Monthly Archives: November 2010

I just watched a video from CBS (see below) about Facebook Messages (formerly "Project Titan"), which was presented yesterday. From the description it sounds very much like what IBM said about "Project Vulcan" back in January at Lotusphere. One single stream where all your email, IM, SMS and other communication shows up. Perhaps they will support RSS feeds as well? Just hopeFarmville and all those other games and annoying tests can be filtered out…
What do you think? Sounds like Project Vulcan to you?

More links:

Mashable’s walkthrough with screenshots

Gizmondo article

This panorama of central London is most impressive. The amount of detail is astounding!

360cities.net have more panoramas like this, if not as big.

For several years, we wanted to create PDF documents from documents stored in several Notes databases/applications. I created a solution using a PDF printer driver, but as Lotusscript can only print using the frontend classes, this required the printing agent to be launched manually by a user. Several of the agents also had to print to a physical printer in addition to creating a PDF, meaning that my agent had to switch printers. I was using Win32 API calls to do this, as the clients were on 5.0.12 initially, then 7.0.2. Specifying a printer in uidoc.Print() did not come until 7.0.3…

This system worked, but took a lot of time, and required some spare desktops to be setup just to process all those documents. For several years I had been researching products that could help us, and the only one I found that looked really promising was N2PDF from SoftVision in Germany. The only issue was the price, EUR 5,200 ($7,100) per server. We only needed this on one server, and eventually we were able to get approval for this, after I calculated that we would save about 80 hours of work/waiting each month by getting this product.

I downloaded the 30 day trial version of N2PDF and tested it, and I was amazed at how easy it was. Just a few lines of code added to my agents and the PDF files were created. The documentation shipped with the product (in PDF format, of course) is good. We purchased the software and I started rewriting a number of agents designed to run using frontend classes on the client to run using backend classes on the server.
I created a simple class as a wrapper around the N2PDF functionality I needed. I also added code in that class to print a PDF file directly to a physical printer. I will do a write-up of this here later today.

I ran into some issues with the product, though. N2PDF supposedly read the Notes document and convert it into RTF format (according to SoftVision tech support), and items that are invisible in the Notes client (e.g. the space before and after a table) are rendered by N2PDF. Also things like having a small centered table inside a table cell in another table will not work, the centering will not be honored. Therefore I had to modify several forms to produce identical results in N2PDF and in Notes.

SoftVision seems to have a very competent tech support, I talked to Marcus there, and he was on the issue, did his investigations and got back to me very quickly when he had to find something out.

I know there are other ways to create PDF files, but those involve writing your own code, using Java libraries, etc. But N2PDF was perfect for our purpose. The only issues were the rendering problems mentioned above, and that they do not have a developer license. In order to avoid having to purchase a full EUR 5,200 license for my development server, SoftVision suggested that I download the 30 day trial once a month (when it expires) and register for new demo keys. The demo version put a water mark on the files created, why could there not be a developer licence for say $250 or $500 that also put a water mark on each file. Basically a non-expiring demo version. I can’t be the only Notes developer working on a development and/or test server before putting code in production…

Disclaimer: Product purchased by work.

Yesterday I took a walk along a nature trail close to where I live. I brought my camera, and here are a couple of the pictures.
The color as not as great as in New England or in my native Sweden, but it was still nice to see the bright yellow leaves.

To make it easy to implement N2PDF in my applications/agents, I created a simple class, which I put in a script library called Class.PDF. Most of the code for teh actual PDF generation was taken straight from the example provided with the product.

In addition to the actual PDF creation, I also added functions to send the PDF file to a physical printer, and to send the PDF file to our internal document imaging system. I have removed the code for the latter, as it is very specialized code, calling a custom COM object we built, etc.

To send the PDF file to the printer, Acrobat Reader 9.0 is installed on the server (or client, depending on where the code is being executed). Due to limitations in AcroRD32.exe (it is not closing after it finish printing), I am using Acrobat Wrapper (AcroWrap.exe) from bioPDF.
You may also notice that I check two environment variables, this is to detect if the code is running on a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.

I can not take credit for the ShellAndWait() function, I downloaded the code long ago from somewhere. It is used instead of the LotusScript Shell() function, and it will sit and wait until the called program finished executing before it continues.

