Are there any open source examples of a simple Adobe Acrobat plugins (C++)?

[Franck Dernoncourt]

I am looking for an open source, simple Adobe Acrobat plugin (C++). That'd be convenient to get started to learn the plugin framework. Preference if the plugin do some text analysis (e.g., spell checking or extract all words starting with a capital letter).

[Bernd Alheit]

Samples of plugins are part of the Acrobat SDK.

https://opensource.adobe.com/dc-acrobat-sdk-docs/acrobatsdk/gettingstarted.html#downloads 

[Test Screen Name]

You'll find samples to get started with the framework of a plugin, especially the callback-based structure. But it's a huge API, and the chances of finding samples to help you with towards any particular project is small. Instead, you need much study of the API documentation. Text extraction usually used the PDWordFinder APIs. There's no spell checking API so you'd extract the text first, a word at a time, and check. 

[Franck Dernoncourt]

You'll find samples to get started with the framework of a plugin

By @Test Screen Name

Thanks, do you have a link to such a plugin just as an example? I can read the API doc but the basic plugin structure would be handy to have as a starting point.

[Franck Dernoncourt]

Oh I just saw the acrobatsdk_samplesguide.pdf (https://opensource.adobe.com/dc-acrobat-sdk-docs/acrobatsdk/pdfs/acrobatsdk_samplesguide.pdf), I guess you were alluding to it, which indeed contains some basic plug-ins.

[Test Screen Name]

The Acrobat SDK download should include all documents, headers, and samples.

[LMax99]

Check out:

• https://dev.datalogics.com/adobe-pdf-library/sample-program-descriptions/c1samples/
• https://github.com/datalogics/adobe-pdf-library-samples/tree/master/CPlusPlus/Sample_Source

[Franck Dernoncourt]

Thanks, these code samples are interesting but it's for the Adobe PDF Library (APDFL), but the Adobe Acrobat plugins.

[Franck Dernoncourt]

*not for the Adobe Acrobat plugins.

[LMax99]

Not exactly sure what you mean, but if you want to understand the basic plugin structure Developing Plugins and Applications is a place to start.

[Franck Dernoncourt]

Thanks, I meant to write: these code samples https://dev.datalogics.com/adobe-pdf-library/sample-program-descriptions/c1samples/ andd
https://github.com/datalogics/adobe-pdf-library-samples/tree/master/CPlusPlus/Sample_Source are interesting but it's for the Adobe PDF Library (APDFL), and not the Adobe Acrobat plugins. I'm indeed looking for examples of Adobe Acrobat plugins to see the basic plugin structure.

[adhirath_7243]

I am also new to this, as far as my understanding goes the SDK used for developing plugins is the PDFL SDK. the C++ plugin samples are also provided under the same SDK in the Adobe documentation.

[adhirath_7243]

Hi, were you able to find any samples that you could get into a working state?

[Angelic_enthusiast3850]

Go to https://www.datalogics.com/ and either ask the AI chatbot "Scout" or ask on the Datalogics Discord - we have people actively monitoring who are experts in this area.

[Thom Parker]

Several examples are provided in the SDK, from a very basic (do nothing) plug-in, to complex examples including a sandbox broker.  The SDK also includes a VS Wizard for setting up a plug-in.  The SDK is free, just download it and look. 

https://opensource.adobe.com/dc-acrobat-sdk-docs/acrobatsdk/gettingstarted.html#downloads

[adhirath_7243]

this is helpful, but I am having severe confusion with the SDK's. Do we develop plugins using PDFL SDK or Acrobat SDK? Another issue is when I open the downloads I dont see an option to download the SDK it's just API downloads available. This is the link I am downloading from-
https://developer.adobe.com/console/3825217/servicesandapis
Please let me know where I went wrong.

[Bernd Alheit]

Look at Downloads.

[Angelic_enthusiast3850]

The PDF Library supports plugins, and so does Acrobat.  If your plugin needs a user-interface component, you'll probably need an Acrobat plugin.  It's also good to separate the PDF format functionality from what happens in the user interface, doing all the PDF work in a PDF Library plugin, and callting that functionality from an Acrobat plugin.  In cases where you only need to support the processing, you can get away with only a PDF Library plugin.

[Thom Parker]

Plug-ins are develped with the Acrobat SDK. The PDFL SDK is for creating independent applications.  And services API is a REST.  

Click on this link,  EULA and choose your download link , (this is on the "Getting Started with the SDK page) and sign up as an Adobe Developer.  

Adobe is not the best at providing clear direction. Sometimes you have to read the text a few times, but it's all there. 

I provide consulting services and can help you thorugh the process of plug-in development. PM me though this forum if you are interested. 

[rboehne]

Link above has moved to - https://github.com/datalogics/apdfl-cplusplus-samples/tree/develop