These forums are now Read Only. If you have an Acrobat question, ask questions and get help from one of our experts.

Modifying a Navigator file to brand your PDF Portfolios

Forum Index > PDF Portfolios > Modifying a Navigator file to brand your PDF Portfolios
2010-05-11 16:00:56
tklacross
Registered: Aug 24 2009
Posts: 9

We are starting to use PDF Portfolios as part of our multi-media publication, and struggled with how to find or create a more custom-look, branded portfolio. I'm sure we're not the only ones who didn't want to learn Flex just to be able to do this. That's why I was really excited to see Chris Converse's video tutorial here, which somehow I had overlooked before:

http://www.acrobatusers.com/tutorials/modifying-pdf-portfolio-navigator

Moving at a (very) brisk pace, Chris walks you through detailed but not difficult steps to modify the art and settings inside a specially created .nav file, which can be downloaded free (thanks, Chris, Adobe, and everyone involved!)

If you've wanted better file folder icons, or a nicer background with your logo, or whatever...this is just one format (the revolving presenter) but it shines a light into the inner workings of the PDF Porfolios.

Thea

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.3.1, Windows
Top
2010-05-11 23:15:08
#1
UVSAR
Expert
Registered: Oct 29 2008
Posts: 1357
Portfolios in Acrobat 9 were a major feature, but also a bit of a test of the market, given the concept is totally new. One thought was that programmers would start building lots of custom navigators and share them with the world (the "build it and they will code" approach). Seems so far that isn't happening, as only a few non-Adobe layouts have appeared outside of closed-loop corporate jobs.

Yes, creating a new navigator from scratch is currently far from trivial, but be patient. Portfolios are still in diapers, but growing up fast.
Top
2010-05-12 07:08:50
#2
gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
You might want to look at [url=http://joelgeraci.com/adobe/devjunkie/web/]Custominzing PDF Portfolio Series[/url] by Joel Geraci.

George Kaiser

Top
2010-05-12 09:26:18
#3
tklacross
Registered: Aug 24 2009
Posts: 9
Joel's tutorial series looks great, but for those of us with limited time to spend on development it's not a practical solution. I saw an announcement for a PDF Portfolio Navigator design contest Adobe is running (or has run - didn't notice the dates), and I'm hoping a lot of folks will participate. I would happily pay for a couple of separate templates we could modify to some degree...and hope the portfolios catch on as more than just an office automation tool for containing documents, but for their real presentation potential!
Thea
Top
2010-05-12 12:20:29
#4
UVSAR
Expert
Registered: Oct 29 2008
Posts: 1357
We have high hopes for the future of Portfolios, and it's safe to assume they won't always be this hard to work with! The easier we make the creation/editing process, the more additional content will come on stream. Right now, making a new design is such a slog, the Flex developers who do it tend not to just doodle away and give their creations out for free, when they can be charging a corporate client by the second for doing the same work.
Top