Option Public
Option Declare
%INCLUDE "N2PDFDEF.SCR"

' *** Used for ShellAndWait()
Type STARTUPINFO
	cb As Long
	lpReserved As String
	lpDesktop As String
	lpTitle As String
	dwX As Long
	dwY As Long
	dwXSize As Long
	dwYSize As Long
	dwXCountChars As Long
	dwYCountChars As Long
	dwFillAttribute As Long
	dwFlags As Long
	wShowWindow As Integer
	cbReserved2 As Integer
	lpReserved2 As Long
	hStdInput As Long
	hStdOutput As Long
	hStdError As Long
End Type

' *** Used for ShellAndWait()
Type PROCESS_INFORMATION
	hProcess As Long
	hThread As Long
	dwProcessID As Long
	dwThreadID As Long
End Type


' *** Used for ShellAndWait()
Declare Function WaitForSingleObject Lib "kernel32" _
(Byval hHandle As Long, Byval dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long
Declare Function CreateProcessA Lib "kernel32" _
(Byval lpApplicationName As Long, Byval lpCommandLine As String, _
Byval lpProcessAttributes As Long, Byval lpThreadAttributes As Long, _
Byval bInheritHandles As Long, Byval dwCreationFlags As Long, _
Byval lpEnvironment As Long, Byval lpCurrentDirectory As Long, _
lpStartupInfo As STARTUPINFO, _
lpProcessInformation As PROCESS_INFORMATION) As Long
Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" _
(Byval hObject As Long) As Long
Const NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS = &H20&
Const INFINITE = -1&	
Const tmpPath = "C:\N2PDF\"	' Directory to store files in


' *** Main class to create and print PDF files
Class PDF
	Private JobID As Long
	Private IsOnServer As Integer
	Public PrinterName As String
	Public testmode As Integer
	
	Public Sub New()
		Dim session As New NotesSession
		Dim txtrow As String
		Dim cmd As String
		Dim res As Integer
		' *** Fix registry settings for Acrobat 9.0 to not shrink/fit page
		Open tmpPath & "AcrobatSettings.reg" For Output As #1
		Print #1, "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00"
		Print #1, ""
		Print #1, "[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\9.0\AVGeneral]"
		Print #1, |"bprintExpandToFit"=dword:00000000|
		Print #1, |"iprintScaling"=dword:00000001|
		Close #1
		cmd = |regedit /s | & tmpPath & |AcrobatSettings.reg|
		res =  ShellAndWaitFunc(cmd)
		Kill tmpPath & "AcrobatSettings.reg"
		Me.IsOnServer = session.IsOnServer()	' True if code is running on server
		If InitN2PDF() = False Then
			Call printmsg( "Failed to initialize N2PDF. Exiting.")			
			Exit Sub
		End If
		testmode = False
	End Sub

	
	Sub Delete
		' *** Destructor
	End Sub

	
	' *** This function print to console on server but display message box if running in client
	Private Sub PrintMsg(text As String)
		If Me.IsOnServer Then
			Print text
		Else 
			Msgbox text,,"Class.PDF:" & Getthreadinfo(LSI_THREAD_CALLPROC)
		End If
	End Sub

	
	Private Function InitN2PDF() As Integer
		Me.JobID = N2PDFInit (0)
		If ( Me.JobID < 0 ) Then	' Make sure N2PDF was initialized successfully
			InitN2PDF = False
			Exit Function
		End If
		' *** Set N2PDF options
		Call N2PDFSetGlobalOption( N2PDFGLOBALOPTION_SHOW_MESSAGES, _
		N2PDFVALUE_False,"" )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_SYSTEM_LAUNCH_VIEWER, N2PDFVALUE_FALSE, "" )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_NOTES_LINK_DOC_MODE, N2PDFVALUE_NOTES_LINK_MODE_IMAGE_LINK, "" )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_PDF_COMPRESSION_MODE, N2PDFVALUE_COMPRESSION_DEFLATE, "" )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _ 
		N2PDFOPTION_PARAGRAPH_FONT_NAME, "Arial", N2PDFVALUE_DEFAULT_PARAGRAPH_NAME )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_PARAGRAPH_FONT_SIZE, "8", N2PDFVALUE_DEFAULT_PARAGRAPH_NAME )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_PARAGRAPH_FONT_COLOR, N2PDFVALUE_COLOR_BLACK, _
		N2PDFVALUE_DEFAULT_PARAGRAPH_NAME )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_FORMAT_DELETE_TRAILING_SPACE, N2PDFVALUE_True, "" )
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, _
		N2PDFOPTION_PAGE_FORMAT_STANDARD,N2PDFVALUE_PAGEFORMAT_LETTER, "" )		
		Call N2PDFSetOption ( Me.JobID, N2PDFOPTION_EXPORT_TABLE_GAP, "1", "" )
		InitN2PDF = True
	End Function

