Re: 10.4 Print Options (Save as PDF)
Re: 10.4 Print Options (Save as PDF)
- Subject: Re: 10.4 Print Options (Save as PDF)
- From: Bill Cheeseman <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2006 18:10:31 -0400
- Thread-topic: 10.4 Print Options (Save as PDF)
on 2006-09-07 2:56 PM, Kevin Dolan at email@hidden wrote:
> I am trying to get a FileMaker Pro database to print a report as a pdf by
> automating the ³PDF Services² options. I¹ve searched Apple¹s documentation
> and other links on the web but only found how to add scripts to the PDF
> Services menu not how to automate a (print with options ³Save as PDF²)
> solution. Has anyone found a solution to automating the (command + P)
> options?
The PDF Services options in the Print dialog are provided by the system, not
by any particular application. They are a grievous hack which completely
ignores compliance with Apple's own accessibility API. This problem
therefore exists in all applications that rely on the system Print dialog,
and Apple really should solve this problem.
To accomplish your goal, you must use GUI Scripting, and even then you must
resort to significant trickery. A couple of solutions were posted to this
list around August 16, 2005. Search this mailing list's archives.
I believe the shortest solution was from Scott Babcock:
tell application "TextEdit" to activate
tell application "System Events"
-- open the Print sheet
keystroke "p" using command down
-- let the sheet draw
delay 1
-- set focus to the PDF button
repeat 5 times
keystroke tab
end repeat
-- open the menu
keystroke space
-- let the menu draw
delay 1
-- select Save PDF as PostScript
key code 125
key code 125
keystroke space
end tell
All solutions follow this model. They are entirely dependent on how the
system Print dialog is configured -- which can change from version to
version of Mac OS X.
--
Bill Cheeseman - email@hidden
Quechee Software, Quechee, Vermont, USA
http://www.quecheesoftware.com
PreFab Software - http://www.prefab.com/scripting.html
The AppleScript Sourcebook - http://www.AppleScriptSourcebook.com
Vermont Recipes - http://www.stepwise.com/Articles/VermontRecipes
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