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PDF Actual size

jpcutler85
Registered: Nov 16 2009
Posts: 38

I have created a document in InDesign at 1024 x 768 pixels but when viewing in Acrobat pro although it states the document is 1024 x 768 the actual view on screen is about 60% larger. I have heard its because acrobat deosnt support pixel dimensions? So the actual view would appear much larger on screen.
 
What I want is to display my 1024 x 768 document in full screen mode but to be actual size and the remaing area of the screen to be blacked out.
 
How can i do this?
 
Thanks!

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.3.1, Windows
UVSAR
Expert
Registered: Oct 29 2008
Posts: 1357
It doesn't work like that - Because PDF documents were originally designed as replacements for printouts, PDF pages have physical dimensions (in points, which are 1/72 of an inch). They cannot have a pixel-based size, so the idea of displaying at "100%" will only be true if your display resolution is perfectly calibrated - you can set the display resolution in the Windows control panel and via the display DPI setting in Acrobat, but they will only ever be approximate and it won't be the same on any other display.

In full screen mode (Ctrl-L) you can zoom to a nominal 100% *physical* scale by pressing Ctrl-1, though it will depend on the above as to what you'll actually get. Even an 8"x10" page won't ever be exactly 8"x10" as Windows can only specify the physical scale of a monitor in percentage increments. Users who need to measure direct from screen have to work with specially-configured hardware and software.

InDesign supports the concept of pixel-based document sizes for "interactive" layouts - this is solely intended for export to web formats - SWF, HTML, etc. - not to PDF. InDesign will of course allow you to export to PDF from pixel-based layouts but will apply a default conversion scale, without caring what the physical size of your monitor is.
Alesclandre
Registered: Nov 24 2010
Posts: 2
Hello,

You've answered a question I wanted to post (having a pixel looking aspect), so thank you for that ;-) !
I just wanted to add something : Adobe is claiming everywhere that Acrobat is perfect for reviews and comments on every document. How the hell can you review a website design if it is not pixel perfect ? It doesn't make any sense.

Reviewing a printed document on a screen (without printing it) is already a non-sense. But reviewing a website design which has a blurry aspect although every designer today works on the pixel is just absurd...

Thanks for having read ;-)
Alesclandre
Registered: Nov 24 2010
Posts: 2
Actually, I found that if you go in "Acrobat preferences > display", you should enter the resolution "72" dpi, and not 98, or 93, as it is by default.
It seems impossible to save the document in order to be displayed with this resolution.