Embedding a linked document in a report

[cricketbird]

I'm trying to display a hyperlinked document (currently a mix of Word and PDF docs, but I can force users to use one format if needed) in an Access report.

So far, I can create an Edge Browser control that correctly displays a Word or PDF document (the network filepath is in the ControlSource) in Report view, but neither Word nor PDF shows up in Print Preview. In Print Preview (or when actually printing), PDFs show up as black squares and Word docs show up as gibberish wingdings characters.

I tried using an Unbound Object Frame but am a little confused about how to specify all the parameters correctly. I've tried a bunch of things I found online but just get a blank rectangle, so I assume I'm doing something wrong.

Any advice on including a linked document within a report?

 

[Edgar_]

Maybe take a screenshot programmatically and replace the web browser control with an image control that shows the screenshot.

Just an idea.

 

[cricketbird]

Maybe take a screenshot programmatically and replace the web browser control with an image control that shows the screenshot.

Just an idea.

The idea is that some records may have associated files with them, and I don't think we want to change those original files or make different versions of them - if someone updates the associated file, the report should reflect the updated info the next time you run it. So, I don't think a screenshot is ideal.

Access does seem to have the "feature" to embed a Word or PDF document, I just can't seem to get it to work.

 

[Edgar_]

Yes, I understand you want to show the associated files somehow in your report.

I've never used the feature you mention, but I've known some have managed to show Word and PDF documents through the browser control. But since the browser control seems invisible in print preview, I suggested the screenshot. If the screenshot is taken programmatically before showing the print preview, its contents should reflect the updated info.

But it's just a concept.

 

[Mark_]

Question for OP, will any of the documents or images take up more than one page?

 

[cricketbird]

Question for OP, will any of the documents or images take up more than one page?

Currently yes, but we can limit that if that will be a problem.

 

[Mark_]

If these are for internal use only, you can write a routine that outputs them to HTML, thus allowing a browser to worry about viewing them and printing them. Issue that will pop up is, even if you can get the image or document to show, your still using the print size (paper, orientation, and margins) of the Access report to show. Think how badly a landscape page would look embedded in a portrait format page.

Other alternative I can think of would be kick your reports out to PDF and merge them with your other resources. Not optimal, but should allow an end user to read it.

 

[isladogs]

Access used to be able to display Word docs in a browser control but that functionality was removed when the Word Viewer app was deprecated a few years ago. Similarly for Excel etc

PDF documents can still be viewed in the Edge browser control which also works in report print preview