Adobe Reader: Difference between revisions
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[http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html Adobe Reader] is | ==About Adobe Reader== | ||
[http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html Adobe Reader] is the official software that allows you to view and print [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format PDF files]. It includes a browser plugin that allows you to view PDF files directly in [[Firefox]] or [[Mozilla Suite]]. | |||
== | ==Adobe Reader plugin== | ||
=== | ===Speeding up PDF display=== | ||
Adobe Reader 6.x automatically loads all of its many plugins when you open it. They are memory hogs which can make it run very slowly or even crash when it is opened/closed and has caused issues with many users. If Firefox hangs when closing after viewing a PDF file, make sure you are using the newest version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug in (at the moment 7.0). With the latest version it should work, but if that's not enough, it is recommended if that you try either downgrading to Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.1, upgrading to Adobe Reader 6.0.2, or use the [http://www.tnk-bootblock.co.uk/prods/misc/index.php Adobe Reader Speedup] program, which disables many of the unnecessary plugins. (Note: This solution does not work for all users; in some cases Firefox crashes, rather than Acrobat. See discussion.) The Adobe Reader Speedup doesn't work when Reader is not installed to the default location. You can use this instead: | |||
The Adobe Reader Speedup doesn't work when Reader is not installed to the default location. You can use this instead: | |||
*Install Adobe Reader 6 | *Install Adobe Reader 6 | ||
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*Note that this can prevent searching PDFs in your browser | *Note that this can prevent searching PDFs in your browser | ||
==External | ===Saving PDF files to disk=== | ||
You can choose to save PDFs to your hard drive and then open it without using the Adobe Reader plugin by right-clicking links to PDF files and choosing "Save Link As". | |||
To make your browser save all PDF files it encounters by default, go to "Tools -> Options -> Downloads -> File Types". Scroll to PDF, press "Change Action" and then select "Save to disk". PDFs will now be downloaded to a folder for opening in Reader separately. Note that this procedure will not work if PDF is not currently listed as a recognized file type. Instead, you should disable the plugin as described below. | |||
===Disabling the plugin=== | |||
You can prevent Adobe Reader from forcing the plugin into your browsers by starting Adobe Reader and navigating to "Edit -> Preferences -> Internet". However, this may not prevent Mozilla applications from finding and using the plugin, since they may use [http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/notes.html#scan-intro plugin scanning] to locate it themselves. To prevent this, you should open the [http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/notes.html#scan-intro relevant configuration file] for your application and disable the scan by changing the line | |||
pref("plugin.scan.Acrobat", "5.0"); | |||
to | |||
// pref("plugin.scan.Acrobat", "5.0"); | |||
==External resources== | |||
* [http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/faqs/acroread.html PluginDoc] | |||
* [http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=11041 The Inquirer] | |||
* [http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/alternate.html Archive of Adobe Reader versions] | * [http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/alternate.html Archive of Adobe Reader versions] | ||
* [http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/alternate.html Adobe Reader 7.0 (full and basic)] | * [http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/alternate.html Adobe Reader 7.0 (full and basic)] | ||
Revision as of 14:22, 6 March 2005
About Adobe Reader
Adobe Reader is the official software that allows you to view and print PDF files. It includes a browser plugin that allows you to view PDF files directly in Firefox or Mozilla Suite.
Adobe Reader plugin
Speeding up PDF display
Adobe Reader 6.x automatically loads all of its many plugins when you open it. They are memory hogs which can make it run very slowly or even crash when it is opened/closed and has caused issues with many users. If Firefox hangs when closing after viewing a PDF file, make sure you are using the newest version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader plug in (at the moment 7.0). With the latest version it should work, but if that's not enough, it is recommended if that you try either downgrading to Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.1, upgrading to Adobe Reader 6.0.2, or use the Adobe Reader Speedup program, which disables many of the unnecessary plugins. (Note: This solution does not work for all users; in some cases Firefox crashes, rather than Acrobat. See discussion.) The Adobe Reader Speedup doesn't work when Reader is not installed to the default location. You can use this instead:
- Install Adobe Reader 6
- Navigate to the folder where you installed Acrobat 6. It will look something like: "x:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader" folder, where x is the right drive letter.
- Find the plug_ins folder and rename it plug_ins_disabled then create a new folder named plug_ins.
- Copy the following files from "plug_ins_disabled" to "plug_ins": EWH32.api, printme.api, and search.api
- Note that this can prevent searching PDFs in your browser
Saving PDF files to disk
You can choose to save PDFs to your hard drive and then open it without using the Adobe Reader plugin by right-clicking links to PDF files and choosing "Save Link As".
To make your browser save all PDF files it encounters by default, go to "Tools -> Options -> Downloads -> File Types". Scroll to PDF, press "Change Action" and then select "Save to disk". PDFs will now be downloaded to a folder for opening in Reader separately. Note that this procedure will not work if PDF is not currently listed as a recognized file type. Instead, you should disable the plugin as described below.
Disabling the plugin
You can prevent Adobe Reader from forcing the plugin into your browsers by starting Adobe Reader and navigating to "Edit -> Preferences -> Internet". However, this may not prevent Mozilla applications from finding and using the plugin, since they may use plugin scanning to locate it themselves. To prevent this, you should open the relevant configuration file for your application and disable the scan by changing the line
pref("plugin.scan.Acrobat", "5.0");
to
// pref("plugin.scan.Acrobat", "5.0");
