Acrobat Freezes When PDF Launched From Flash

ButtermilkJack

Hey folks, in a spot of trouble here

Finally got Flash 5 to launch a pdf from within the projector, using fscommand 'exec' to run a bat file. Problem is, it won't work on desktops, only on my laptop. It keeps freezing when the Acrobat splash screen comes up. When I try to exit and shutdown it says something about trying to end "Font Capture". This has happened on 2 seperate desktops now but not, as I say, on my laptop.

I should mention I'm burning the CD on a Mac, in "Mac OS and Hybrid (PC)" format through Toast Lite 5 (OSX).

Any suggestions would be greatfully received!!

impr0v

I'm surprised you got it to work at all, as far as I was aware this couldn't be done and you needed some third party software, effectively a hacked version of the projector, such as zinc to do this.

ButtermilkJack

I thought that myself, but it just took a bit of trial and error. But yeh it's easy in the end. Just create a DOS file in any text editor as follows;

start filename.pdf

then save as a '.bat' file. Then in your flash file use fscommand and exec to call the file (I had all my files in the root folder - had problems trying to call it from another folder, not sure why?). Publish flash file as PC .exe and you're away!

NB: not sure if this works in Flash MX. I believe it has upgraded security features built around the fscommand?

ButtermilkJack

Just managed to try it on 3 more PC's (desktops) and all worked fine, even a 5 year old machine!!

I read somewhere to empty 'TMP' folder in 'Local Settings' folder which causes Acrobat to freeze when full. Didn't work though.

impr0v

But the PDF isn't opening in the projector, as it would in a browser window, is it? It starts acrobat reader or acrobat and opens as it would if you double clicked a PDF in windows explorer, right?

ButtermilkJack

Yes it opens acrobat first as if double-clicking. It opens outside the projector which still stays open in the background. I presume I could just add a quit button the pdf launch button to close the projector when a pdf is selected?