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FUBARinSFO
FUBARinSFO
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Access to workstation name

Apr 20, 2012 1:02 AM

Categories: Windows Tags: #data #javascript #system #scripting #acrobat_x_pro #acrobat_10_pro

Hi:

Is there a way to access any "system" variables with Acrobat JavaScript?  I haven't been able to find anything (other than Date()) in the references.  This is outside the scope of core JavaScript, as far as I know.

 

In particular, I want to be able to pluck the workstation name string and insert it in a footer.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

-- Roy Zider

571 Views   7 Replies   Latest reply: FUBARinSFO, Apr 21, 2012 11:30 AM
 
Replies
  • Gilad D (try67)
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    1. Gilad D (try67),
    Apr 20, 2012 1:20 AM   in reply to FUBARinSFO
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    There isn't a direct way to do that, but I think it might be possible by

    smartly manipulating the various results provided by app.getPath().

     
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  • FUBARinSFO
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    2. FUBARinSFO,
    Apr 20, 2012 2:31 PM   in reply to Gilad D (try67)
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    Maybe, but unlikely.  'path' itself is a misnomer, since it delivers both path and filename.  And fails to report the drive.

     

    It occurs to me that maybe a better approach to this whole thing is to do the pdf manipulation from Windows Scripting Host.  Then at least all the file and system information will be available. 

     

    I haven't looked at LiveCycle or xfa or SOAP or other possible technologies.  I understand ADBC was dropped from Adobe X.  It would have provided a simple way to read or import an external file with the information of interest, that could then be added to a header/footer.

     

    -- Roy Zider

     
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  • Gilad D (try67)
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    3. Gilad D (try67),
    Apr 20, 2012 2:41 PM   in reply to FUBARinSFO
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    I'm not talking about path, which returns the full path of a file

    (including the drive letter, by the way), but about app.getPath() which can

    return various system- and user-level folders used by Acrobat. Many times

    these contain the name of the currently logged-in user, as well as some

    other information.

    Maybe you can be a bit more specific about what exactly you want to get?

     
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  • GKaiseril
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    4. GKaiseril,
    Apr 20, 2012 2:47 PM   in reply to FUBARinSFO
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    With Acrobat JS not the workstation ID. File paths and URL for a  PDF stored on a network drive is possible:

     

    console.println("\nthis.URL:\n" + this.URL);
    console.println("\nthis.path:\n" + this.path)

    this.URL:
    file:///H|/My%20DocumentsISR/Adobe/Console.pdf

     

    this.path:
    /ORDHOME.CHICAGO.ISRWORLDWIDE.COM/GEORGE$/My DocumentsISR/Adobe/Console.pdf

    true

     

    You could use additional Acrobat  JS to extract the path or remove the file name and extension.

     
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  • FUBARinSFO
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    5. FUBARinSFO,
    Apr 20, 2012 8:33 PM   in reply to Gilad D (try67)
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    try67:

     

    I'd be interested in seeing how you get the drive letter from 'this.path'.  I've not been able to do it.

     

    The function app.getPath() returns the dpath (drive-path) of various folders created during installation. I didn't see any reference in the API to any system information.

     

    What I'm trying to do is very simple: in a footer, I want to post the workstation name of the host that's stamping the pdf.  So, '[MPX2] D/My Documents/test logs.pdf' and '[K7N] D/My Documents/test logs.pdf' for workstations MPX2 and K7N, bzw.

     

    -- Roy Zider

     
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  • Gilad D (try67)
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    6. Gilad D (try67),
    Apr 21, 2012 6:44 AM   in reply to FUBARinSFO
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    this.path.substring(1,2) will return the drive letter where the current

    file is located.

    I don't think you can get the local name of the workstation using

    app.getPath(), though. You can get the name of the current user...

     
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  • FUBARinSFO
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    7. FUBARinSFO,
    Apr 21, 2012 11:30 AM   in reply to Gilad D (try67)
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    try67:

     

    You are so right.  Substring not necessary (but good reminder of another method).  I misread my own system. 

     

    I've got three workstations active; on one of them[MPX2]  the drive assignments are simple: C: and D;  on another [K7N] the directories are treed: D:\D, D:\E, D:\F, and so forth.  I read /D/MyDox/<filename> as being on the K7N workstation with the 'virtual' sub-drive directory structure, when in fact I was on the other workstation (MPX2)   I had lost track of which system I was woking with. 

     

    Sorry for any inconvenience, and thank you for bucking this back to me.

     

    -- Roy Zider

     
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