PDF Maker - CreatePDF Function in Microsoft Access

Question

How can I use a function (or macro) in Access 2000 or Access 2003 to invoke the PDF Maker? There is a menu option that works fine for some things but I want to force the user to enter certain parameters before I invoke Adobe. I have found some references to a function in Access called CreatePDF but was not able to find any documentation on it. Does anybody have code that has done this in the past?
Many Thanks

Answer 1

Hi,
It is not a question; I just want to share something so many
people ask about.
Ever since newer versions of Acrobat came out my old code
wouldn't generate PDF files, and I spent hours to find a
solution on the Internet. I found that almost everyone wanted to
know how to stop Acrobat displaying the window which asks for
the location and file name to save.
The code I am using is still changes the registry settings, and
it is almost the same what I posted before, but this one has a
new line added:
Private Sub PrintIt_Click()
On Error GoTo Err_PrintIt_Click
Dim oReg As Object
Dim sFile As String
sFile = "C:\DEVELOPMENT\SQLPreparation\PDF_Files\" &
[Forms]![frm_TestReport].[LastName] & " - " &
[Forms]![frm_TestReport].[EntryID] & ".pdf" 'I have 2
textboxes on the form for testing
Set oReg = CreateObject("RegTool5.Registry")
Call oReg.UpdateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER,
"Software\Adobe\Acrobat\PDFWriter\", "bExecViewer", "0")
Call oReg.UpdateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER,
"Software\Adobe\Acrobat\PDFWriter\", "PDFFileName", sFile)
Call oReg.UpdateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software\Adobe\Acrobat
Distiller\PrinterJobControl\", "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE", sFile)
DoCmd.OpenReport "rpt_TestReport", acViewNormal
Set oReg = Nothing
MsgBox ("Done!")
Exit_PrintIt_Click:
Exit Sub
Err_PrintIt_Click:
MsgBox Err.Description
Resume Exit_PrintIt_Click
End Sub
This block of code can be used in any loop, giving the file a new
name by each new record, and if the file needs to be emailed,
that function can be added to the loop too.
There are 3 things needed: Regtool5.dll added to references
(downloadable for free from some websites, and needs to be
registered with the following line in the command prompt:
regsvr32 %SystemRoot%\System32\RegTool5.dll), and checking the
Registry if everything is the same as in the code. This applies
to checking on where Access is running from (3rd line of the
Registry update). The third thing is a manual setting in the
printer setting, PDF Writer property window, Advanced tab. There
is a button called Printig defaults, and unchecking the View
Adobe Printing Result would prevent to open the new pdf file
(which is a good thing when printing hundreds of records into
hundreds of files).
Abraham
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