Java How to close PDF from using pdf javascript?

Question

I'm using a servlet to send a pdf stream to a browser.

There is a request that the pdf must open the print dialog when I show it to the user. I was successful doing this using iText api. Something like this:

stamper.setPageAction(PdfWriter.PAGE_OPEN, new PdfAction(PdfAction.PRINTDIALOG), 1);

Now I do need to close the pdf file after print. I tried using pdfactions, but I'm can't get it. What I tried is:

writer.setAdditionalAction(PdfWriter.DID_PRINT, PdfAction.javaScript("app.execMenuItem('Close');", writer));

or

writer.setAdditionalAction(PdfWriter.DID_PRINT, PdfAction.javaScript("app.close();", writer));

I don't necessarily need to use pdfActions, but I don't see how to get it after user sent the pdf to printer.

Do you have any ideas?

Bruno Lowagie · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-15 14:21:07Z

2

There's a reason why app.execMenuItem('Close'); and app.close() don't work. These methods are designed to close the standalone version of Adobe Reader/Acrobat. I guess you're viewing the PDF in a browser, in which case you use Adobe Reader as a plug-in, Chrome's PDF viewer, pdf.js in Firefox, or any other PDF viewer.

Problem #1: you need to close the browser window from a PDF document. PDFs don't have the power to control your browser. Suppose they would: wouldn't that be a serious security issue?

Problem #2: you embed the PDF inside a HTML page (e.g. using an <object> tag) and establish a communication between the JavaScript in the PDF and the JavaScript in the HTML. I've described how to do this in my book, but: it won't work with all browsers on all OSs. For instance: Chrome's PDF viewer and Firefox's pdf.js will completely ignore your commands.

You are asking a solution using our iText library, but you're asking something that can't be done with any software.

answered Apr 15, 2013 at 14:21

Bruno Lowagie

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2 Comments

FernandoA Over a year ago

Thanks Bruno, for your answer. Regarding your points, I decided to try the link you point in Problem #2, since my target browser is IE8 (it's a requirement from client). However, I coudn't get it working. It seems that messageHandler is not catching the event message. I also ignored post_from_html.js from the example you gave, since I just want to get a message from PDF, and not the opposite. Can you give me any tip on this? Thanks.

FernandoA Over a year ago

Ok... I could figure it out. Point #2 was enough for my needs.

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