Summary for DaVince Tools and DaVince Tools Plus

Version: 3.0
Part of DaVince Tools
Web Site: www.davince.com
Last Modified: July 8, 2004

Introduction

DaVince Tools is a group of programs for converting JPEG, TIFF, BMP and text files to Portable Document Format (PDF) files. These programs can either be run from a Windows application or in a DOS command line environment. As a bonus, included with the product is a TIFF tag viewer and a program that creates 2-dimensional mazes in PDF. DaVince Tools Plus contains all programs in DaVince Tools plus additional programs described below. Both products are shipped together.  Unless otherwise noted, this documentation applies to both version of DaVince Tools.

These are stand-alone programs, which means they are not plug-ins for other applications nor do they require other software in order to run. There is a converter for each file type. For example, "tiff2pdf" is used to convert TIFF files to PDF. The Windows application, wdavince.exe, provides a single interface for all the converters. This is the application most users will use for converting files to PDF. A DOS command line environment is also available, where program execution can be controlled by either the command line or a command file. This environment is typically used for automated or batch conversion. Each converter uses a configuration ".ini" file to store commonly used profiles. All converters use the same command line syntax.

Common Features

All converters share a significant amount of common features. Refer to the "DaVince Tools Converters" for a detailed summary of features common to all converters.

DaVince Tools is Shareware

DaVince Tools is shareware, which allows you to use this software free for 30 days. After 30 days you need to either register this software or remove it from your computer. You can register your software at the DaVince Tools web site http://www.davince.com. Your software registration promotes shareware as a viable method of selling software and encourages future enhancements to DaVince Tools. This software is fully functional; there are no crippling or timeout restrictions in the program. We trust you. However, to encourage you to register your copy of DaVince Tools, registered copies will display a registered status during the execution of the program and in the generated PDF file, and the DaVince Tools annotation will not be created on the first page of a generated PDF file.

Refer to the release notes for instructions on installing DaVince Tools and DaVince Tools Plus.

With the exception of wdavince, all DaVince Tools programs run in a Windows 9x/NT/2000 DOS window in a batch or command line environment. The tool set was written using the DaVince C++ class library, a library for creating PDF documents from C++ applications. The same author developed both DaVince Tools and the DaVince C++ class library. You can contact the author for more details about this product at info@davince.com .

Description of Programs

DaVince Tools is a collection of programs for the PDF user.  The programs include:
 
wdavince Windows program for interfacing with the command line converter programs
bmp2pdf
 Command line program to convert Microsoft bitmap (BMP) files to PDF
jpeg2pdf Command line program to convert JPEG files to PDF
tiff2pdf Command line program to convert TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) files to PDF
txt2pdf Command line program to convert text files to PDF

In addition to all the programs included in DaVince Tools, DaVince Tools Plus contains these additional programs:
 
file2pdf Command line program to convert TIFF, JPEG and text files to PDF. This converter combines the features of the single file type converters jpeg2pdf, tiff2pdf and txt2pdf, allowing one to create a single PDF file composed of multiple file types or convert a directory comprised of multiple file types.
dvclib.dll A DLL module that provides TIFF, JPEG and text conversion to PDF using a DLL interface. Used by file2pdf, this module is also useful for programmers wanting to provide PDF conversion in their applications. Programming information is available in the DaVince DLL Library manual.
pdfclock, pdfconv
and pdfhello		 Sample applications written using the DaVince DLL Library. Source code is included with these applications.

The following bonus programs are also included with all versions of DaVince Tools:
 
pdfbingo
 Command line program to create bingo cards (up to 9 per page) in PDF.
pdfmaze Command line program to create maze puzzles in PDF automatically.
tiffdump Command line program to view the TIFF file data structure for a specified TIFF file

A brief syntax summary for any program can be displayed when using the "-?" command line option when executing any of the programs listed above.

For the latest news, documentation and upgrade information, visit the DaVince Tools web site at http://www.davince.com.
 
 

Take Your Pick: Windows, Command Line, Script or DLL Interface

DaVince Tools offers the flexibility of running in several ways.  For users accustom to using Windows applications, the wdavince program offers a single Windows interface for accessing all of the converter and bonus applications. It provides a convenient method of choosing the appropriate converter and profile, as well as choosing the files and/or directories to convert and other conversion options.

For users familiar with the Windows command line and writing batch programs, the command line interface (CLI) or the DaVince Command File (DCF) methods may be used. These methods allows more control in the conversion process than the Windows interface can provide. It is also the method many developers choose when integrating DaVince Tools with other applications (the Windows interface program, wdavince, interfaces with the converters by using dynamically created command files).  The CLI method provides a quick and easy way of running a converter by specifying all conversion options on the command line. The DaVince Command File (DCF) is a scripting language that uses a text file containing commands on how the conversion is to be performed. This allows full flexibility in the conversion process.

In addition to these methods, a DLL interface is available for users who register for DaVince Tools Plus.  DaVince Tools Plus contains all the programs in DaVince Tools, plus, it also includes the file2pdf converter and access to the DaVince DLL Library, useful to programmers wanting to create PDF files within their applications..
 

Limitations of Unregistered Version

The unregistered versions of both DaVince Tools and DaVince Tools Plus allow full use of all program features. Unregistered copies will create an unregistered notice within the PDF file, and the Windows application will notify the user of its unregistered status after each conversion. If only DaVince Tools is registered, an unregistered notice will still appear in PDF files created using DaVince Tool Plus applications.  This notice within the PDF file will disappear for all future conversions after you register your copy of DaVince Tools or DaVince Tools Plus.  Previous conversions will have to be re-run using a registered version of DaVince Tools or DaVince Tools Plus in order to create a PDF file without the notice.

 

About Shareware

DaVince Tools is a shareware product. You are allowed to use the unregistered version for up to 30 days for evaluation purposes. After 30 days, the product should either be registered or removed from the computer. If you find this software useful, you are encouraged to register your software by clicking on the "Register" menu item under the "Help" menu in the Windows application, wdavince. Your registration helps support future enhancements to the product.