Assembling a PDF Portfolio using Acrobat X

Assembling a PDF Portfolio using Acrobat X

Donna Baker – October 10, 2010

In this video, you'll see how to assemble a PDF Portfolio, how to add files, and how to make some basic changes to the appearance and the content.You can start the process from various program locations, including the File menu, or the Create task button menu.If you like, simply click Create PDF Portfolio on the Welcome window.

The Create PDF Portfolio dialog box opens, and lets you pick a layout, as well as add files directly.

You don't have to worry about the choices you make here, as you can change everything in the PDF Portfolio itself.Click the preconfigured layouts to check them out.

As you click through the choices, notice the thumbnail and description for each layout shown on the dialog box, too.Once you've picked a starting layout, you can click Add Files to locate and select the files now, or wait until later.

I'll add a couple of files now, and then show you how to add more in another video in this series.Click Add Files to open the dialog box.Locate and select the files you want to use, then click Finish.

The dialog box closes, and Acrobat X opens the PDF Portfolio.

Notice that the toolbars disappear from the top of the window, and the three panel labels change to Layout, Details, and Share.

The Layout panel displays by default.

Click Details to show a view of the files' information, or metadata.

You can add or modify the information stored with the file, as well as sort the way the files display in the PDF Portfolio layout.Click Share to open options for distributing your PDF Portfolio using e-mail or online links.

Before we make any changes to the layout, let's see how it looks and works.

Click Preview to change the display.

The panels disappear, and now you see just the PDF Portfolio and its navigation features.

Click through the PDF Portfolio using the arrows.In some displays, like the Click-Through option I'm using, you can click the thumbnails at the bottom instead.

Others will offer a slider that you can drag.Each document in the PDF Portfolio shows on its own card.

You'll see the name of the file at the top, and a thumbnail of the first page.If a document contains multiple pages, you'll see Up and Down arrows when you mouse over the card.

Click either arrow to move through thumbnails of the document's pages.Click the 'i' button to flip the card over.

Here you'll find information about the file.

Click the X to flip the card back to the face side again.

Click Edit to show the panels again.

I'll show you how to customize what shows on the card.

If you click the card's name, you'll see it's an active text field, so you can change the name here if you like.

Or, click the i icon again to flip the card.

On the back side of the card we can change some of the information that's shown on the card.

To do that, just click and type in any of the fields.

For example, I'll change the Display name, and add a short description.When you're finished, click X to flip the card over again.

Do you see the name change on the card?Let's make a couple of other changes.

In the Layout panel, click through the options in the Portfolio Layouts list to see how they look.

To test a different layout, like the Wave layout, it's best to see that in Preview.

Click the Preview button, and when Acrobat X shows the preview, try out the navigation features to show the cards.Now click Edit to show the panels again.

Let's change the PDF Portfolio's appearance.

Picking another Visual Theme is one of the quickest ways to change the way the screen looks.

Click Visual Theme on the Layout panel to open the options.

The one I've been using is called "Clean".

As you click through the choices, you'll see how different the screen looks.

I like the Translucent theme, so I'll save that.You can also make changes using options in the Color Palettes or Background settings, as you'll see in another video.

When you're finished, click Save on the toolbar to open a Save dialog box.

You'll see Acrobat X names the file Portfolio1.pdf by default.

Click the name field, type your file name and then click Save to save the finished PDF Portfolio.