PDF Screenshot Captures (create an image from first page of PDF files)

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Sat, 01/19/2013 - 06:55

STWSupport

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Joined: 12/21/2012

We have finally gotten a chance to get to this item on our list, screenshots of PDF files.

This feature will load the first page of any PDF file and then capture a screenshot of that page. Then, it will become available just like any other screenshot image.

This will happen automatically and does not require any coding changes. We have also decided to offer this feature as a value-add to all service levels (i.e. not a PRO feature upgrade).

We hope that our users will enjoy this additional functionality, at no charge, as a thank you for supporting our growing web page screenshot niche.

Here are a few examples of PDF captures created through the service:

Full first page at 500px wide

First page at 400px wide and cropped at 300px high (4:3 ratio)
Note: This one is also an example of a PDF captured using the PDF capture failover feature

Full first page at 500px wide

Thu, 02/07/2013 - 04:45

L46039

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Joined: 12/10/2012

I'm trying to use this with the wordpress plugin, but when I use the short code with the pdf link it only generates a screen capture of the domain it is hosted on, rather than the document, and the image is not clickable as a link.

Any ideas?

Thu, 02/07/2013 - 11:03

(Reply to #2) #3

puravida

Jedi Warrior

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Joined: 09/01/2007

My first thought is that you are not using (and have not upgraded to) the "Inside Pages" PRO feature. Since any PDF would be a full URL (not just the base domain), this is a requirement.

Thu, 02/07/2013 - 15:11

L46039

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Joined: 12/10/2012

Oh ok, when I read "ie. not a PRO feature upgrade" and I thought it was available to all users as a standard because it said 'all service levels' and 'at no charge'(I'm using a free account). That's what confused me.

So to use this feature I would have to purchase the "inside pages" PRO Feature? Makes sense.

Thu, 02/07/2013 - 15:34

(Reply to #4) #5

puravida

Jedi Warrior

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Joined: 09/01/2007

Yeah, Duane also pointed that out, after you made your post. Bit of an oversight there.

Cannot screenshot full paths without "Inside Page", so I had not considered that when I wrote the announcement. Apologies for the confusion.

Fri, 03/18/2016 - 08:36

puravida

Jedi Warrior

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Joined: 09/01/2007

Update: As of 03/18/2016, there has been a change to the way that PDFs are handled as far as size and dimensions are concerned. These PDF captures are special in that they are now treated like "Custom Size" and "Full-Length" to allow for a greater variety of custom outputs.

So, if you have upgraded to either the "Custom Size" or "Full-Length" PRO features, you will be able to enter any dimensions you want.

For instance, the following will output a 500xFull image:
&stwxmax=500

Or you could crop it with:
&stwxmax=500&stwymax=250

If you do not have either of those upgrades or do not specify their parameters, then the PDF will be captured in the default 4:3 aspect ratio, which means it will likely be cropped and not display the full length of the PDF page. This way, the resulting screenshot will fit into the expected width/height space as any other default sized screenshot.

PDF Screenshot Captures (create an image from first page of PDF files)

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Website Screenshot Plugins

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