PDF Portfolios and Backward Compatibility - Part 1
By default, PDF Portfolios created in Acrobat 9 will open in earlier versions of Acrobat and Reader and the PDF Portfolio will make the best use of the features available to it. When opened in version 8, the PDF Portfolio will act like a PDF Package and in version 7 and 6, the contents will appear as attachments. Since the portfolio layout is actually a SWF file and only Acrobat 9 can "play" it, earlier versions will display a "Cover Sheet". The "Cover Sheet" was introduced in Acrobat 8 as part of the PDF Package concept and by default is a single page PDF that is used as a wrapper around a bunch of other content. However, in Acrobat 8, the cover sheet could also be a PDF of your own choosing with links and other navigational aides that you specify during the package creation process. This functionality has been replaced by the PDF Portfolio layout concept in 9 and now you do not have the option of setting your own cover sheet during the assembly process. The new default cover sheet looks like the one below.It's not bad but you might want a more personalized experience for users that don't have the latest version. To customize the cover sheet, follow the instructions under the graphic.
Replacing the default cover sheet with your own.
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Create a PDF file with all of the information you want to convey to users of earlier versions of Acrobat
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Open the PDF Portfolio that you want to customize
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Select View|Portfolio|Cover Sheet from the menu. You should see the same thing as above.
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Select Document|Replace Pages and select the PDF that you just created and follow the rest of the dialog prompts.
- Save the file.
Now users of Acrobat or Reader version 9 will see the animated portfolio layout and users of earlier versions will see your custom cover sheet.
Setting the default cover sheet.
Replace the file called "coversheet.pdf" in your version of this directory "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat\DocSettings\CombineFiles\ENU" and that will be the new default.
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Comments
Hi,
Your comment "By default, PDF Portfolios created in Acrobat 9 will open in earlier versions of Acrobat and Reader and the PDF Portfolio will make the best use of the features available to it" implies that it is possible to change the default behavior.
If so, how likely is it that somebody will do this?
Is there a way to detect if the portfolio won't behave in the default manner?
What are the non-default behaviors a portfolio can have? How will earlier version of Acrobat handle them?
Thanks.
Ira
Posted by: Ira Polans | September 2, 2008 8:05 AM
Ira:
Thanks for the comment.
I think the answers to your last two questions are covered in parts 2,3 and 4 of this series. In response to the first question... I have no idea.
I wrote these articles based on feedback I got from early adopters.
Posted by: Joel Geraci | September 2, 2008 11:35 AM
When my clients open up the new Adobe Reader 9 they are not seeing my cover sheet. Is there a way to make sure that is the first thing they see. Do I need to do something on my end when creating the package? Thank you.
Posted by: linda thompson | October 15, 2008 10:06 AM