Virtual text printer?

[kartal]

Hi

I am looking for a virtual text printer for my xp 64. Has anyone encountered-used such thing?


thanks

[mouser]

i understand the concept of a virtual printer.. but not sure what you mean by "text" printer.  care to elaborate?

[fenixproductions]

2kartal
Do you mean something like this?
http://www.frogmorecs.com/arts/using-the-generic-driver.html

Edited: If yes then why MS solution is not good enough? I assume it is available for x64 too...

[kartal]

Sorry for being vague. I guess I meant using a printer driver to extract formatted text or somewhat formatted text. For example I have some pdf documents that I want to convert to text. Now I found an application that does it (generally does a bad job) , but that works only on printed pdf documents. What I am looking for a Free generic printer driver that might be able to work on any app that supports printing.

@fenixproductions

I saw that one and tried but I could not get to any place. Because the first part of the tutorial is missing. I am not sure what kind of port I am supposed to use for example. When you use printer wizard the first image is not the first window that comes up. I tried couple ports and they gave error.

[fenixproductions]

2kartal
For each virtual printer I've got I have chosen "LPT1 (recommended)" and "FILE:" somewhere in the middle IIRC. That's all from my side BUT I have no real printer so that might be the source of the problems in your case.

BTW I've wanted to make Flash movie for you but decided not to do so because any dialogues would be in Polish I can still make it IF you really want to but after some sleep.

[kartal]

fenixproductions, thanks for your offer it is not needed

[fenixproductions]

2kartal
Aaargh! I think I've made mistake!

I've just checked and see that for "Generic / Text only" I have "FILE" as chosen port. It is strange because I am sure I had LPT1 taken first.

[cmpm]

from here

http://www.nitropdf.com/free/index.htm

this

http://www.primopdf.com/

Though it's not exactly what you want.
It will work with any pdf, not just adobe.

http://www.a-pdf.com/text/index.htm

Then there's Bullzip, very popular, a printer as requested,
and the best as I've seen talked about.
Next to Primo.

Nitro (full version) adds a printer, for $99.

http://www.nitropdf.com/index.asp

Primo comes from Nitro.
Nitro supposedly the best adobe replacement.

[4wd]

Why not just use an online converter?

Zamzar
Media Convert

And yes, I have used these to convert PDF -> Text as well as other conversions.

And yes, I did find them using the never-to-be-sufficiently-damned Google, (oh the shame, the shame  ).

[kartal]

cmpm, I do not think these can print TEXT. These are pdf printers. I have bullzip here and it does not print text. It prints pdf and images.

[kartal]

Thanks but I do not like online solutions when it comes to this kind of stuff. Nothing is free, especially the online services that offer free stuff will cost you more than you think they do.

Why not just use an online converter?

Zamzar
Media Convert

[cmpm]

I believe pdfs are designed to not be printed directly.
That's the point of this format.
It has to be converted or extract the text.
Then that file can be printed.

And yeah Bullzip is a pdf creator.
Sorry about that one.

Other pdf stuff....

http://www.nitropdf.com/free/index.htm

[rjbull]

I have some pdf documents that I want to convert to text. Now I found an application that does it (generally does a bad job)

Would that be XPDF?

[kartal]

rjbull, I am actually looking for a vritual driver rather than an application that does one job. But I will check out xpdf, thanks for recommendation

[Edvard]

http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/14520/how-can-i-print-to-an-ascii-text-file.html

[kartal]

Edvard, thanks  but for some reason that printer does not let you choose where to save. Second I cannot find the files it prints kind of weird. I managed to find 1 of them but the formatting is not something I can trust either. it is just a printer in disguise in my view.

[fenixproductions]

2Edvard
Isn't it the same what I've adviced?

2kartal
If I am right you can time in full TXT file path (i.e. c:\test.txt).

[Edvard]

2Edvard
Isn't it the same what I've adviced?

Oops, yes it is, just a few differences in the directions. Kartal noted that some part of the tutorial was missing, and the article I referenced was a little more verbose.

Edvard, thanks  but for some reason that printer does not let you choose where to save. Second I cannot find the files it prints kind of weird. I managed to find 1 of them but the formatting is not something I can trust either. it is just a printer in disguise in my view.

Try this: Open the pdf, hit Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-C, then open your favorite word processor and Ctrl-V?
I just tried it and while it doesn't reproduce the formatting exactly, it retains the font formatting such as type, bold, italics, etc.
Not as elegant as you might need, but it may get the job done.