PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine

 

 

 

Table of contents:

 

Purpose of use: What can I do with PostScope? 1

System requirements 2

Installation step-by-step guide 2

Directions for use and Advanced Property Pages 13

Default eMail program 41

Demo version 64

Registration / upgrade to full version 87

Full version with your own individual logo as stamp 114

Contra-indications 162

Uninstall 169

Converting documents into PDF automatedly

License statement and disclaimer 180

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose of use: What can I do with PostScope?

 

Apart from legally valid documents and contracts, today in the age of Internet, documents can be sent considerably more comfortable, economical and also technically less fault-prone by email than by Fax.

 

Also concerning reproduction quality and processibility, digital documents have many advantages in comparison to the analogous Fax on paper - just think of documents with embedded multicoloured pictures, sharpness of contour lines, the possibility to extract text passages from received documents by copying, or to forward a received document quickly to any arbitrary number of persons, or the effort to maintain the correct sequence of pages while scrolling through the paper salad of a Fax with several tens of pages.

 

Worldwide, the Portable Document Format (PDF) has unchallengedly gained acceptance as the standard format for digital documents as such.

 

Now PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine is a so-called PDF converter, i.e. a software, which turns documents of any arbitrary type, e.g.

 

 

 

 

 

into PDF.

 

For this purpose, all you have to do is open the desired document (for example a MS Word *.doc) with the corresponding PC-application (in this case MS Word), and formally print it on printer “PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine” – as PostScope is a so-called Virtual Printer Driver, which means: When printing any arbitrary document on PostScope, the output is not going to be a printed sheet of paper, but a PDF file, or PostScript file respectively, which can be saved to hard disk and / or send to the addressee directly by email.

 

Upon request, PostScope optionally personalizes your documents by stamping your individual logo onto these documents.

 

 

 

 

System requirements

 

PostScope is a printer driver designed for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista. PostScope does not operate under any other operating systems !

 

The computer on which PostScope is to be installed should have an internet connection, at least 128 MB RAM and 100 MB memory available on hard disk.

 

 

 

 

Installation step-by-step guide

 

  1. Double-click on „PoscSetupEngl.exe“ in Windows Explorer:

 

 


 

 

 


  1. In the window “License agreement” click on “Accept” if you accept the License Agreement. To cancel the installation, click “Decline”.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Choose an installation path within the computer´s directory structure and confirm by clicking “Install“.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Click “OK” in “PostScope installation” window. The actual installation process will begin and may take up to a minute, depending on the computer.

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Now install GhostScript, in case it is not yet installed (or you are not sure if it is installed).







  2. On window „PostScope registration“ choose between demo version and full version .

 

 


 

 


·         If you have already purchased a registration key for the full version, (for instance if you need to re-install the full version on the same computer and you already have the registration key from the previous installation), insert the key in the input field “Full Version registration key” and then click „install full version“.

 

·         Normally, in order to install the demo version, click “Later“. Demo version can be upgraded to a Full Version at any time, even after the 30 day trial period has expired.


 

 
7. The message “Installation successful” in „PostScope installation“ window confirms a successful installation process. Now click “Close”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directions for use and Advanced Property Pages

 

Open any document with an application suitable for this type of action, for example this document (Readme.htm) with Internet Explorer.

 

  1. Select “File” / “Print” from the menu bar

 

 


 

 


  1. Then, in “Print” window, select “PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine” from the list of available printers. (If PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine does not appear among the available printers, it means that the installation was unsuccessful.)

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Click “Properties” in “Print“ window to open the Property Pages, where you can view and edit the print setting.

 

 

 

 

  1. However, most of the properties can only be reached by clicking “Advanced...”, which will open the “Advanced Options” window:

 

 

 

 

  1. Select the desired options and click „OK“. Back in window „Properties“, please click „OK“ again. Finally, back in „Print“ window, depending on the printing PC application, please either click „Print“ or „OK“ once more, in order to start the printing process.

