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.
• If you are using a Metered License or Offline Metered License, you need a database to store metered licensing information. If you are planning to view files multiple times, (by using viewing packages), you will also need a database to store the cached files.

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.
• If you are using both hybrid viewing and PDF-only viewing packages or if you are using a Metered License or Offline Metered 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 as a workfile, then once the viewing session ID is available, 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.