3D PDF Analysis

Microsoft Access is one of the most awesome prototyping tools anyone in software development could ever use, however there are also some really serious downsides as well. I know the software purists will be rolling over in their graves with my comments but after 20 plus years of commercial software development for some of the worlds largest companies I stand by my comments.

Microsoft Access makes it very easy and very cost effective to develop a database application and then roll it out onto the desktop. One of the downsides to this application is that it has always been incredibly difficult to export reports from Microsoft Access to another format. Most Microsoft Access developers that I know who build these systems use third party applications to export reports like Crystal Reports or Microsoft Word. The downside to using Microsoft Word is that you cannot export OLE Objects, using the merge process, you actually have to use VBA Code in Microsoft Word to call the ole object via ADO. Well that is one technique anyway. Now, with Adobe Acrobat Writer Version 7 we now have a new more effective method.

The exporting of OLE Objects has always been a major downside to Microsoft Access and Microsoft Word, but I was recently working with Adobe Acrobat writer Version 7 and I found that this version of the software now installs itself in all major Microsoft Office Applications. This is a fantastic step forward for Microsoft Access developers as this mean you can develop a report exclusively in Microsoft Access and then print the report straight to a PDF Format, rather than first going to Microsoft Word document then converting it into a Adobe Acrobat PDF File. The other key advantage is that if you are using a OLE Object Datatype in a Report, the Adobe PDF file will accept that data type and show a picture if that is what you are looking for. Alot of my clients have wanted to use Microsoft Access to develop reports that include photos and distribute them using Microsoft Word but up until now that has been able to be done easily. (Without using extensive VBA Code) Adobe Acrobat 7 allows us to create a pdf file from a report with OLE Objects and include them as photos etc within the PDF File. This means organisations that want to distribute staff files or product descriptions can create them using Microsoft Access. First of all they create the descriptions as a report and then convert them to PDF Format using Adobe Acrobat Writer.

Adobe has provided two ways to generate your PDF report. First off it installs an Adobe Drop Down Menu into the Microsoft Access main menu bar and from this drop down menu you can then choose to create the report as an ADOBE PDF. Note you must open the report first. You can even use this menu function to create the report and then email it direct to a third party. I think this feature alone is worth the $700AUD you pay for Adobe Acrobat Writer.

The second method is to open your report and then choose the File menu and then Print. The Print dialog box will open and then you choose Adobe Acrobat writer as the Printer and then choose the OK button which will then start Adobe Acrobat and generate your PDF.

With this new method to build a PDF file, you can even use Visual Basic for Access to automate the print process and then email the file using MAPI or CDO. If you are one of those people who like to use macro’s over using VBA there is no way that I can find where you can achieve this. If you could find someone who could create a module for you that automates this process you could use a macro then by calling the Function in the module from the macro window. All this of course is dependent on finding the write person to write that function. I have not done this directly, because I have been using a form with VBA Code to automate the creation of the PDF and then email it via CDO.

One of the questions I get asked a lot, especially by people from GLobal Organisations who need to write monthly reports,”Would it be possible to automate this process and have the reports email themselves once a month”. The answer to this is, ABSOLUTELY YES! The catch though is you would need to leave Microsoft Access open on a machine and then have a developer to write some code that acts like a timer and then once the computer clock ticks over the Form could simply create the associated reports and email them via MAPI. This seems complex all in all but for a competent VBA programmer, there should not be any problems doing this.

When Microsoft Office 2007 is released in 2007(hopefully), Microsoft has said that they will be including the functionality for producing PDF files from within Microsoft Office 2007, hopefully this functionality will be included for Microsoft Access 2007, which means in the next version, MACRO developers maybe able to export direct to PDF Format and then email direct to clients. If Microsoft does offer this in their new version, this to me would be the major reason I would recommend all companies upgrade to this new version. I wait in hope that this will be the case.

Chris Le Roy is a veteran of the software development having worked in the field for over 20 years and has been developing systems using Visual Basic 6, VB.Net, Microsoft Access and SQL Server, ASP, VB Script and Java Script. He currently runs a specialist Computer Training Centre in Townsville Australia, where people from all over the world, train to learn advanced techniques in programming in these applications. Many of his clients specifically focus on Microsoft Access development training. Chris has written a number of training programs, including Microsoft Access and they are available from his website at http://www.1-on-1.biz

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If you own a trampoline, you already know that it is a great way to get out of the house, and into the fresh air. Did you also know that it’s benefiting your health? Jumping up and down on a trampoline is great for strengthening the cardio-vascular system and it is also an excellent workout for almost every muscle and organ of the body. Exercising on a trampoline can also be very helpful for adults and children because it helps to improve reflexes, flexibility, balance and coordination.

