Export MS-Access report output

[Jorge Cecílio]

Hi!

I would like to export some MS-Access reports output to pdf.


However, the only possibility offered by Access (afaik) for me to export
formatted output is snp (snapshot) (I use MS-Office XP Prof. 2002 version).
With formatted output I mean the *exactly* output I produce from executing
my report (information is gathered from an ODBC database).

1) Is there a way (e.g. using VBA) for me to export directly in pdf?
2) If not, where can I find a tool for me to convert snp to pdf (or other,
that could be converted to pdf (e.g. MS-Word .doc))?

Thanks in advance,
JC

 

[George King]

Access won't make PDF's by itself.
Adobe Acrobat would be the the best tool to make PDF's. You just print to a
"PDFWriter" printer. Acrobat is kind of expensive for the casual user,
though.

There are lower cost alternatives (but some don't work as well). You can
look on ZDNet.com in the downloads section - search for "PDF".

 

[Chris Mills]

As already stated, the way is simply to install a PDF Printer Driver, and just
print to that driver.

Whilst Adobe are the PDF experts, some of their licensing is ridiculous cost
for distribution so you may want to look at other PDF drivers (and test
them!).

Also, "With access to a sufficiently powerful writer, the recipient can change
the content of a PDF. It is therefore essential that a user wishing to create
a PDF ...independently set the security passwords".

For this and other reasons (legal reasons related to my customers), I do not
recommend any particular PDF driver. (THE CUSTOMER TAKES THEIR CHANCES)

(I have seen a faulty 3rd party PDF driver, admittedly on a particularly
complex printout. I do not want to be responsible for it)
Chris

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

As the others mentioned, you just need a pdf printer driver.

You can purchase the adobe one..but there is quite a few free ones that
create pdf files.

Here is one great pdf maker/printer driver.

It is absolutely Free,

And free means no watermarks, no nag screens, no annoying Popup
advertisements, no time limits etc.

It is also very fast, and works very well. I highly recommend it.

http://www.acrosoftware.com/products/cutepdf/Printer.asp

The only real downfall of the above is that you can't automate the pdf
object.

However, to just turn some reports into pdf formats...it is the right
price..

 

[Chris Mills]

When I enquired of Adobe, a few years ago now but the proper thing to do, they
didn't seem geared to some "runtime solution" where I might be wanting to
include just some limited components of theirs. In fact, they quoted me around
$US5000 or something to distribute the whole shimozal, in limited qtys,
associated with PDF whether I wanted all the components or not. Strange when
some reader portions are free.

Fortunately, and Internationally not in this country, I found an Adobe
employee who was actually prepared to understand my issue and suggest
alternative "3rd-party" products might be more suited. But I'm not allowed to
say that.

In any case, one needs to be carefull about using some free download
personally, as against distributing it with one's product for profit. It is
true that that cute product does profess "FREE for personal and commercial
use!". It also goes on to say "Have specific and advanced needs above and
beyond that of other users? Custom Redistribution now available!" All I am
saying is test it and read the whole web-site. (which I haven't, but looks
good)

Chris

 

[david epsom dot com dot au]

Why doesn't MS just fix this problem, by including the snapshot
viewer with Windows? And including snapshot save in Word?

(david)