Adobe PDF Reader Active X Control

[amaglio]

I am using the Adobe PDF Reader Active X Control on one of my VI's Front Panels. It seems that this control wants whatever VI is using it to have its preferred execution type set to "user interface mode." I am not too familiar with the ramifications of this but I have found one side effect: there cannot be any keyboard input to the VI (e.g. when typing values into numeric or string controls). Why is this? Is there any workaround?

I also found some interesting behavior, I can set the VI that owns the PDF Reader Active X control to "standard" preferred execution type if I use Automation Open remotely (from another VI). I can then use the keyboard to enter values into numeric and string controls until I start interacting with the Active X Control.

Thanks for any help 

[charris]

Amaglio:

I was able to edit a string control and a numeric while having a PDF loaded up.

Do you have the load method inside a while loop or something that might cause the keyboard to be repeatedly co-opted by the activeX control?

I've attached a sample VI that worked for me.

[amaglio]

Thanks for your response Caleb. Is it possible for you to save the VI as 8.5? I am running LabVIEW 8.5.

[amaglio]

Hi Charris, 

I had the VI downconverted to 8.5, and sure enough the problem exists. I don't even have to interact with the activeX control. As soon as I run the VI with a valid PDF loaded, I cannot type anything into the string control or into the numeric control. I can however change the numeric value by clicking the increment/decrement buttons. I attached the VI in version 8.5. Are you able to run this VI under 8.5, if so are you able to reproduce the problem? Thanks for your help

[charris · Accepted solution]

Amaglio:

I confirmed the behavior in 8.5. I looked into it, and it looks like this was actually a known issue at the time (CAR# 49255).

The good news is that this doesn't occur in 2009 or 2010. I didn't have a copy of 8.6 to check it against, so I'm not sure what the bahavior is in that version. The workaround listed for 8.5 was to Alt+Tab to another window and back to LabVIEW to regain keyboard control. Does that work on your machine?

[amaglio]

Hi Caleb,

Ah, okay... Yes that does work on my machine, every time I interact with the ActiveX control I must do it again to be able to have keyboard control. Well going to have to tough it out for now until we can upgrade. Is there any other way around this issue? Is there another way to display PDFs that you know of?

Thanks for your help

[charris]

Amaglio:

The only other way I can think of (and this is ugly) is to load a browser window in ActiveX (like Internet Explorer). You can specify the page, and it might pull the PDF up in the browser, much like it does if you simply open a PDF online.

By shafting the PDF container down a level, it might quell the issue. Or, it might just create a whole mess of new ones

I figure it's at least worth a try.

[amaglio]

Okay, I will consider trying the work arounds you mentioned. Thanks for your help