 

 

 

 

Default eMail program

 

In order to send the PDF or PostScript files, which PostScope put out, by eMail right away, you of course need an email program like MS Outlook for example.

 

PostScope sends its emails by the default email program registered in your operating system. Usually this program is MS Outlook or Outlook Express – even if you normally handle your email correspondence for example by a provider´s software.

 

You can query and edit your default email program either by clicking “Internet Options” from Window´s Control Panel or by clicking

 

„Tools“ / „Internet Options...“

 

from the Internet Explorer´s menu,

 

 


 

 


then selecting the desired email program on tab „Programs“ in field „E-mail“.

 

 


 

 


Before putting PostScope into operation, please carry out a “dry test” in order to make sure you can actually send emails by your default email program. Otherwise, please choose a different default email program.

 

 

 

 

Demo version

 

PostScopes´s demo version differs from the full version in the fact that the provided image files are stamped with the DriverLab logo in order to devalue them.

 

 

 

 

 

At the initialisation of every print process, the demo version will enquire whether you want to install the full version:

 

 


 

 


Occasionally, this window appears minimized in the task bar:


 

 


 

 


In such situations, you must expand the minimized “PostScope” icon on the task bar by clicking on it, in order to select “Yes” or “No” then, as PostScope will not commence the printing process without a command, whether “Yes” or “No”.

 

If you want to install the full version later on, simply click “No” – the driver will still work but with the devaluing DriverLab-stamp, and only until the 30-days trial period expires.

 

Clicking “Yes” on the other hand will open the “PostScope registration" window that you are already familiar with from the installation.


 

 

 

 

Registration / upgrade to full version

 

To upgrade from the demo version to a full version requires registration as follows:


 

  1. In the “Demo version ID” display field of the “PostScope registration“ window you will find your hexadecimal (number symbols: 0-9, A-F) demo version ID (approximately 80 digits long.)

 

 


 

 


If you have several computers Computer A, Computer B, Computer C, etc., and wish to run PostScope on only one of them, it is essential to actually read the demo version ID from the particular computer where the full version will be run, as the registration key belonging to demo version ID from Computer B is unique and thus does not fit to the demo version IDs from Computer A or Computer C. Exception: The registration key of the company licence fits on every computer. Please turn to sales@driverlab.de in order to get yourself a company licence (at least 10 workstations / licences).

 

  1. At the purchase of your registration key at DriverLab eShop, insert the full hexadecimal demo version ID (please make sure you don’t omit any characters when copying by means of mouse / Shift+Arrow and Ctrl+C) along with your address, credit card details, e-mail address, etc.:

 

 


 

 


  1. In turn we will send you your personal, approximately 100 digits hexadecimal registration key for the full version via email. Insert the complete registration key (please make sure you don’t omit any characters when copying by means of mouse / Shift+Arrow and Ctrl+C) into the input field “Registration key for full version” in “PostScope registration“ window and click “Install full version”.

 

 


 

 


  1. The successful registration is confirmed by the message “Full Version Registered”:

 

 


 

 


Now click “OK”.

 

 

 

 

Full version with your own individual logo as stamp

 

In full version, the devaluing DriverLab-logo imprint disappears. If desired, you can have PostScope stamp your own individual logo instead.

 

For this purpose please carry out the following steps:

 

  1. Open a new, empty MS Word Document with page size A4.

 

  1. Click "Insert" / "Picture" / "From file...".

 

 


 

 


  1. After that, a dialog window opens, in which you select the image file representing your logo.

Caution: Only raster- or matrix-graphics image file formats like *.bmp, *.tif or *.jpg are permitted, but no vector-graphics formats like *.emf, *.wmf, *.cdr oder *.psd.

 

  1. Move your logo to that particular spot on the page, at which PostScope is supposed to stamp it on all your documents in future.

