Benefits of Hybrid Viewing

Welcome to a faster way to view documents with less storage space! If you want to view PDF files only, we provide a viewing session property that reduces the load on the server by sending the majority of the document processing to the browser/client. If you want to view other file types, we provide a viewing package type that converts all file types into ready-to-view PDFs. This saves you time and storage space, and improves viewing performance!

What are the requirements?

• You need to use PrizmDoc Application Services (PAS) and PrizmDoc Server (for viewing PDF and non-PDF files).
• If you are using both hybrid viewing and PDF-only viewing packages, you need a Metered License, Offline Metered License or OEM License.
• A database is required for both PAS and PrizmDoc Server; it will be used to store the cached files and metered licensing information.

Are there limitations?

Currently, the following functionality is not supported for Hybrid Viewing: printing, sharpening, gamma, and svgLineWidthMultiplier as listed in the getClientRestrictions in the ViewerControl API.

Setting up

This section details what to do if you are a new or existing customer:

I'm a new customer

You need to:

• If you are using both hybrid viewing and PDF-only viewing packages, get a Metered License, Offline Metered License or OEM License.
• If you are using both hybrid viewing and PDF-only viewing packages, set up the license.
• Set up a database.

I'm an existing customer

• I have metered licensing for PrizmDoc Server - If you are an existing customer with metered licensing, then you can use the same metered license for both PAS and PrizmDoc Server.
• I have a license for PrizmDoc Server other than Metered, Offline Metered, or OEM - Contact us at info@accusoft.com.

Example Customer Scenarios

The following scenarios are examples of possible customer use-cases:

Scenario 1 (view a PDF file once)

I want to view my PDF file once. Create a Viewing Session (with the allowedClientFileFormats property set to pdf), upload the PDF to the Viewing Session, then the Viewer can request the PDF and it will be rendered in the client/browser.

Scenario 2 (view a PDF multiple times)

I want to view the PDF file 100 times. Create a Viewing Package (with a packageType = pdf) for the document and then create multiple viewing sessions from the viewing package (using the allowedClientFileFormats property set to pdf).

Scenario 3 (convert and view other file types)

I want to view other file types with Hybrid Viewing. You can pre-convert which just creates a viewing package from which you can then create many viewing sessions later. Alternatively, you can create a viewing package on-demand which will create a viewing session for the document and also create a viewing package in the background.

Definitions

• Hybrid Viewing
  • For PDF documents - You can render and view PDF documents in the browser/client quickly (with minimal backend resources, i.e., workfile via PAS).
  • For non-PDF documents - You can convert non-PDF documents by using PAS (new, faster way with pdf Viewing Packages option) via PrizmDoc Server to render documents in the browser/client.
• Viewing Session - Is a temporary resource that produces document content in a form that can be displayed in the browser/client.
• Viewing Package - Is a cached version of a document that the browser/client will use when viewing a document.
• On-demand - Your application doesn't have access to the documents prior to viewing-time and documents are sent as-is.
• Pre-conversion - Your application has access to the documents prior to viewing-time and can be pre-converted with PrizmDoc Server for faster viewing.

Next Steps

• To get started, go to the License & Create PDF Viewing Packages topic.