Tech Articles


Installing GhostScript for PowerBuilder on Windows 10


** “Kool” Tip **

GhostScript on Windows 10

PDF Generation for PowerBuilder Classic 

 

   Most PowerBuilder developers know that the DataWindow object class in PowerBuilder (PB) Classic utilizes the open source (GNU) version of the GhostScript (GS) software to convert PostScript printer output into an Adobe PDF (Portable Data Format) file. The challenge this year for PB Developers moving into the MS-Windows version 10 domain, is that all drivers must be signed in order for the new O/S to accept the driver. This creates an issue for the GS installation as even the latest version 9.21 does not supply signed MS-Windows drivers.

  The good news though is that the PB Developer can get around this roadblock in the new O/S by following the procedure I used below to install GS v9.16. Without this technique, the GS install will not complete due to finding an unsigned driver. The install will in fact get stuck in a closed loop … select the .INF, get an unsigned driver message, click next, get an unsigned error and voila – your back at the select the .INF file part again in the MS-Windows 10 install printer wizard!

   The following procedure is what I used to circumvent the unsigned GS driver issue in W10, as follows:

1) Hold down the SHIFT key while you click Restart.

2) Once your computer has rebooted, choose the Troubleshoot option.

 

3) Then select the Advanced options.

4) You will now be prompted to restart your Computer again.
5) After restarting, you will need to press the F7 key!

6) Now your PC will reboot and you will be able to install unsigned drivers without any error messages! 

Now during the GhostScript installation, once you get to selecting the printer driver from the GS installation’s LIB folder, you should now see the MS-Windows security dialogue allowing the GS Driver to be installed even though its not signed!

 
    I have now implemented the above procedure on many W10 PC’s and have successfully built PDF files from PB 11.5.1, 12.1, 12.5.1 and 12.6 running on W10. I hope that this information will help you in your PB adventures into the W10 realm.

Regards … Chris

 

Comments (1)
Saturday, Jun 17 2017

Hi,

as far as we know ghostscript driver is signed already for a longer time.

Just install setup. No special needs. No pain!

Just do a litte check. :-)

Ghostscript works fast and creates good small pdf files.

But remember the AGPL license

#4
1

Find Articles by Tag

.NET Assembly CoderObject Graph .NET DataStore REST Export Azure C# PowerBuilder Compiler Oracle UI Modernization Web Service Proxy Script RESTClient SQL PBNI Expression XML Automated Testing Interface Debugging Installation GhostScript Mobile Debugger Menu Stored Procedure DragDrop SnapDevelop HTTPClient JSON TortoiseGit 64-bit Windows 10 Icons Web API Event OLE Outlook TFS JSONParser DataWindow JSON Validation OAuth 2.0 Import JSON ActiveX CrypterObject Linux OS Import PostgreSQL Windows OS Debug MessageBox SDK Jenkins Encoding Resize JSONGenerator Database Table Schema Open Source PostgreSQL ODBC driver RibbonBar Builder IDE iOS PowerBuilder PDFlib OrcaScript PowerServer Web PowerScript (PS) Data PFC Testing Android Charts InfoMaker Database Painter Deployment Database Encryption Bug RichTextEdit Control Source Code Window Excel Event Handling Service 32-bit DataWindow Elevate Conference Database Profile SOAP Migration WinAPI SqlExecutor DevOps Branch & Merge Transaction Authorization CI/CD WebBrowser TreeView Icon Git PDF Error License Design OAuth External Functions Database Connection Database Object Visual Studio SQL Server Performance Database Table Text TLS/SSL Source Control Database Table Data Platform Authentication ODBC Repository Event Handler Application Array Class Model Syntax PBDOM Trial NativePDF SqlModelMapper .NET Std Framework SnapObjects PowerBuilder (Appeon) UI File SVN UI Themes API Messagging DataType PowerServer Mobile BLOB Configuration Variable COM RibbonBar Sort Filter DLL PBVM Export JSON