 

 


 

 


  1. Print this document on PostScope (full version, not demo version), on following configuration:

 

 

 

 

  1. Choose filename and –path in such manner, that finally in the user directory a file

 

„C:\Documents and settings\[username]\My Documents\UserLogo.ps“

           

            is created.

 

 

Of course PostScope also works without the file „UserLogo.ps“, but just without your individual logo as stamp.

 

 

 

 

Contra-indications

 

Of course it does not make any sense to have PostScope convert a PDF document into a PDF document again. In case you should want to do so in spite of that, then this is going to work without Logo only. The same goes for vector-graphics image documents like *.cdr oder *.psd.

 

 

 

 

Uninstall

 

In case you do not intend to go on using PostScope, for instance because the 30-days demo period has expired, please click

 

            "Start" / "Programs" / "PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine" / "Uninstall"

 

in order to uninstall PostScope.

 

 

 

 

Converting documents into PDF automatedly

 

This note is for programmers only, who want to control PostScope from within their own application:

 

If you desire to convert documents into PDF automatedly, that means without a human being having to open the document and to trigger the print process, then version „PostScope AutoConvert“ offers you an easy-to-use facility for this purpose.

 

At www.driverlab.de/PostScope/PoscACSetupEngl.exe you can download PostScope AutoConvert offering a programming interface. During its installation, library file PoscInterface.dll is automatically being copied to system directory “System32”. PoscInterface.dll exports the function

 

ConvertDoc2PDF( PCHAR sSrcDoc, PCHAR sOutputFilename, HWND hwndTargetWindow  );

 

with which you can - from within your own program - automatically open document sSrcDoc in the PC-application (for example MS Word) corresponding to its file type (for example *.doc), and therein trigger the print process, which finally generates output file sOutputFilename.pdf. After termination of the print process, PoscInterface.dll by means of calling API function

 

PostMessage( hwndTargetWindow, MSG_FINISHED, (WPARAM) GlobalAddAtom( sOutputFilename ), (LPARAM) TRUE );

 

notifies your application (hwndTargetWindow), that the print process was terminated (MSG_FINISHED) successfully (TRUE), so that your application can react on it – if necessary – by calling API function

 

            GetMessage( ... , MSG_FINISHED, … );          

 

 

Details about the parameters of function:

 

ConvertDoc2PDF( PCHAR sSrcDoc, PCHAR sOutputFilename, HWND hwndTargetWindow  );

 

 

sSrcDoc:

 

File name including path and file name extension of the file supposed to be printed, for example C:\My folder\draft contract.doc

If NULL, then no print process is triggered.

 

 

sOutputFilename:

 

File name including path of the file supposed to be put out, for example C:\My Archive\contract.

File name extension ".pdf" is being appended automatically to sOutputFilename.

If NULL, then the output file name is generated according to current printer settings.

 

 

hwndTargetWindow:

 

Window handle of the executable file supposed to be notified on termination of print process by calling

 

PostMessage(

hwndTargetWindow, 

MSG_FINISHED, 

WPARAM wParam, 

LPARAM lParam );

 

where:

 

#define MSG_FINISHED          WM_USER+0x117

 

wParam:

 

            If sOutputFilename != NULL, then (WPARAM) GlobalAddAtom( sOutputFilename ),

            otherwise 0

 

lParam:

 

            In case of successful termination of print process TRUE,

otherwise FALSE

             

 

 

After installation, source code templates are available in directories

 

[Installation path]\DriverLab\PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine\Interface\Delphi

            [Installation path]\DriverLab\PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine\Interface\Visual Basic

            [Installation path]\DriverLab\PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine\Interface\Visual C++

 

 

In these directories there are also executables CallDll.exe, or DllCall.exe respectively, build from these source code templates. Test them in the following way:

 

  1. Make sure folder "C:\Temp" exists on your computer.

 

  1. Start one of the 3 executable files, for example [Installation path]\DriverLab\PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine\Interface\Visual Basic\DllCall.exe

 

  1. Click button „Trigger Print Process“ therein, whereupon sample document

 

[Installation path]\DriverLab\PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine\Interface\Visual Basic\SourceDoc.doc

 

is converted into

 

C:\Temp\DestinationPDF.pdf

 

After termination of print process a message box appears, displaying supplement information.