	
	Public Function AddDocToPDF(doc As NotesDocument)
		' *** Add doc to the PDF we are processing. 
		' *** Use trailing CRLF to avoid blank page at the end
		Call N2PDFAddRTContent ( JobID, N2PDFVALUE_CONTENT_BODY, _
		N2PDFVALUE_CRLF_AFTER, doc.ParentDatabase.Server, _
		doc.ParentDatabase.FilePath, doc.UniversalID, "")
	End Function

	
	Public Sub AddPageBreak()
		Call N2PDFAddContent( Me.JobID, N2PDFVALUE_CONTENT_BODY, _
		N2PDFVALUE_PAGEBREAK_AFTER," " )
	End Sub

	
	Public Sub AddLineBreak()
		Call N2PDFAddContent( Me.JobID, N2PDFVALUE_CONTENT_BODY, _
		N2PDFVALUE_CRLF_AFTER," " )
	End Sub

	
	Public Function CreatePDF(outfile As String)
		If Fulltrim(outfile) = "" Then
			Call PrintMsg("No filename provided provided for [outfile].")
			Exit Function
		End If
		Call N2PDFProcess ( Me.JobID, outfile, 0 )
	End Function
	
	
	Public Sub SetPrinter(printername As String)
		Me.PrinterName = printername
	End Sub
	

	Public Function PrintPDF(Byval filename As String) As Integer
		Dim printer As String
		Dim prg As String
		Dim cmd As String
		Dim success As Long
		Dim dirtemp As String
		Dim path As String 
		
		If Environ$("ProgramFiles(x86)") <> "" Then
			path = Environ$("ProgramFiles(x86)")
		Elseif Environ$("ProgramFiles") <> "" Then
			path = Environ$("ProgramFiles")
		Else
			path = "c:\Program Files"
		End If	
		dirtemp = path & "\bioPDF\Acrobat Wrapper\"
		prg = dirtemp & "acrowrap.exe"
		If Dir$(prg) = "" Then
			' *** File was  not found, we can't print to printer without it.
			Print "Failed to locate acrowrap.exe (bioPDF Acrobat Wrapper)."
			PrintPDF = -1
			Exit Function
		End If		
		prg = |"| & prg & |"|	' Add double quotes around file name
		If Me.PrinterName<>"" Then
			printer = " " & Me.PrinterName
		Else
			printer = ""	' This will use default printer
		End If
		filename = |"| & filename & |"|
		cmd = prg & | /t | & filename & printer
		success = ShellAndWaitFunc(cmd)
		PrintPDF = Cint(success)
	End Function
	

	Private Function ShellAndWaitFunc(Byval RunProg As String) As Long
		Dim RetVal As Long
		Dim RetvalClose As Long
		Dim proc As PROCESS_INFORMATION
		Dim StartInf As STARTUPINFO
		StartInf.cb = Len(StartInf)
	     ' Execute the given path
		RetVal = CreateProcessA(0&, RunProg, 0&, 0&, 1&, _
		NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS, 0&, 0&, StartInf, proc)
	     ' Disable this app until the shelled one is done
		RetVal = WaitForSingleObject(proc.hProcess, INFINITE)
		RetValClose = CloseHandle(proc.hProcess)
		ShellAndWaitFunc = RetValClose
	End Function
End Class

Here is a small code snippet showing how to call the class. Enjoy!

