to hear that all has ended up working - even with he caveat on the frustration getting your posted printed...

cheers