Several Questions

[Unregistered]

Our company is looking into using Text Control. The product we are currently creating is a Web based product. We will have many companies using our product and will have thousands of users accessing document from all over the world. Much of the data is accessed through the web via web services. Our product depends on Microsoft Word documents so .DOC files would be used in the Text Control. We have worked with Microsoft directly regarding opening/editing Word documents, but frankly the solution is clunky at best. In an effort to find a better solution, we are looking into third party software that would be able to handle our document access requirements. I would appreciate any information I can receive on the following questions:

1. Documentation indicates that a document can be saved in any format. We are currently using SQL and we are saving the document data in binary. Currently we are using FileStream in .NET to create the document from the binary data that is in the database. How does this apply to the TextControl? Can we send binary data directly to Text Control to create and open the file?

2. When we save the document data to the database (as binary data), we remove the password (Word document size is much larger with password and encryption). Does Text Control allow saving the document on the local with password and removing the password on demand? Also, if it allows programmatic writing and removing of passwords to the document, what encryption type is available for password protection and can that encryption type be programmatically selected? We require RC4 level of encryption but may also use others. For example WordXP and Word2000 support RC4 level of encryption but Word97 does not - inwhich case we would use a lower level of encryption. Is this encryption level available in Text Control?

3. Our clients often have medical dictationaries that they with Microsoft Word. Does Text Control support spelling dictationaries?

4. Currently we use Word OLE and programmatically control Word. For example, we can programmatically execute Find, spellcheck, character counts, starting and shutting down Word , etc. Does Text Control work in conjunction to Word OLE?

5. We have several different type of users which dynamically are given different access to documents. For example, one user may only be able to view a document - but not modify it. Another user may initially have the document opened in view mode, but when they click a button on a custom toolbar, their view will be changed to edit mode. When they are done editing they click another button a custom toolbar and they are returned to edit mode. Can Text Control support this kind of access to documents?

6. If we were using .DOC format with Text Control, we the user "see" the typical Word file menu? If yes, can that file menu be customized so that either certain options on the file menu are either disabled or removed? In other words, is it possible to disable the printing or open option on the File menu?

7. Does Text Control allow customized toolbars? Do we have the ability to add our own buttons to either a toolbar or menue? Does Text Control handle shortcut keys to Word Menus or custom buttons? Can these shortcut keys be programmatically assigned?

8. Does Text Control support registry functions? For example, currently in Word OLE the startup path in Word is saved in the registry. Does Text Control support this?

Denise


This message was originally posted by Denise in the old TX Text Control Support Forum.

[Unregistered]

Hi Denise,

I had to chuckle over your statement: "but frankly the solution is clunky at best." That's what we found, that OLE to Word is a world full of hurt, untold hours of support supporting MS Word problems. MS Word is the worst program ever thrust on the public. It is too tempermental, too easily prone to corruption.

TX doesn't have native password protection. You might be able to implement such via your DB. You could also encrypt your data stream to the DB and deencrypt from it.

We are delighted with TX. Best control we've ever worked with.


This message was originally posted by Vann Joe in the old TX Text Control Support Forum.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for replying...

Actually, we currently have the databases and data stream encrypted. However, it is very important to the industry we work in that the local documents we creat are password protected.

Does the statment "TX does not have native password protection" means it can not open word documents that are password protected - even if if we provide the password - nor can it save a document with a password?

I would greatly appreciate any additional replies to my other questions.

Thanks again.

Denise


This message was originally posted by Denise in the old TX Text Control Support Forum.

[Unregistered]

I'm not with TX support, just a user. The following is not gospel, but personal observations:

1. The Word format TX saves to is actually Word 95. That leaves out much of the Structured Storage of later versions of Word. Word itself doesn't object to opening TX created documents, but things such as MS Indexing Service won't work on them. They are not SGMT docs. (My brain hiccoughed. I don't think those initials are right, but you'll know what I mean.)

2. We've did a test of opening in tX a password protected doc, and it couldn't. (We don't know of the technique of removing the password protection via code.)

3. I believe password protect didn't appear until Word 97, along with the Structured Storage.

4. We are pondering how to achieve "signed documents" for our next version (coming out Fall 2004 or Winter 2005). Among our ideas are print to file, or create a bmp. When TX works out the size problems with PDF, we'll look at that too, but we'd need the mechanism for displaying such documents without OLE to a reader. It has to be IN our app. (When we were doing OLE to Word our support hours were huge. They are down to less than 1% of what they were. We're not going the route of supporting someone else's software again.)


This message was originally posted by Vann Joe in the old TX Text Control Support Forum.