Option Public
Option Declare
Use "Class.PDF"

Dim pdf As PDF
Dim success As Integer
dim PDFfile As String

...set doc here
PDFfile = doc.UniversalID & ".pdf"	' Create file name based on document UNID

Set pdf = New PDF()		' Initialize PDF object
pdf.TestMode = False	' Set PDF object to test mode if desired
pdf.PrinterName ="CRP_Accounting_Color"	' Set the printer name for printouts
Call pdf.AddDocToPDF( doc )
Call pdf.CreatePDF( PDFfile )
success= pdf.PrintPDF( PDFfile )
If success = 1 Then
	MsgBox "Successfully printed " & PDFfile & "."
End If

Earlier this week, Peter Presnell compared Notes/Domino developers who are not embracing Xpages as being Amish.

I don´t agree. Sure, Xpages have been around for about 2 years, but it was not until recently (8.5.2 released back in September) that they were supported in the client and actually useful. I think that most enterprise customers who are using Notes/Domino actually use the Notes client to a large extent. At least my network admin and CIO want to wait about 4-6 months from a release until even thinking about putting it in production. Especially now with the 8.0 and 8.5 code streams, where we seen all kinds of strange bugs. Code that used to work is suddenly not returning the expected information, etc.

Back when I was a journalist for Computer Sweden, I got to interview some very interesting people from the IT industry. One time, I think it was in 1996 around the time Windows NT 4.0 was released, Microsoft had a press meeting at their Stockholm office. We were perhaps 8-10 journalists total who got to meet Jim Allchin, then in charge of the development of NT.

After the regular PR fluff, slides and presentations, there was time for questions. I eventually asked about a feature in the the then newly released OS/2 Warp 4.0, namely that you could run virtual DOS sessions in OS/2. I think you could even set different sessions to emulate different versions of DOS (I am old enough to remember when certain programs needed particular DOS versions to work). You could even run Windows 3.0 in a virtual session in OS/2.

Today we are all doing this, using tools like Parallels and VMware. But Jim Allchin was not impressed: "Circus acts of a dying operating system" was his comment. For the rest of the interview he glared at me every time he mentioned Windows NT in comparison with OS/2…

This morningI blogged about processing a photo to look like a painting, and I mentioned Picture Publisher, a graphics program from Micrografx (later purchased by Corel).

I started using Picture Publisher sometime around 1993-94, and I was using it until a little over a year ago, when I finally switched from Picture Publisher 10 (released in 2001, if I recall correctly) to Photoshop CS2.

So why did I use such an old product? Perhaps because Picture Publisher did it´s job, and it did it well. It had all the functions I could ask for at that time, and I could do pretty much anything The program also did use few resources and very little memory, it was fast and also was easy to use.
What it was lacking was layers and other features that the competing programs eventually got. In the lat 90´s, Micrografx stopped developing the product, and it was not until 2000/2001 the two final versions (9.0 and 10) came out. If Picture Publisher would have had layers and a couple of other features, I would probably still been using it. I wonder what it would have looked like if Corel had not stopped developing it”…”

The second "old" program I am using is Cam2PC from NaboCorp. Version 4.6.1 came out in October 2007. It is a very competent program, and as the name indicates, it is used to transfer pictures from a digital camera to the PC. This it is doing better than any other program I found. The pictures are organized by date, and during download you can enter a description to be included in the folder name. Simple editing is built in, like cropping, sharpening, red-eye removal and levels/color. In the paid version (there is a limited shareware/trial version) you can burn pictures to CD/DVD, provided you have Nero Burning ROM installed, and you can mail pictures directly from the program. Well worth the $20 it cost.
I have not found any program to replace it, including Picasa, F-Spotor Shotwell.

So did they simply make better programs a few years ago? Perhaps. Or am I just in my comfort zone and don´t want to learn new things? I don´t think so. I love getting new software, but they have to add something. If they have less functionality than an older program, why should I switch? It´s a little bit like the switch from Notes to Exchange. If it is working and doing the job, why switch to a product that have less functionality, just because it is newer? It is not until the current program is lacking functionality that you need you start thinking about switching.

In my Notes and Domino applications I have standardized on one icon set. That one is the FamFamFam Silk web icons. They have a muted and nice look that match the Notes client (especially Notes 8.x), and they are free.

Here are some sample icons:

Go take a look if you haven’t done so already!