We are using PDFCreator with Server 2008R2 and have a number of issues that have cropped up.
1) The server was installed but if the PDF Print Monitor isn’t running in a window, the printing for all users is stopped.
2) We get inconsistent errors saying that the output file is in use and processing was stopped.
3) We occasionally get an Error message in (a 53 for sure and I believe a 407).
The configuration is 38 user groups with printer options and printers for each group.
Would you be willing to work with us to solve these issues for a price? If so, what?
Thanks
Steven Kibler
Flight Trak, Inc.
skibler@flighttrak.com
Hi,
sure we will try to help you solve these issues (for free).
I would like to ask you some questions first though:
“The Server was installed” do you mean PDFCreator was installed in server mode?
Did you read the user manual, especially this: http://www.pdfforge.org/content/using-pdfcreator ?
2) it is possible that one user is trying to create a file with an already existing filename (and the other file with that name being in use or read-only).
Please paste the entire error message here next time it shows up.
regards,
Robin
I will add multiple comments as I collect information.
Yes, I installed the server as per instructions (extended instructions at http://yellowtriangle.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/using-pdf-creator-deployed-from-a-64bit-print-server/). The server is started. I have set the run under account to Local System and to my administrator account. In both cases, if the monitor is not running, then files don't get created. As soon as the monitor starts up, the queued files get created.
The current system creates a pdf file in a directory unique to that user only. The file may exist and would have been previously created with PDF Creator. We usually rename the files immediately after they are created so normally, the file doesn't exist when PDF Creator runs. The error has shown up both when the file already exists and when it didn't exist. When the error dialog is closed, the file gets printed but the Printer Stop is set in the Monitor and we have to un-check it or other print processes will be stopped. If timing was an issue, we put a 2 second delay always prior to the file being created. This has made no difference in the processing. The error we get is below. 
I have set the extended logging as per your reply to pdfc_user on April 2. I have not been able to save the extended log or the normal log immediately after an error since we have users on the system creating files. I notice that both log files size appears to be self limiting. Is there a way to set the log to collect all data until logging is turned off?
Unfortunately, my testing has created a problem for our users since the PDF Creator is currently in a production environment. If it is possible to work with you directly, I am willing to get up in the middle of the night when our users are not on the system and it is closer to your time (we are GMT-7). You can respond to the email above if you want to keep the nitty gritty details off this forum.
Thanks for your help.
Steven Kibler
Flight Trak, Inc.
Apparently, the bmp of the error didn’t get saved. The message is:
Auto-save mode: The destination file z:\customers\I0422312\logons\testuser\users\FTACDetail.pdf is in use. The processing was stopped to prevent data loss.
Just had a could not write that I was able to capture.
Question: In the windows/temp directory there is a spool directory with a large number of .ps files. What are these files? Is it possible that there could be a collision in these files causing the problem? How are they cleaned out? I notice some unrecoverable Ghostscript errors below in the spool directory.
As I was creating this note, I had two more prints come through for the same filename. The first file stopped and when I said OK to the error, the file printed (and the Stop Print was checked, I unchecked it immediately). The second file came through 30 seconds after the first one and printed without a hitch.
The Monitor log is immediately below for the first error (not the one described immediately above) and the extended log below that.