 

 

Note: On developing your own application please don´t start your application, which loads PoscInterface.dll, from within the integrated development environment – especially not from within Delphi RAD – but build the exe-file first, and only after that start it by doubleclicking.

 

 

The AutoConvert version of PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine has other default settings than the regular version, but in principle it can be operated also "manually" like the regular version.

 

Regular version and AutoConvert version of PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine are registered by the same registration key, and thus also cost the same.

 

 

 

 

 

License statement and disclaimer

 

This license statement and limited warranty constitutes a legal agreement ("License Agreement") between you (either as an individual or a single entity) and DriverLab S.R.L. Corporation ("DriverLab") for the software product "PostScope PDF Dispatch Engine" ("Software"), including any software, media, and accompanying on-line or printed documentation.

BY INSTALLING, COPYING, OR OTHERWISE USING THE SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENT.  If you are the original purchaser of the Software and you do not agree with the terms and conditions of the License Agreement, promptly return the unused Software to the place from which you obtained it for a full refund.

Upon your acceptance of the terms and conditions of the License Agreement, DriverLab grants you the right to use the Software in the manner provided below.

This Software is owned by DriverLab or its suppliers and is protected by copyright law and international copyright treaty. Therefore, you must treat this Software like any other copyrighted material (e.g., a book), except that you may either make one copy of the Software solely for backup or archival purposes or transfer the Software to a single hard disk provided you keep the original solely for backup or archival purposes.

You may transfer the Software and documentation on a permanent basis provided you retain no copies and the recipient agrees to the terms of the License Agreement. Except as provided in the License Agreement, you may not transfer, rent, lease, lend, copy, modify, translate, sublicense, time-share or electronically transmit or receive the Software, media or documentation. You acknowledge that the Software in source code form remains a confidential trade secret of DriverLab and/or its suppliers and therefore you agree not to modify the Software or attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Software, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation.

All DriverLab libraries, source code, Redistributables and other files remain DriverLab's exclusive property. Regardless of any modifications that you make, you may not distribute any files (particularly DriverLab source code and other non- executable files) except those that DriverLab has expressly designated as Redistributables. Nothing in the License Agreement permits you to derive the source code of files that DriverLab has provided to you in executable form only, or to reproduce, modify, use, or distribute the source code of such files.  You are not, of course, restricted from distributing source code or byte code that is entirely your own.

Contact DriverLab for the applicable royalties due and other licensing terms for all other uses and/or distribution of the Redistributables.

LIMITED WARRANTY DriverLab warrants that the Software, as updated and when properly used, will perform substantially, in the same way as the corresponding free demo version (30 days evaluation period) did, in accordance with the accompanying documentation, for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of receipt. Any implied warranties on the Software are limited to ninety (90) days.

DriverLab's and its suppliers' entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be, at DriverLab's option, either (a) return of the price paid, or (b) repair or replacement of the Software that does not meet DriverLab's Limited Warranty and which is returned to DriverLab with a copy of your receipt.

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TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, DriverLab AND ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM ALL OTHER WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, WITH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE, AND THE PROVISION OF OR FAILURE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. YOU MAY HAVE OTHERS, WHICH VARY FROM STATE/JURISDICTION TO STATE/JURISDICTION.

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HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES The Software is not fault-tolerant and is not designed, manufactured or intended for use or resale as on-line control equipment in hazardous environments requiring fail- safe performance, such as in the operation of nuclear facilities, aircraft navigation or communication systems, air traffic control, direct life support machines, or weapons systems, in which the failure of the Software could lead directly to death, personal injury, or severe physical or environmental damage ("High Risk Activities"). DriverLab and its suppliers specifically disclaim any express or implied warranty of fitness for High Risk Activities.

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