One way to enhance not only the fun aspect of the trampoline, but also increase the health benefits, is by putting a little extra effort into your jumping by doing some tricks! There’s lot of tricks that can done on the trampoline, from the beginner level to the advanced. Here’s a few of them beginning with some basics including additional tips to ensure safety and avoid injury.

‘Landing on the Back’ is one of the first, basic trampoline tricks any bouncer should learn and its very simple. Stand motionless on the trampoline with your arms at your sides or even with your hands in your front pockets. Fall backwards onto the trampoline, keeping your body straight and your head up. As your back meets the trampoline, let your head meet it naturally too, don’t jerk or twist it. You will bounce back up and then you can do it again, over and over until you achieve a good rebounding height. The more you practice this trick, the higher you will bounce back and forth!

Here’s an intermediate trampoline trick you can do once you’ve master the basic Back Landing trick. Begin the same way, standing straight and motionless, with arms at your sides or hands in your pockets. Fall straight back again, but when you bounce back up, land on your knees instead! The motion will keep sending you back and forth so you can repeat the trick as many times as you want.

Some advanced trampoline tricks include somersaults and flips. Either of these can be done backwards or forwards, but you should be very comfortable and confident with your bouncing abilities before attempting either of them. Once you’ve got the flip down, you spice it up by adding a spin to it.

Before attempting any trick, ensure everyone’s safety, including your own. Remember to look around and see how much room you have. You will definitely want to avoid a collision with any other jumpers that are on the trampoline with you. To further prevent any mishaps, warm up first by doing some simple bounces and once you get going, remember to keep your head and neck in a natural position. This way you don’t hurt yourself.

Have fun, be safe and keep on bouncing!

This article was provided by TotalTrampoline.com where you can find lots more information about trampoline tricks.

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Adobe announced Acrobat 3D, finally. This is their first foray into 3D. I wrote earlier that they are missing the boat on 3D.

The premise of Acrobat 3D is to enable smooth collaboration amongst various non CAD users within the organization’s workflow i.e. sales, marketing, visual merchandising, channel management, etc. who traditionally could not view designs in 3D. With 2D pictures of 3D products, much data is lost, making the process inefficient and unproductive.

For a while now, CRM and PLM vendors have been looking for a good bridge. The only one that existed so far was Autodesk’s DWF, which works with AutoCAD / Inventor design files.

However, in the Mechanical Design marketplace, the major houses are:

1. Dassault, which owns CATIA (high-end 3D CAD), Solidworks (mid-market 3D CAD), a PDM called SmarTeam, and a PLM product called Enovia, which IBM Global Services sells and integrated.

2. Parametric, which owns ProE (high-end 3D CAD) and Windchill (PLM)

3. Autodesk

4. UGS (recently LBO’d by SIlverlake and Bain)

5. think3 with ThinkDesign, ThinkID, ThinkTeam - all mid-range products.

Given that any 3D Viewer product such as Acrobat 3D will need to pass through a CAD-engineer’s hands, to be written into an Acrobar readable format, it is safe to assume that having deep-pocket CAD relationships would be immensely valuable.

So, let us see who has what in terms of viwers:

Autodesk has DWF. No one else has anything else. However, there are some independent viewers out there, Right Hemisphere and TornadoVIZ. In fact, it is Right Hemisphere’s technology that enables Acrobat 3D, Adobe Ventures has an investment in the company along with Sequoia Capital, and it would be safe to assume that Adobe will buy this company eventually.

I have heard, however, that Acrobat 3D is a very heavy product. In comparison, TornadoVIZ has a very light-weight technology, which would, by and large, need to be an essential characteristic of any 3D viewer such as the ones under discussion.

While Adobe will try to be Switzerland, and not take a preferred CAD system position, it is likely, they will get locked out of the Autodesk eco-system. If I were Dassault, then, would I want a proprietary viewer (perhaps via a Tornado acquisition), or would I be okay with Adobe’s neutral position?

Silicon Valley Entrepreneur and Strategy Consultant Sramana Mitra writes about Entrepreneurship, Business Strategy, Emerging Technology, Market Moves, and sundry other topics in her Blog “Sramana Mitra on Strategy”. Read more of her writings at http://www.sramanamitra.com

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