-dUCRandBGInfo=/Preserve
-dUseFlateCompression=true
-dParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo=true
-dParseDSCComments=true
-dOPM=0
-dOffOptimizations=0
-dLockDistillerParams=false
-dGrayImageDepth=-1
-dASCII85EncodePages=false
-dDefaultRenderingIntent=/Default
-dTransferFunctionInfo=/Preserve
-dPreserveHalftoneInfo=false
-dDetectBlends=true
-f
4/18/2013 3:08:34 PM: Time for converting [PDF without encryption]: 00:00:01:343
4/18/2013 3:08:34 PM: Autosavemodus: Create File ‘h:\I0307708\logons\tcibulsk\Users\FTPilotTripSheet.pdf’ success
4/18/2013 3:21:08 PM: Ghostscriptparameter:
-IC:\Program Files (x86)\PDFCreator\GS9.05\gs9.05\Lib\
-q
-dNOPAUSE
-dBATCH
-sFONTPATH=C:\Windows\Fonts
-sDEVICE=pdfwrite
-dPDFSETTINGS=/default
-dCompatibilityLevel=1.4
-dProcessColorModel=/DeviceCMYK
-dAutoRotatePages=/PageByPage
-dCompressPages=true
-dEmbedAllFonts=true
-dSubsetFonts=true
-dMaxSubsetPct=100
-dConvertCMYKImagesToRGB=false
-sOutputFile=G:\M0814517\logons\parsote\Users\FTPXItin.pdf
-dEncodeColorImages=true
-dAutoFilterColorImages=true
-dEncodeGrayImages=true
-dAutoFilterGrayImages=true
-dEncodeMonoImages=true
-dMonoImageFilter=/CCITTFaxEncode
-dDownsampleMonoImages=false
-dPreserveOverprintSettings=true
-dUCRandBGInfo=/Preserve
-dUseFlateCompression=true
-dParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo=true
-dParseDSCComments=true
-dOPM=0
-dOffOptimizations=0
-dLockDistillerParams=false
-dGrayImageDepth=-1
-dASCII85EncodePages=false
-dDefaultRenderingIntent=/Default
-dTransferFunctionInfo=/Preserve
-dPreserveHalftoneInfo=false
-dDetectBlends=true
-f
4/18/2013 3:21:09 PM: Error: %%[ ProductName: GPL Ghostscript ]%%; %%[Page: 1]%%; %%[LastPage]%%; %%[ Error: undefinedfilename; OffendingCommand: C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator\Spool\07FEFF56BA7F46799767C3720D026A31.mtd ]%%; GPL Ghostscript 9.05: Unrecoverable error, exit code 1;
4/18/2013 3:21:09 PM: Time for converting [PDF without encryption]: 00:00:00:799
4/18/2013 3:27:48 PM: Autosavemodus: Create File 'h:\I0307708\logons\tcibulsk\Users\FTPilotTripSheet.pdf’
4/18/2013 3:27:48 PM: Ghostscriptparameter:
-IC:\Program Files (x86)\PDFCreator\GS9.05\gs9.05\Lib\
-q
-dNOPAUSE
-dBATCH
-sFONTPATH=C:\Windows\Fonts
-sDEVICE=pdfwrite
-dPDFSETTINGS=/default
-dCompatibilityLevel=1.4
-dProcessColorModel=/DeviceCMYK
-dAutoRotatePages=/PageByPage
-dCompressPages=true
-dEmbedAllFonts=true
-dSubsetFonts=true
-dMaxSubsetPct=100
-dConvertCMYKImagesToRGB=false
-sOutputFile=h:\I0307708\logons\tcibulsk\Users\FTPilotTripSheet.pdf
-dEncodeColorImages=true
-dAutoFilterColorImages=true
-dEncodeGrayImages=true
-dAutoFilterGrayImages=true
-dEncodeMonoImages=true
-dMonoImageFilter=/CCITTFaxEncode
-dDownsampleMonoImages=false
-dPreserveOverprintSettings=true
-dUCRandBGInfo=/Preserve
-dUseFlateCompression=true
-dParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo=true
-dParseDSCComments=true
-dOPM=0
-dOffOptimizations=0
-dLockDistillerParams=false
-dGrayImageDepth=-1
-dASCII85EncodePages=false
-dDefaultRenderingIntent=/Default
-dTransferFunctionInfo=/Preserve
-dPreserveHalftoneInfo=false
-dDetectBlends=true
-f
4/18/2013 3:27:49 PM: Error: %%[ ProductName: GPL Ghostscript ]%%; %%[Page: 1]%%; %%[Page: 2]%%; %%[LastPage]%%; %%[ Error: undefinedfilename; OffendingCommand: C:\Windows\TEMP\PDFCreator\Spool\B125C68015F049BABE4461EBB5989F5D.mtd ]%%; GPL Ghostscript 9.05: Unrecoverable error, exit code 1;
4/18/2013 3:27:49 PM: Time for converting [PDF without encryption]: 00:00:00:949
4/18/2013 4:41:11 PM: Autosavemodus: 1files
4/18/2013 4:41:11 PM: Autosavemodus: Create File 'z:\customers\A1205480\logons\mrice\users\FTPXItin.pdf’
4/18/2013 4:47:23 PM: Auto-save mode: The destination file z:\customers\A1205480\logons\mrice\users\FTPXItin.pdf is in use. The processing was stopped to prevent data loss.
