What is the best way to display multiple PDF files via browser?

views:

641

answers:

+1 Q:

What is the best way to display multiple PDF files via browser?

I'm developing an web application using Flex and JSP.

I am having some performance issues with displaying multiple PDF files. I am trying to display about 50-100 PDF files. I know that is a little crazy. Hence, I made the project to convert PDF files to JPG format and display the JPG files.

I'm wondering if there is a way to decrease the file size of PDF to size of JPG.

Additionally, I would like to seek other way that may improve the performance.

Does anyone know a good way to display many PDF files (that will be mostly just text) for web application? Or, should I just have it display JPG files?

+1 A:

If the PDF files are mostly text you should probably use HTML. Is there something that would prevent you from making regular pages from your PDFs?

Simon 2009-02-19 09:02:27

Yes, these are files that get uploaded from users. The typical end users are teachers who will scan papers (that usually give PDF format) and upload them for students. There are other details but that's what preventing me from simply using HTML.

bLee 2009-02-19 09:07:37

In that case rather than display them why not have your users download them. That way you can just have a web page effectively be a file browser. You could take a snapshot/thumbnail of the first page so they know what they are going to be getting.

Simon 2009-02-19 09:27:35

The PDF files are for associating students with their tests. The teacher will need to associate students with the corresponding exams. In order to do that, teacher needs to see the name on the PDF file. this process can be eliminated if I can find a way to do hand writing recognition

bLee 2009-02-19 22:10:24

I'm thinking of how to keep it small. If the name is in a consistent place then all you really need convert and show on your web site is the name page as a thumbnail. You can then put the PDF behind a link for download. Would that work?

Simon 2009-02-19 22:34:21

do you mean make a thumbnail PDF file?or conver to jpg and make the thumbnail?

bLee 2009-02-20 07:21:22

I guess I can go ahead and do the 2nd part, but now I'm wondering if first option is feasible

bLee 2009-02-20 07:22:00

What I had in mind was that you make a jpg of the name page of the pdf and show that on your web page as an identifier for the pdf. The user can then identify the student from the jpg, click on the image and download the pdf.

Simon 2009-02-20 08:09:46

Another approach may be to have the student provide their name and the name of the paper when they upload it. That way you don't need any of this effort, you can just present their names and paper titles and a link to the PDF.

Simon 2009-02-20 08:10:38

You can convert the PDF to rtf text file, use the text from rtf file to populate your HTML page perhaps in a table.

Check out ghostscript lib for doing this conversion.

codemeit 2009-02-19 10:05:05

This is not recommended because if the PDF files do include images or diagrams (although that does not happen all the time).

bLee 2009-02-19 22:11:22

You can generate gif or jpeg from the PDF by using ghostscript. I guess image will be the way to go for your requirement.

codemeit 2009-02-19 22:23:18

issuu.net

Make pdf browser on line.

Matt 2010-06-28 13:42:58

ansaurus

tags:

views:

answers:

What is the best way to display multiple PDF files via browser?

related questions