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Advice on hiding certain sections of PDF from printing?

2011-06-01 02:10:01

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

Answered

Hi there, I have created a 76 page handbook for work & within that document we have a Appendix. I have just been asked if it is possible to disable printing of that section.

For example when printing only pages 1-45 print & pages 45 onwards aren't even given as an option.

It was suggested that maybe I try and hide the appendix altogether except when people click the link within the document which would take them to the certain 'Rule' within the appendix. If any of these options is possible I'd be truly grateful for some advice. This is the first document of any substance I have created.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.4.3, Windows

2011-06-01 04:48:49

lkassuba

Registered: Jun 28 2007

Posts: 3636

Accepted Answer

You can add a Print dialog preset under the File > Properties > Advanced tab preset to print just pages 1-45.

Lori Kassuba is an AUC Expert and Community Manager for AcrobatUsers.com.

2011-06-01 04:52:54

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

Hi Lori,

So I assume from that answer the page values are separated by a - rather than ,
Thanks you.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-01 05:01:50

lkassuba

Registered: Jun 28 2007

Posts: 3636

WoOkZZ wrote:

Hi Lori,So I assume from that answer the page values are separated by a - rather than ,
Thanks you.

Yes the dash will print the entire range. The comma will print just those individual pages like 1,3,5 -- this prints only pages 1,3, and 5.

Lori Kassuba is an AUC Expert and Community Manager for AcrobatUsers.com.

2011-06-01 05:03:13

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

Fantastic, much appreciated.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 03:17:53

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

WoOkZZ wrote:

It was suggested that maybe I try and hide the appendix altogether except when people click the link within the document which would take them to the certain 'Rule' within the appendix. If this is possible I'd be truly grateful for some advice. This is the first document of any substance I have created.

Thanks in advance.

Is this even possible?

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 03:21:27

try67

Registered: Oct 30 2008

Posts: 2398

Yes, if you define all the pages of the appendix as templates and then use a script to show them when desired.
This is only possible, though, if your users view the document in Acrobat. It will not work in Reader.

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com

2011-06-03 03:24:53

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

WOW thanks for the rapid response, I kinda thought that might be the case, the script thing I mean. Shame that it doesn't convert over to reader though, as 99% of my users only have Reader access.

Thanks for the help though, appreciate it.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 03:31:03

try67

Registered: Oct 30 2008

Posts: 2398

I think that in order to achieve this in Reader you will have to convert your form to a dynamic LiveCycle form.

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com

2011-06-03 03:35:31

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

try,

The PDF in question is a bookmarked handbook, although it has form fields in the document all of these are read only & are purely there to highlight sections of the document. Was the only way I could figure that out. Probably doesn't make sense.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 03:38:09

#10

UVSAR

Registered: Oct 29 2008

Posts: 1357

Depending on exactly what the appendix is for, there's another option - separate it off into a second PDF file, and attach it to the first one. You can script links so they open a named attachment and navigate to a specific page, and of course it won't print with the main document - but as it's no longer part of the main document, you will also affect things like searches. The scripted links are pretty much Adobe-only, but will work just fine in Acrobat and Reader.

2011-06-03 03:40:55

#11

try67

Registered: Oct 30 2008

Posts: 2398

Not sure I understand how you're using the form fields to highlight sections, but UVSAR's advice is a good one as well.

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com

2011-06-03 03:51:08

#12

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

try, basically it was the only way I could figure out how to show certain sections within the document, so when the user clicks a bookmark, they are taken to the page, & then highlights with a box round the specific section so the users eye is drawn to that section within the page. Have to say it was a very time consuming job I couldn't work out how else to do it.& UVSAR that's EXACTLY what I want to do if I can. The document doesn't need to be searchable, well the Appendix doesn't so that would work....THANK YOU

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 04:10:22

#13

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

Try this is basically what I did

The only way I could think of doing what I wanted was.

Create a field around the selected text in the document using the form field button. Name the button and in the properties dialogue box set the appearance to some sort of medium stroke colour and no fill and then in the general tab set the field to be hidden.
Then on the bookmark right click, go to properties and add an action that says Show/Hide field and set the name of the field you just created. When you then click the bookmark the field will appear as a box around the selected text.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 04:49:56

#14

try67

Registered: Oct 30 2008

Posts: 2398

I see. It's not a bad way of doing it, although there are others. For example, you can set the link to a page view with a high zoom level so that the document is "focused" on the part that you want to highlight. Then you don't need to create and maintain a set of form fields.

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com

2011-06-03 04:55:31

#15

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

I did that & as some of the sections were only a few lines long so it looked a bit pants.. I'm guessing the other way would be scripting it?

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-06-03 04:58:10

#16

try67

Registered: Oct 30 2008

Posts: 2398

Yeah, it can be done with a script that selects the (first word of the) text, or with an annotation, or by going to a Named Destination.

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com

2011-06-03 05:14:50

#17

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

It wasn't a particularly easy & quick way of doing it, bear in mind that if the section has 21 sub headings & 1 main chapter heading, I had to create the action 22x22 times =0(so each selection would only have a box round it when clicked in the bookmark list & the previous sections box vanished....
Hence the reason I stopped at section 5 while the boss decided to change EVERYTHING LOL

typical.

Thanks for the advice though I really appreciate it. Makes me a lot more knowledgeable so thanks again.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-07-19 07:37:36

#18

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

UVSAR wrote:

there's another option - separate it off into a second PDF file, and attach it to the first one.

(edited quote)I'm just wondering how this is possible? I mean how can I attach a second PDF to the 1st? do I merge them into a sigle doc? or create a portfolio?

Just that I have been asked to now create a newsletter with a colour version & a B&W version, where the colour version is viewed when it is received but the B& W version is printed when the user selects print, the user can abviously choose to print the colour version if they so wish.Advice if possible please.

Thanks

WoOkZZ

2011-07-19 08:40:16

#19

UVSAR

Registered: Oct 29 2008

Posts: 1357

WoOkZZ wrote:

I'm just wondering how this is possible? I mean how can I attach a second PDF to the 1st? do I merge them into a sigle doc? or create a portfolio?

You add attachments using the navigation pane - click the paperclip icon on the left side of the Acrobat window, and use the Add button.

Links between a PDF and an attachment are a little tricky to do with scripting, as the script must open the attachment before it can navigate to a page, but code examples to do it are floating about online.

2011-07-22 01:33:19

#20

WoOkZZ

Registered: May 27 2011

Posts: 28

Cheers D,

Knew you would probably know.

Thanks

Thanks

WoOkZZ