********** Extended Log ***********
-dMonoImageFilter=/CCITTFaxEncode
-dDownsampleMonoImages=false
-dPreserveOverprintSettings=true
-dUCRandBGInfo=/Preserve
-dUseFlateCompression=true
-dParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo=true
-dParseDSCComments=true
-dOPM=0
-dOffOptimizations=0
-dLockDistillerParams=false
-dGrayImageDepth=-1
-dASCII85EncodePages=false
-dDefaultRenderingIntent=/Default
-dTransferFunctionInfo=/Preserve
-dPreserveHalftoneInfo=false
-dDetectBlends=true
-f
4/18/2013 11:43:37 AM: Time for converting [PDF without encryption]: 00:00:00:729
4/18/2013 11:43:37 AM: Autosavemodus: Create File ‘Z:\customers\I0422312\logons\479710-admin\users\FTACDetail.pdf’ success
4/18/2013 11:46:30 AM: Ghostscriptparameter:
-IC:\Program Files (x86)\PDFCreator\GS9.05\gs9.05\Lib\
-q
-dNOPAUSE
-dBATCH
-sFONTPATH=C:\Windows\Fonts
-sDEVICE=pdfwrite
-dPDFSETTINGS=/default
-dCompatibilityLevel=1.4
-dProcessColorModel=/DeviceCMYK
-dAutoRotatePages=/PageByPage
-dCompressPages=true
-dEmbedAllFonts=true
-dSubsetFonts=true
-dMaxSubsetPct=100
-dConvertCMYKImagesToRGB=false
-sOutputFile=Z:\customers\I0422312\logons\479710-admin\users\FTACDetail.pdf
-dEncodeColorImages=true
-dAutoFilterColorImages=true
-dEncodeGrayImages=true
-dAutoFilterGrayImages=true
-dEncodeMonoImages=true
-dMonoImageFilter=/CCITTFaxEncode
-dDownsampleMonoImages=false
-dPreserveOverprintSettings=true
-dUCRandBGInfo=/Preserve
-dUseFlateCompression=true
-dParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo=true
-dParseDSCComments=true
-dOPM=0
-dOffOptimizations=0
-dLockDistillerParams=false
-dGrayImageDepth=-1
-dASCII85EncodePages=false
-dDefaultRenderingIntent=/Default
-dTransferFunctionInfo=/Preserve
-dPreserveHalftoneInfo=false
-dDetectBlends=true
-f
4/18/2013 11:46:31 AM: Time for converting [PDF without encryption]: 00:00:00:786
4/18/2013 11:46:31 AM: Autosavemodus: Create File ‘Z:\customers\I0422312\logons\479710-admin\users\FTACDetail.pdf’ success
4/18/2013 11:47:36 AM: Ghostscriptparameter:
-IC:\Program Files (x86)\PDFCreator\GS9.05\gs9.05\Lib\
-q
-dNOPAUSE
-dBATCH
-sFONTPATH=C:\Windows\Fonts
-sDEVICE=pdfwrite
-dPDFSETTINGS=/default
-dCompatibilityLevel=1.4
-dProcessColorModel=/DeviceCMYK
-dAutoRotatePages=/PageByPage
-dCompressPages=true
-dEmbedAllFonts=true
-dSubsetFonts=true
-dMaxSubsetPct=100
-dConvertCMYKImagesToRGB=false
-sOutputFile=Z:\customers\I0422312\logons\479710-admin\users\FTACDetail.pdf
-dEncodeColorImages=true
-dAutoFilterColorImages=true
-dEncodeGrayImages=true
-dAutoFilterGrayImages=true
-dEncodeMonoImages=true
-dMonoImageFilter=/CCITTFaxEncode
-dDownsampleMonoImages=false
-dPreserveOverprintSettings=true
-dUCRandBGInfo=/Preserve
-dUseFlateCompression=true
-dParseDSCCommentsForDocInfo=true
-dParseDSCComments=true
-dOPM=0
-dOffOptimizations=0
-dLockDistillerParams=false
-dGrayImageDepth=-1
-dASCII85EncodePages=false
-dDefaultRenderingIntent=/Default
-dTransferFunctionInfo=/Preserve
-dPreserveHalftoneInfo=false
-dDetectBlends=true
-f
4/18/2013 11:47:37 AM: Time for converting [PDF without encryption]: 00:00:00:644
4/18/2013 11:47:37 AM: Autosavemodus: Create File ‘Z:\customers\I0422312\logons\479710-admin\users\FTACDetail.pdf’ success
4/18/2013 11:48:16 AM: Autosavemodus: 1files
4/18/2013 11:48:16 AM: Autosavemodus: Create File ‘G:\M0814517\logons\parsote\Users\FTPXItin.pdf’
Hi,
please try using the and token to ensure the created file is really not in use. It could be in use by a virus-scanner, backup tool, or the user itself. It is normal, that PDFCreator needs to be running, you can´t change that behavior. The .ps files get deleted after the related file has been created and a collision of the .ps files should not be possible.
