Embedding PDF's

[Arithan]

I was wondering what's the best way to allow my visitors to view pdf files within a webpage. I also want to make it so it's not downloadable. If I just create a link to the pdf file and the user clicks it, it will probably open in a pdf viewer like Acrobat, but they can also download the pdf from the link, and I don't want that.

I heard that I should use FlashPaper 2, but I was wondering what other options I have since FlashPaper 2 seems kind of old.

[verifone411]

Why would you not want people to download it but they can view it? Someone could always take a screen shot of it and post it up on a website somewhere.

if you are trying to sell an ebook why not just make the first chapter available for free pdf download and email the purchased version directly?

Unless you have hundreds of buyers already?

[Arithan]

The reason is because this isn't my work I'm posting. On my site I'm allowing my users to upload pdf's, lets say a sample of a book they wrote. They upload it so that people can see what they have done. Kind of like a demo reel type thing. I just don't want to provide a download link because someone can just download it and say that's their work. I realize that if someone really wanted the file they can find ways, but providing a direct link is like telling people to download it.

[TheWebHostingHero]

You could iframe the PDF

FlashPaper isn't that old. Its not as old as PDF for sure.

I've used FlashPaper quite a few times and it works great.

[felgall]

If they have the PDF plugin installed in their browser then they can view PDFs in the browser. If not then PDFs will always open separately.

You can show a PDF full screen simply by passing the correct headers to show it inline rather than offering it for download. A PDF file by itself should normally pass those headers so you only need to worry about it when dynamically creating the PDF where the file extension is not PDF.

To display a PDF within a web page the easy way simply use:

<img src="mydoc.pdf" width="250" height="250">

and change the file name and width and height to what you want.

ps. anything that is part of a web page is downloaded first before being displayed. If you don't want people to download something you can't put it on the web.