PDF problems, problems, problems

[herbaklez]

I have installed iview 4.25 and the newest plugins. I also installed ghostscript. When PDFs wouldn't open, I joined this forum, and learned I needed AFPL Ghostscript. I have downloaded and installed that.

I still cant open PDFs in Irfanview.

Please help.

[WellOiledPC]

I have installed iview 4.25 and the newest plugins. I also installed ghostscript. When PDFs wouldn't open, I joined this forum, and learned I needed AFPL Ghostscript. I have downloaded and installed that.

I still cant open PDFs in Irfanview.

Please help.

I understand that GPL GhostScript works with IrfanView 4.25 - see Thread Still with Ghostscript, Frank's and Bhikkhu's replies...

I too face lots of issues with PDF files under IrfanView... I haven't gotten around to installing it all in the prescribed manner...

[herbaklez]

I'm certain that the first ghostscript I downloaded was the GPL ghostscript. Both return the same error message.

I've been using iview for many years now, and I recall at some stage that I had successfully converted PDFs to graphic files in iview. If I remember correctly, they did render a bit coarsly, but they did work. I have no idea which version of iview it was at that stage.

I'll hold out for any more tips.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Search for "Ghostscript."

[herbaklez]

Interesting that you ask those questions.

At home I have IV 4.23 on XP Homeand it opens the PDFs just fine. At work, I upgraded IV from 3.98 to 4.25 on XP Pro, had installed the 4.25 plugins and tried the 32-bit ghostscript first with no luck.

I did search ghostscript (which was eminantly more fruitful than searching PDF) but was overwhelmed with the abundant confusion amongst the treads in the topic. I love to use forums and generally find them helpful, however, this time, I've struck out.

Any ideas?

[Frank]

Hi herbaklez,

Which Windows OS (32Bit or the 64Bit) you are using???
_______________________________________________

Please read:

- "problem reading pdf files?"

...
Dependent on your operating system you must select the 32Bit or the 64Bit- version!

- "Ghostscript plug-in"

V4.23


Since the change to the program version 4.22/4.23 IrfanView supports both Ghostscript versions
for reading EPS, PS and PDF format!

That means: Now it's possible with AFPL Ghostscript and GPL Ghostscript to read these formats!

- "Still with Ghostscript"

You need the installed Postscript plugin (with installed Ghostscript) to read the EPS, PS and PDF format with IrfanView!
And with the installed ImPDF plugin IrfanView is able to write the PDF format!

On my system I have used this following logical sequence for installation:

1. Ghostscript
2. IrfanView
3. all plugins of IrfanView

And I have used also the default installation path for Ghostscript!
Additional I have installed the pdf printer FreePDF XP to print pdf files from any (other) application!
And everything works very well!
...

- "Ghostscript plug-in"/"Why is it better to install GPL Ghostscript?"

short answer:

• Because something has changed between the last AFPL and the current GPL version!

_______________________________________________

I hope, this help you!

Please consider: The current version of GPL Ghostscript is V8.70!

But there is also a last question:
Do you have administrator rights at work???
It's possible that there exists some problems without administrator rights!
Using the search function you can find a lot of them in the forum!


_____________________________________
my current configuration:
- OS: Windows XP Home SP3 (32Bit)
- IrfanView: V4.25
- ImPDF: V0.40
- IrfanPaint 0.4.12.66 (beta)
- RIOT-Plugin: v0.3.3.0 DLL version
- GPL Ghostscript V8.64 (32Bit) + FreePDF XP V3.26


PS:
Next time I will update my GPL Ghostscript version to 8.70!
I will also update my FreePDF XP to the new version (4.01) of FreePDF!

[herbaklez]

Thanks Frank for going to so much effort with your answer.

I do have administration rights, both at work and at home (although my wife has yet to acknowledge the latter)

My installation was in a different order. It has to be said that the instructions for preparing IV for reading PDFs are not clearly written and not easy to find. I accept that this might be one of the "rough edges" of using software which is available free of charge.

Having looked at the results of rendering a PDF in version 4.23, I am struck with how poor the images are anyway, and I'm going to investigate different solutions to the particular challenges I am facing.

Thanks all the same.

[Skippybox]

Having looked at the results of rendering a PDF in version 4.23, I am struck with how poor the images are anyway, and I'm going to investigate different solutions to the particular challenges I am facing

Don't be fooled by a first impression. IrfanView will produce poor looking PDFs at the default settings, but you can get great results if you change some settings in Properties>Plugins>Other plugins>Postscript options. In fact, a new antialiasing feature was added to make rendering even better. Increase the DPI to get better resolution from the rasterized image.

To get the antialiasing feature, you'll need the updated 4.24 plugin for IrfanView 4.23. This is the same plugin for 4.25.

Anyway, what is the error message that you are getting? Have you tried installing 4.23 on this computer and see if that works, along with 4.25 on the other? For the most part, the installation is a breeze and should not matter when you do it, so most likely you have just installed something in the wrong place or chosen the wrong installer. But, based on what you've said, you probably already did it right and something else is at fault (like the file or the system).

I have used several versions of IrfanView and opened PDFs without issue using the older AFPL Ghostscript 8.54 in my own install location. I just haven't gotten around to upgrading it.