regards,
Robin
We can’t change the name of the files. We need to process them after they have been created and won’t be able to if the name isn’t the . We monitor the file as it is being created and immediately after creation we rename the file. As a result, there can’t be any collision between users since each user is creating files in their own local directory. I am excluding the directories containing the pdf files from any virus scanning. There is no backup running except in the middle of the night.
There are almost 60 .ps files in the spool directory. Because of the names, I can’t correlate them with the pdf files that haven’t been created but I will see what I can do with the times. Is there a cleanup that isn’t being handled in all paths?
What is the Ghostscript error “Undefined Filename” above? Could this be an issue?
The server doesn’t appear to be working as a service. If we close the monitor on all users (2 people monitoring the system) then pdf files don’t get created. Any ideas on the service?
From the characteristics of this problem, I am assuming that this is a short timing issue. Would it be possible to put a retry after a 1 second or so ‘Sleep’ ? I am guessing that this would solve our problem given the apparent characteristics.
Can you keep me informed about what is happening. I have a commercial application that is a problem because of the above issues. You are really the only solution I have found that works with our application but we need to take care of a few nits and lice.
Thanks
Hi,
did you set up the service as described here: http://yellowtriangle.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/using-pdf-creator-deployed-from-a-64bit-print-server/ ?
What did
C:\ sc query pdfcreator
return?To make sure it is not a timing issue, you could use a script in “Action after saving” with some sleep time in it.
Otherwise it is probably up to you to ensure the destination file is not in use, not much we can do there.
regards,
Robin
Robin:
The timing issue seems to be in PDF Creator. If I completely remove all files from the destination directory I still get the file in use error. When the monitor indicates a problem, we dismiss it and the file prints. This is why I suggested that you put a retry in the system after a 1 second wait. We do have a wait after printing before we attempt to rename the file to no avail. Another suggestion, I would be willing to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement and trouble shoot this on my own time if I can get the sources and build instructions. I noticed in the posts another user had the same problem but don’t know what the resolution with them was.
The service was setup as per instructions at the yellowtriangle site above.
The results of sc query:
c:\>sc query pdfcreator
SERVICE_NAME: pdfcreator
TYPE : 10 WIN32_OWN_PROCESS
STATE : 4 RUNNING
(STOPPABLE, PAUSABLE, ACCEPTS_SHUTDOWN)
WIN32_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
SERVICE_EXIT_CODE : 0 (0x0)
CHECKPOINT : 0x0
WAIT_HINT : 0x0
c:\>
The error message is difficult to reproduce. We have 20-30 people on the server at one time. They may print 4 or 5 times a day each and the message occurs sporadically during the day. We have to keep watch on it and if it hangs up the printing, clear the error and reset the stop printing flag.
Are you there?
Hi,
sorry there is a lot going on here.
I have possibly found the problem: you monitor the files and rename them directly after they where created. Do you do this with an action after saving in pdfcreator? Otherwise, there could be an error because the files aren´t “completed” directly after creation and if you move them while they are still being written into, you will get an access denied error.
If this doesn´t help;
The source can be found here http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/files/PDFCreator/PDFCreator%201.7.0/PDFCreator-1_7_0-source.zip/download
you need VB6 to build it.
regards,
Robin
Thanks, I will look into it.
Hello skk,
Did you solve the problem? We experience the same problem.
Regards,
Ralph