Adobe Distiller

First, the bad news... You cannot run Acrobat Distiller in an automated manner on a server.  If you dig through the EULA, it's in there - in fairly plain language.

Regarding PCL --> PDF- Distiller doesn't do that... do you mean PostScript (PS) to PDF?

The good news.

For Server Side PostScript to PDF I would recommend either of the following:

Distiller Server - Available through Datalogics.  This is pretty much he same Distiller product in Acrobat, but licensed for server use.

pdfToolbox Server - Which can be purchased and supported through FourPees.​  pclTools is built on Distiller Server and the Adobe PDF Library (APDFL).  Think of it as "server-side Acrobat".

If you truly need to do PCL --> PDF, I would recommend PCLTools from PageTech.  In a side by side comparison of PCLTools with a number of tools, including GhostScript, it was the only one that would create a PDF exactly the same as off of an HP printer.  As in, "transparent overlay" exactly the same.

Yea, licensing can be a bit of a hassle.  Think of it this way... you're reaping the rewards (profits) of the workflow solution you've developed.  In that you are selling a product or service to a customer.  Adobe, and everyone else, are just doing the same thing and should be appropriately compensated for their time and efforts.

I've used both Callas and PCLTools - holler if you have any questions about either of them.

Thanks

Doug

You run it on a server? (there is no Distiller Server 9 product!)