Issue with console application / adobe distiller

[tykurez]

Question that hopefully someone will answer, I'll give some background information first...

I have a console application that is simply passed a directory name into the args() array; subsequently that directory is searched for any post-script(.ps) files and those files are in turn converted using adobe distiller into .pdf files. This is with Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard using the ACRODISTXLib.PdfDistillerClass reference.

A simple enough program, but my question is:

I'm trying to put this program on a network drive so I can then allow the clients in the office to have a shortcut (again their own desired directory name argument) to it. Is it possible to do this with 1) Them not having distiller on their machine 2) Them not having .net framework, even if it's not 'running' on their machine?

 

[suddenelfilio]

no not with you current architecture. You will need to implement some sort of client/server architecture. At the moment the conversion is done in the same process which startsup the console app. When this app would be launched over the network it will be executed on the machine of the caller and will probably crash because the acrobat distiller isn't installed on those machines.

You are close to the solution. You can keep your existing app or convert it into a windows service. then just add some tcp or udp communication to it. Another solution is to turn it into a webservice so others can execute it using only a browser, this way you can eliminate the need for a client app on each machine.