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override settings for a viewer using default Reader

billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19

How do I make a pdf that will override the Acrobat Reader default settings. So that when a user opens the document in Acrobat Reader it is initally shown as 2up (two page spread) instead of single page.

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.0, Macintosh
daka630
Expert
Registered: Mar 1 2007
Posts: 1420
There "two-up" choices on the drop-down menu of "Page layout" in the Initial View tab of the Document Properties dialog.
With a PDF open, select what is desired & click on OK. Save the PDF.Be well...

Be well...

billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19
Thanks for your response.

The default preference in Reader is single page. So the doc always opens that way, regardless of the properties settings.

Is there a way override ALL the preferences in Reader so that the viewer sees the pdf the way I set it up in Pro.
gkaiseril
Online
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
You can change the way a single PDF opens by another only if you can modify the PDF.

If you can modify the PDF with a full version of Acrobat (not Reader), you need to modif the 'Initial View' or the PDF's properties, "File => Properites => Initial View" or + "D". Once you can display the "Initial View" tab, you can select the "Navigation Tab", "Page Layout", "Magnification", "Initia Page", along with some other display properties. Once you have set your preferences for the PDF, you will have to save the PDF so your changes take affect.You can test the PDF by closing the PDF and then reopening the PDF.

Note this change will only affect the PDF you have modified and will not reset or change the application settings.

George Kaiser

billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19
I am trying to override the default prefs in Reader, and force my doc to open in "two page (cover)".

I have done what you suggested in Pro and the doc still opens in single page in Reader.
RichLorn
Registered: May 19 2008
Posts: 46
This looks like what I've been looking for. But, I have tried doing what gkaiseril suggested to a form I've created in LiveCycle. When I open this form in Acrobat 9, file>properties>initial view is completely grey'd out. And I can't find similar settings in LiveCycle to accomplish the same thing. Any help is appreciated.
billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19
The only reason I know that menus would be greyed out is if your doc has security on edits.
RichLorn
Registered: May 19 2008
Posts: 46
billdakelski wrote:
The only reason I know that menus would be greyed out is if your doc has security on edits.
No, no security settings have been applied to this form yet.
billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19
Did you create the pdf from LiveCycle, or did you import a LiveCycle doc into acrobat and save it?

If you did the former, than try creating a new pdf from Acrobat pro and placing the current doc in a as a page(s) then resave.
RichLorn
Registered: May 19 2008
Posts: 46
Not sure I follow you Bill. In Acrobat Pro 9, any attempt to either start a new form or edit an existing pdf form, takes you immediately back to LiveCycle. I haven't found a way to create forms solely within Acrobat Pro 9. I'm missing something.
billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19
I am not familiar with LiveCycle, but, I can not see any reason why a New document in Acrobat should take you anywhere but acrobat???

Try this: Close LiveCycle. Then go to Acrobat Pro 9 > File> Create PDF > From blank page.Now check file>properties>initial view, like you did previously and see if it is still "completely grey'd out"
If it is then you have some other issue going on.

If it is not greyed out then go to Acrobat Pro 9 > Document> insert pages and locate your LiveCycle doc and import it into Acrobat.If you want your LiveCycle Document lose its livecycle connection then you may have to export it as a different format from livecycle, before placing into Acrobat.
RichLorn
Registered: May 19 2008
Posts: 46
I appreciate your help and patience Bill.
I tried what you suggested. I created a blank page in Acrobat and the initial view selections appeared fine. But when I tried to import the LiveCycle form, a popup appears saying xml formats cannot be imported, it must be added as an attachment. When I do this and expand the attachment in the blank document, the initial view settings are again grey'd out.
I don't get it... LiveCycle was incorporated into Acrobat to provide greater form capabilities, not less. Something as seemingly basic as setting the initial page view shouldn't cause all this magilla.
billdakelski
Registered: Aug 13 2009
Posts: 19
Well , you've hit a variation on my original problem, which I have yet to solve. It seems a contradiction to the purpose of the preferences to not allow the pdf creator to determine how it is viewed.

I am afraid you are over my head with LiveCycle and xml. My only suggestion is to search web specific forums for someone more familiar with designing for web media.

I often have discovered, that when I try every conceivable way to do something that should be simple and it does not work, it is because it is not possible. I wish there were dialog boxes that just say don't bother waisting countless hours trying to do this obvious thing because you can't. What is most painful, is that, it is almost always for marketing proprietary reasons that all these limits are in place.