Archive for category Acrobat

Change PDF Viewer back to Adobe’s in Google Chrome

Posted by Vikrant in Acrobat, Design on December 10, 2010

Around December 2010 I noticed that Google Chrome, in it’s latest update (version 8.0.552.215), slipped in an integrated PDF viewer. So your PDF files are not rendered in the browser using the Adobe plug-ins. So if you’re wondering, for example, why 3D models won’t render, or embedded SWFs are not playing, you should revert to the good old Adobe PDF plug-in.

If you want to revert to the good old Adobe plugins, here’s what you do:

  1. In the Chrome address bar, type chrome://plugins
  2. Disable Chrome PDF Viewer.
  3. Enable the Adobe Acrobat/ Adobe Reader plugin.

    Disable Chrome PDF Viewer

Easy as Pie :-)

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48 Comments

Can I comment on PDFs using the free Adobe Reader?

Posted by Vikrant in Acrobat, Design on December 10, 2010

[ 07-Jan-2013: Post updated for Reader XI]

The short answer is Yes. Get Reader XI.

The long answer is also Yes.

  • Add Sticky notes and highlights to any PDF using Reader X.
  • All Commenting and Markup tools are available in Reader XI. So if you haven’t already, update to Reader XI.

In older versions of Reader, the complete set of commenting and drawing markup tools are available if:

  • If the author has extended the PDF for Reader. Ask the author to save as Reader Extended PDF  ( In Acrobat X or XI, File > Save As > Reader Extended PDF > Enable Commenting & Measuring)
  • PDF is under email review. (Email review automatically extends the PDF for Reader users)
  • PDF is under a shared review workflow.

I hope that helps.

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12 Comments

PDFs and SharePoint integration using Acrobat/Reader X

Posted by Vikrant in Acrobat, Design on December 10, 2010

Did you know that you can work with PDF files on Microsoft Sharepoint repositories from within Acrobat/Reader X? You can avoid the cumbersome process of browsing to the PDF and using the web interface. Acrobat/Reader now have built-in support for working on PDF files in SharePoint repositories.

You’re all set if you have the latest version Acrobat or Reader. But before you can do that, your SharePoint administrator needs to enable this functionality on the server configuration. If they have not done it alreday, send them an email or file an IT request:

Subject: Enable Acrobat/Reader- Sharepoint integration

Dear Admin,

With Adobe’s latest release, it is possible to work on PDF files hosted on Sharepoint directly using Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader. For the clients computers, no special setup is required.

On the server side, however, a small change is required. The following link explains the details: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/869/cpsid_86901.html

Could you please configure the server so that we can all benefit from this feature.

Thanks,

As soon as the server is updated, you’re all set!

Working with PDF file on SharePoint

  • On the SharePoint portal, select the PDF file and choose EDIT from the drop-down menu. The file will open in Acrobat/Reader
  • Open/Save PDF files in SharePoint repositories from within the  Acrobat Open/Save dialog boxes.
  • Additional menu in Acrobat/Reader: File > Sharepoint

Learn More and get productive

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45 Comments

Automate business card creation using InDesign

Posted by Vikrant in Acrobat, Design on November 24, 2010

InDesign offers powerful features to automate creation of content, where you can bring in data from external files and place them on your layout. For example, your client likes the new business card design and just ordered new business cards for every employee. And as is normal practice, has sent you an XLS with the employee details and an inflexible deadline.

You’ll need to jump right in!

We’ll use the layout as a template and place data from a CSV file into this layout. So save your XLS file as a CSV file.

Connect layout to data

  1. Open the layout in InDesign. The basic layout shows the elements as you’ve designed them.

  2. Choose Windows > Utilities > Datamerge.
  3. From the panel menu choose  Select Data Source and browse to the CSV file and click OK.

    Note that the first row in the CSV file is used as the column header, and they are displayed in the panel.
  4. Now drag and drop the elements from the Data Merge panel to the layout. Or select the text that you want to replace and then double-click on the element in the data merge panel. The result should look something like this.
  5. Save the file.

Preview the layout with actual data

You are now ready to preview the content.

  1. In the Datamerge panel, check Preview.
  2. Use the arrow buttons at the bottom to preview the data.
  3. Make any adjustment that might be required.
  4. Save the file.

Create merged document

After you have previewed all the records you can create the merged document.

  1. To create the merged document and generate the PDF choose Export to PDF from panel menu.
    • TIP: Choose Create Merged document , to create InDesign document.
  2. Select the options as they suit you. I’ll choose single record per page. After specifying the options click OK.
  3. Specify the PDF settings and click OK.
  4. A PDF is generated that contains the generated records.

Send the PDF for printing

Your printer (or you) should be able to use the generated PDF for printing.

Bonus tip

If required, you can use Acrobat and create a composite PDF that contains multiple business cards on each page. We’ll use Acrobat’s tile printing feature to create a combined PDF.

  1. Open the generated PDF in Acrobat.
  2. Choose File > Print and select the Adobe PDF printer.
  3. Under Page handling specify the following:
    • Page scaling: select multiple pages
    • Pages per sheet: specify what suits you
    • Page order : specify what suits you
  4. If you’re happy with the Preview Composite results, click OK. The PDF is generated.

Conclusion

In this small tutorial you learnt how to:

  • Use InDesign CS Data merge feature to automate data placement in the layout
  • Create a merge document or PDF
  • Use Acrobat tile printing feature to create a composite PDF.


2 Comments

Actions wizard replaces Batch scripts in Acrobat X

Posted by Vikrant in Acrobat, Design on November 18, 2010

Where did Batch scripts go? Nowhere, they now have a new avatar: Actions Wizard.

You might be looking for batch scripts in Acrobat X, and didn’t find it. Fear not, the functionality has not been removed. Acrobat X replaces Batch Scripts with the Actions Wizards. You can do almost everything you did with batch scripts, now without writing any code!

Action Wizards make it easier for you to to automate actions, and even easier for you and other users to run them.

See this episode on Adobe TV and rest assured.

Lori reviews how to create and use guided Actions to automate routine, multistep tasks

Update: Thom Parker has written an excellent article on Acrobat X actions. You can see it here:

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3 Comments