Solving the blank .pdf problem...

rock-limpet · 08-13-2004, 02:35 AM

I just downloaded PrimoPDF last night, and had the same problems - the installer executed fine but I got a blank .pdf at the end, with no error messages. After reading most of the other posts in these forums, try this:

I installed to a separate drive S: (My equivalent of C:\Program Files). There seems to be an output problem if PrimoPDF isn't installed to:
C:\Program Files
(Thanks to the post from Espen who had a non-english version of WinXP)

Check that the file:
C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\primopdf.ini
contains the correct references to the install location for the 'Command' and 'Arguments' fields. (In my case this file was referencing 'C:\Program Files' even though I had installed to 'S:')

In Control Panel\Printers and Faxes, right click 'PrimoPDF' and open 'Properties'. Navigate to the 'Ports' tab and 'Configure Port'. Check here that the 'Redirect this port to the program' and the 'Arguments...' point to the correct program locations.

Next investigate the registry. Navigate to the keys:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AFPL Ghostscript\8.13]
GS_DLL = C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\gs8.13\bin\gsdll32.dll
GS_LIB = C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\gs8.13\lib;
C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\fonts;
C:\Program Files\activePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\gs8.13\Resource
I'm not sure about the \Resource folder, as my installation did not come with one (!), but all the other folders were present.

This is all the configuration stuff for PrimoPDF that I could find, and it is suggestive that the primopdf.ini file was improperly configured for an install to anywhere other than C:\Program Files. Having copied the install to C:\Program Files, and reconfigured the above information, it worked first time and I got the required .pdf having printed from Excel. A note for the techies: Based on this, is there any other component that could be suffering from the same problem relating to the install location, and thus giving the blank .pdf at the end?

Anyone else got more possible solutions?

Douglas Saltsman · 08-26-2004, 04:43 PM

Send in your temp.ps file located here:

C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\

if it is blank then we know it is the print driver. That being the case I would recommend installing a new print driver (any ps driver will do) and simply assigning the primopdf port as the port to use. This may solve the issue.

rock-limpet · 09-07-2004, 01:51 AM

Sorry for the length of time taken to reply, but the Temp.ps file reads as follows when opened in notepad:

[ /Creator (PrimoPDF http://www.primopdf.com)
/DOCINFO pdfmark

As you suggested, this being blank may indicate a problem with the print driver. I'll try to find another ps driver, but if you have any recommendations then let me know...

Further to Carlos's thread, my Output.pdf is completely blank.

Douglas Saltsman · 09-24-2004, 10:21 AM

That means that the print driver isn't creating the postscript file correctly. Try downloading the adobe generic, or simply install a apple laserwriter printer (should be one of the defaults when you add a printer) then assign the primoport to this printer.

That should likely take care of the issue for you.

rock-limpet · 09-27-2004, 05:09 AM

Thanks for your help, but since my last post I was forced into a Windows XP re-install, and could not give the time to re-create the S: drive I had been using before, so all programs now get installed to C:\Program Files, and the PrimoPDF writer now works perfectly.

I'm still a bit perplexed why it wouldn't work when installed on another drive, but thanks for your hard work and I will now happily continue to use PrimoPDF writer.

Cheers!

08-13-2004, 02:35 AM	#1
rock-limpet Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 3	Solving the blank .pdf problem... I just downloaded PrimoPDF last night, and had the same problems - the installer executed fine but I got a blank .pdf at the end, with no error messages. After reading most of the other posts in these forums, try this: I installed to a separate drive S: (My equivalent of C:\Program Files). There seems to be an output problem if PrimoPDF isn't installed to: C:\Program Files (Thanks to the post from Espen who had a non-english version of WinXP) Check that the file: C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\primopdf.ini contains the correct references to the install location for the 'Command' and 'Arguments' fields. (In my case this file was referencing 'C:\Program Files' even though I had installed to 'S:') In Control Panel\Printers and Faxes, right click 'PrimoPDF' and open 'Properties'. Navigate to the 'Ports' tab and 'Configure Port'. Check here that the 'Redirect this port to the program' and the 'Arguments...' point to the correct program locations. Next investigate the registry. Navigate to the keys: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AFPL Ghostscript\8.13] GS_DLL = C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\gs8.13\bin\gsdll32.dll GS_LIB = C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\gs8.13\lib; C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\fonts; C:\Program Files\activePDF\PrimoPDF\gs\gs8.13\Resource I'm not sure about the \Resource folder, as my installation did not come with one (!), but all the other folders were present. This is all the configuration stuff for PrimoPDF that I could find, and it is suggestive that the primopdf.ini file was improperly configured for an install to anywhere other than C:\Program Files. Having copied the install to C:\Program Files, and reconfigured the above information, it worked first time and I got the required .pdf having printed from Excel. A note for the techies: Based on this, is there any other component that could be suffering from the same problem relating to the install location, and thus giving the blank .pdf at the end? Anyone else got more possible solutions?

08-26-2004, 04:43 PM	#2
Douglas Saltsman Director of Engineering Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 304	Send in your temp.ps file located here: C:\Program Files\ActivePDF\PrimoPDF\ if it is blank then we know it is the print driver. That being the case I would recommend installing a new print driver (any ps driver will do) and simply assigning the primopdf port as the port to use. This may solve the issue. __________________ ------------------------------------- Douglas Saltsman ActivePDF Leading the iPaper revolution ---------------------------------------

09-07-2004, 01:51 AM	#3
rock-limpet Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 3	Temp.ps Sorry for the length of time taken to reply, but the Temp.ps file reads as follows when opened in notepad: [ /Creator (PrimoPDF http://www.primopdf.com) /DOCINFO pdfmark As you suggested, this being blank may indicate a problem with the print driver. I'll try to find another ps driver, but if you have any recommendations then let me know... Further to Carlos's thread, my Output.pdf is completely blank.

09-24-2004, 10:21 AM	#4
Douglas Saltsman Director of Engineering Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 304	That means that the print driver isn't creating the postscript file correctly. Try downloading the adobe generic, or simply install a apple laserwriter printer (should be one of the defaults when you add a printer) then assign the primoport to this printer. That should likely take care of the issue for you. __________________ ------------------------------------- Douglas Saltsman ActivePDF Leading the iPaper revolution ---------------------------------------

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09-27-2004, 05:09 AM	#5
rock-limpet Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 3	Thanks for your help, but since my last post I was forced into a Windows XP re-install, and could not give the time to re-create the S: drive I had been using before, so all programs now get installed to C:\Program Files, and the PrimoPDF writer now works perfectly. I'm still a bit perplexed why it wouldn't work when installed on another drive, but thanks for your hard work and I will now happily continue to use PrimoPDF writer. Cheers!