ActiveReports 10 PDF Export with transparent watermark

ActiveReports 10 PDF Export with transparent watermark

Posted by: mdynna on 10 August 2020, 6:52 pm EST

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  mdynna

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  Posted 10 August 2020, 6:52 pm EST

  We have a section report where the user can specify a watermark as well as set transparency level (“washout”). This works fine when the report is previewed, but if it is exported to PDF using the PDFExport class the watermark is significantly more faded than on the preview.

  We implement the “washout” by loading it, changing the alpha on every pixel, and then re-saving it to a temporarly location as a PNG. I can tell something strange has happened with the PDF export by comparing the way the image is displayed in the PDF to the image itself in an image editor/viewer.

  If the report is “printed” to the Windows built-in PDF Printer, image opacity is fine.

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 11 August 2020, 2:46 am EST

  Hello,

  Can you try after changing the following property of the PDF export at your end.
  
  ConvertMetaToPng
  
  ImageQuality
  
  ImageResolution

  https://help.grapecity.com/activereports/webhelp/AR10/webframe.html#PDFExport.html

  Also, it is possible to share the report so that I can reproduce the issue at my end.

  Please note that AR10 is a legacy product now. It is out of maintenance mode now. Hence, we do not provide support for the same or no bug fixing will be done in the same. I would recommend you use the latest version of ActiveReports i.e ActiveReports 14. Please refer to the following link for more information:
  
  https://www.grapecity.com/activereports.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  mdynna

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  Posted 11 August 2020, 5:51 pm EST

  All of the following properties had no effect:
  
  Version
  
  ImageQuality
  
  ImageResolution
  
  ConvertMetaToPng

  I will work on preparing an isolated project that demonstrates the issue.

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 12 August 2020, 2:21 am EST

  Hello,

  I am waiting for your sample. If it is bug in the AR10 then it will be fixed only in the latest version of AR if feasible.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  mdynna

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  Posted 12 August 2020, 5:47 pm EST

  Ok, here’s a sample project. There’s a launcher form where you choose an image file and it sets that as the Watermark on the report. In the Viewer and if printed to a PDF printer, the faded watermark shows as expected. If the Export option is used to create a PDF the watermark is more faded.WatermarkTest.zip

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 13 August 2020, 6:28 am EST

  Hello,

  I am able to reproduce the issue. I have asked the development team (AR-24928) and will inform you once I get any information from them.

  Please note that it will be fixed only in the latest version of AR if feasible.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 21 August 2020, 5:30 am EST

  Hello,

  As per our developer, it is a limitation of the PDF Export. This is limitation is due to the transparency setting in the image.

  Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  mdynna

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  Posted 21 August 2020, 11:22 am EST

  So there’s no resolution for this, even in the latest version?

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 24 August 2020, 3:57 am EST

  Hello,

  Could you please try after resave original bitmap without transparency (with whyte background etc.).

  Also, this limitation also exists in the latest version.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  mdynna

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  Posted 25 August 2020, 5:17 pm EST

  If there is no Alpha in the image, the PDF Export looks the same as the Print Preview.

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 26 August 2020, 8:45 am EST

  Hello,

  I am assuming that by setting Alpha of image to zero will fulfill your requirement.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit

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  mdynna

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  Posted 26 August 2020, 10:25 am EST

  No actually. The user wants to use the image as a “watermark” on the report, so it needs to be partially transparent as it cannot obscure any of the text on the report. In our application, the user can adjust the alpha level and they use the Preview to see what the report will look like. Then when they run the billing process the report is run, exported to PDF, and emailed to the client, but in that process the image alpha is much lighter than in the Preview.

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  mohitg

  

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  Posted 27 August 2020, 1:58 am EST

  Hello,

  We are sorry for this. It is limitation of PDFExport due to transparency setting in the image.

  Again sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.

  Thanks,
  
  Mohit