Using Print to File to get a GIF Image?

[Tim Skelton]

I need to get a GIF image representation of a document and need to do this in an automated fashion using Visual Basic in batch. I was wondering whether any of the HP printer/plotter drivers could accomplish this via the "print to file" method such that the resultant file was a GIF. Anyone know if this is possible or have an alternative method of achieving this?

[Hal Rottenberg]

When you print to file, you will not get a gif image. You will get a file in "printer language". You could perhaps print to file, using a postscript printer driver, then programmatically convert that postscript file to a raster format such as GIF or PNG. I'm not a programmer so I can't give you any specifics, but I know enough about the subject to say that I'm sure there are libraries you can download/buy to do some of these things in your program. Another thing to try is to ask your question in a Visual Basic forum instead of a Windows forum.

Regards,

Hal Rottenberg

[Tim Malnati]

I'm not sure you really want to go to .gif where you are potentially looking at some enormous files. My thought is that Adobe ( http://www.adobe.com ) may have a solution more in line with what you are attempting to accomplish. The .pdf format seems to be a better candidate but your post does not give us any details regarding what you plan to do with the images down the road.