How can I use a PDF as my larger image?

I would like the icon on the Product Info page to, when clicked, open a PDF in a new window. The PDF it opens could be the same name as the image except with a PDF extension. How do I do that?

You could use the product URL field. Just store the pdf's in a folder (suitably protected) and direct users to the relevant pdf's by putting in the appropriate url to them.

But it seems odd to want to display images as PDF's... what if people don't have adobe installed? Before they can see these "images" they will need to install adobe.

And pdf files can be big...

What BUSINESS CHALLENGE are you trying to address here?

This site sells documents. I want to give the customer the option to view it before purchasing. Is there a plugin or something that will give me a good way to do this with Zen Cart?

If they can SEE it... why would they then buy it?

You should create jpg images of PARTS of it - enough to show then what the document is about. But to show them the document (as a PDF) means they just right-click and save it to their hard drive.

Kinda defeats the purpose of selling stuff... You might as well just offer it all for free anyway.

Oh, we've done our research. We'll be watermarking it and everything. I'll also be saving it so the text isn't on a separate layer. I just need to be able to show it to the user as a whole so they know exactly what they're getting. They're medical forms and all the details are critical.

I suppose I could use a JPG or PNG too, but I want them to be able to view it and scroll to get an up close look at it.

The product-URL suggestion is probably the simplest solution. Just plug in the URL to the sample file, and you're done.

Anything else requires you to write custom code to replace normal functionality.