When using JetPCL to generate electronic document images for display in a web browser, there are two recommended methods. You can either convert to PDF format and create a link to the PDF file in your web application. Or you can use JetPCL to generate PNG format single page image files.

If you convert your documents into a PDF file format, all pages are in a single file and, as long as the browser being used has the common Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF Plug-In, the PDF file can be viewed within the browser. Using this method, a developer only needs include an HTML link on the PDF file so that the user can access the file. Once the user clicks on the link, the PDF reader plug-in will load the PDF file into the users browser and allow the user to view, print and save the document. However, some control is lost in allowing the PDF plug-in to control page viewing and sometimes an application developer cannot depend on the PDF plug-in being available.

If you convert your documents into PNG format files, each page will be in a single file. JetPCL Output file names need to reflect page numbers, for example: StatementPg001.png StatementPg002.png StatementPg003.png etc. These single page PNG files can then be displayed using standard HTML within the web application at various sizes. When displayed in the browser at different sizes the same PNG page image can be used as a document page thumbnail or as a full size page for viewing and printing. A sample of this type of method is provided in the WebDisplay.zip file.

A mixture of these two methods is also an option.