Does anyone know if there is a way to view or browse pdf files in flash?? Is there an add-on available?? Is it easy to use?? If so, has anyone used it? I am trying to create an all-in-one program to browse various file types in place of a web browser. Mainly I need to view pdf files without opening a seperate window to do it. Any suggestions would be helpful thanks. I posted more info on this problem under animation if someone is capable of helping. Thanks to everyone in advance for all of their usual fine assistance! ......give me graphic design or give me death!

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Greetings Ploforia!

Given my understanding of the nature of Flash, plus the nature of PDF I would say no, there is no way and no addon. The problem lies (in my humble opinion) in the fact that a PDF file is really a special type of PostScript. PDF stands for Portable Document Format and essentially contains the page information, the content and the fonts required to view the document as published on any operating system running Acrobat Viewer. The beauty of it is its cross-platform compatibility.

Flash on the other hand is vector-based animation. You create objects, then use a combination of layers and frames with transitions to achieve animation. The two formats are mutually exclusive. Even with Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop you can only open (or render) one page of a PDF at a time, and that itself is impossible if the document is protected.

So... the long and short of it is don't hold your breath. You could check out Macromedia Exchange for plugins for Flash, but again I highly doubt it.

Cheers,
Phoenix

 

 

 

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I have the same thinking as Rainbow. I think there should be a walk around it if you really want to display pdf's content in your flash.



So, this could be done with a bit of work. You can use that tool to convert .pdf files to .swf file all at once or on the fly when people need to read it. I reckon you should convert them all into swf file and load them into flash file later (flash file is a reader in this case). Otherwise, you can use server script to convert the required pdf file on the fly then load the result into flash (this way requires more work and server permissions to execute commands)

Hope this worked out for you

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However, there is a solution for your problem... I assume that you have some PDF file that you want to display trough your Flash file. I assume again that you have your original "open" files from where you created your PDF files. Now there is a software that convertes any "printable" document form it's original format to PDF or FLASH document. Now you want that document to be converted to FLASH... Ok, so software is called "Macromedia FlashPaper 2" and you can read more about it HERE and Buy it maybe... So my idea is to print your document via FLASHPAPER 2 and make an flash file. Now you have no need to make an PDF reader in Flash, you just need to read FLASH file. Simple isn't?
Here you can see how FlashPaper works (it's a example made in flash)
Anyway if you do not have original files from where PDF's are created you can still import that files to CorelDraw or AdobeIllustrator or Macromedia FreeHand and from them again print to Flash file...
I hope you understand what Im trying to say here...

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