Document Studio Delphi
Next-generation multi-format document-processing component suite for Delphi/C++Builder developers

Compatibility

VCL - FireMonkey - Delphi - C++Builder

Home » Newsletter » December 2014

XtremeDocumentStudio Delphi is the next-generation multi-format document-processing framework for Delphi/C++Builder developers. Initially, it was released with viewing, printing and conversion functions. Later, we added creation and editing functions as a preview feature (part of the "Ultimate" edition).

One of the most requested feature from our customers and visitors to our Delphi-Tage booth was a FireMonkey version of the document viewer. In October this year, we released a multi-format FireMonkey document viewer component as a preview. In iOS, Mac OS X and Windows, the FireMonkey viewer supports PDF and image formats. In Android, only images are supported. Optionally, DOCX and PDF can be supported on all platforms when the backend is plugged with Gnostice StarDocs Document Server, our REST-based document-processing solution. This StarDocs integration requires just a StarDocs-specific unit and no further changes to your code.

In this article, you will learn to create a simple a multi-format multi-platform viewer using the FMX document viewer component. The viewer will allow an end-user to select a file and display it in the viewer on Windows and Mac. In IOS, it will open a document embedded in the app.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Start your Delphi IDE.
2. From the menu, choose to create a new "Multi-Device Project" and select the "Blank Application" project template.
3. Drop the following components on the form:
   • FMX.StdControls.TButton
   • FMX.Dialogs.TOpenDialog
   • fmx.gtxDocumentViewer.TgtDocumentViewer
   
4. Add a PDF document as a project resource.
5. Name the resource as "sampledoc".
6. Double-click the button and set its "OnClick" event handler to the following:

   procedure TForm5.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
   var
     oStream: TResourceStream;
   begin
   {$IFDEF IOS}
     try
      begin
        oStream := TResourceStream.Create(HInstance, 'sampledoc', RT_RCDATA);
        // Load document from internal resource stream
        gtDocumentViewer1.LoadFromStream(oStream);
   
      end;
     except
      on Err:Exception do begin
        ShowMessage('Error: ' + Err.Message);
      end;
     end;
   {$ELSE}
     // Set file open dialog filter
     OpenDialog1.Filter :=
       'Supported formats|*.docx;*.pdf;*.bmpg;*.png;*.jpg;*.jpeg|'+
       'Word DOCX files|*.docx|Acrobat PDF files|*.pdf|'+
       'Images|*.bmp;*.png;*.jpg;*.jpeg|All files|*.*';
     // Display the dialog
     If (OpenDialog1.Execute) then begin
       try
        begin
          // Load document selected by user
          gtDocumentViewer1.LoadFromFile(OpenDialog1.FileName);
          Caption := OpenDialog1.FileName;
        end;
       except
        on Err:Exception do begin
          ShowMessage('Error: ' + Err.Message);
        end;
       end;
     end;
   {$ENDIF}
   end;
   

7. Compile the project, fix any errors and run it.
8. When the form is shown in the default Windows target, click the button and test it with some DOCX or PDF files.
   
9. When you are finished with the Windows test, close the application.
10. Add an additional target for Mac OS in the project.
11. Run the project and check the targeted Mac system.
12. Open a supported document in the Mac.
    
13. When are done with the Mac test, add a IOS target to the project.
14. Run the project in the IOS device or simulator.
15. Click the button to open the embedded document.