I’m having trouble with the Google Docs viewer we use on our website. It used to work great for showing PDFs and other docs without users needing special software. But now it’s acting up.
Most of the time, we get a 204 No Content response when trying to load files. Only once in a blue moon do we get a 200 OK.
I found a forum post hinting Google might have pulled the plug on this service. But I’m not sure if that’s official.
Does anyone know:
Is the Google Docs viewer really gone for good?
Is there a new Google tool that does the same job?
What other free options are there to show docs in a browser?
I’m looking for something simple that works with files on our own server. Any ideas would be super helpful! Thanks!
I’ve been in a similar boat with document viewers, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey. After Google Docs viewer started acting up, I stumbled upon Viewer.js. It’s been a game-changer for our small business website.
Viewer.js handles PDFs, docs, and even spreadsheets pretty well. The best part? It’s open-source and free. We’ve been using it for about 6 months now, and it’s been smooth sailing. Setup took a bit of tinkering, but nothing too crazy.
One thing to watch out for - make sure your server can handle the load if you’ve got a lot of traffic. We had to upgrade our hosting plan to keep things running smoothly.
If you’re not too tech-savvy, there are some paid options out there that might be easier to implement. But for us, Viewer.js hit the sweet spot between functionality and cost. Good luck finding your solution!
ive been using pdf.js for a while now and its pretty good. works with our server files no problem. maybe give that a shot? only downside is it doesnt handle other doc types but for pdfs its solid. hope this helps!
I’ve encountered similar issues with Google Docs viewer recently. From what I’ve gathered, Google hasn’t officially discontinued the service, but it’s become increasingly unreliable.
For alternatives, I’ve had success with PDF.js, an open-source viewer developed by Mozilla. It’s lightweight, works well for PDFs hosted on your own server, and doesn’t require users to install anything.
Another option worth considering is ViewerJS. It supports various document formats and integrates easily into websites.
If you’re open to paid solutions, Scribd’s embeddable document viewer is quite robust and supports multiple file types.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific needs and technical setup. I’d recommend testing a few options to see which fits best with your website and user requirements.