* [Wish List ref 570] Make the installation of the pdf driver optional

[Valkrider]

The inclusion of the Nova PDF driver is now unnecessary as Windows 10 includes a pdf printer driver. It also prevents users installing FH v7 in PlayOnMac.

It would therefore be beneficial to both Windows and Mac users to make the option of this driver optional.

[mjashby]

Colin,

I tend to agree with your observation, but mainly because the version of novaPDF being distributed hasn't been updated since 2014 and has been out of support since then; and also because many Windows Anti-virus/AntiMalware software products treat applications which attempt to install additional/secondary applications without user intervention to be 'suspect'. However, I can see that Calico Pie might want to continue to maintain distribution of NovaPDF for the 'benefit' of users who may still using Windows 7/8/8.1

As far as installation on PlayOnMac (POM) is concerned, I suspect that it locks up during/after the installation of NovaPDF and can't recover because the 'Windows Virtual Printer' can't be created. If you 'force quit' POM after lock up and then relaunch it you would probably find the everything has been correctly installed, as that's what happens with FH6 installs on Wine in Linux.

Mervyn

[Valkrider]

As far as installation on PlayOnMac (POM) is concerned, I suspect that it locks up during/after the installation of NovaPDF and can't recover because the 'Windows Virtual Printer' can't be created. If you 'force quit' POM after lock up and then relaunch it you would probably find the everything has been correctly installed, as that's what happens with FH6 installs on Wine in Linux.

Mervyn

That is not the case, the bottle is created but not accessible so you are stuck with no FH because of the Nova driver.

[mjashby]

Colin,

Thanks for the information. Glad I gave up on POM after early problems with use on Catalina and Big Sur!

I'd guess it's probably an issue in the POM implementation, because complete installation has been successful for me using both Crossover for Mac and Wine in Linux, but I did have to 'kill' the initial installation process after installer hang-up. Somewhat interestingly, with Crossover, when applying the recent FH7 updates (7.02 &7.03) to a working FH7 bottle the installation process didn't hang, even though NovaPDF was re-installed each time.

Mervyn

[ColeValleyGirl]

Wish list reference 570.