Adobe Reader

[Noreen]

I've been using Adobe Reader 6 which I realise is well out of date but it still works. I was a bit disturbed by this item http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/11/adobe_reader_exploit/ and tried to install the latest version. However I don't think that it installed properly as it seemed to stall and later I couldn't open the new version or read any pdfs. I've done a system restore back to the previous version now. How should I go about this? Remove v6 and then start from scratch or update to the latest v7 which I can do from inside my existing program and then update to the latest version 8?

[madasahatter]

I'd probably go the 6 to 7 to 8 way round if it's any help.

[Rik]

Personally, I would remove v6, and then install v8, Noreen, or is that what you tried?

[madasahatter]

Aha - only 2 answers, and two different opinions already 

[Rik]

 

That's the beauty of a forum, Mad, you'll always get differing experiences.

[Noreen]

I didn't remove v6 but went to their site and downloaded the latest version of 8, during the installation it said that it was removing previous versions which it apparently did. But the installation bar seemed to stop just short of 100% and in the end I had to close it, hoping that it would work. It was installed on the desktop and in the Start Program list but neither worked. Which version do you people use?

[Baz]

or try this Noreen http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

its good. I didnt use adobe a lot but when you need it, it would always give me grief. tried this and was impressed.

[Rik]

I use v8, Noreen, having removed older versions supplied with machines and started from scratch. After your abortive upgrade, did you look in Control Panel > Add/Remove programs to see what was showing there? My gut instinct is that the installation had not completed, but had removed the older version and put the shortcuts in place. Was there any other software running at the time?

[madasahatter]

I'm still on version 7. Haven't been bothered to try updating it yet.

[Rik]

You should, ideally, if you use it online at all.

[Noreen]

I've tried Foxit, Baz, and it wouldn't open some of my genealogy stuff which is essential.

No, Rik, I didn't look in Add/Remove programs. The only stuff running would be security programs. I'll have another go later on and remove v6 and install v8 from scratch. I wouldn't bother with v8 if it wasn't for the security updates as v6 does everything that I want. 

[Rik]

If you have a similar problem, Noreen, try opening Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and see if that gives you a clue, either with a not responding for the installer, or a high usage under processes.

[Sebby]

If you find that you can't uninstall the old version now that version 8 has had a mess around, it might be necessary to install version 6 in order to uninstall it. I would have thought that reinstalling version 8 would work, though, assuming that it installs successfully second time around.

[Noreen]

I used system restore to get me back to before v8 tried to install so I'm using v6 at the moment, Sebby.

[Noreen]

I removed v6 and installed v8, it said that it installed successfully but it still won't open. I can open other items in the folder but not the program itself either on the desktop or in the folder.

[Inactive]

I had a similar problem with Adobe, I just changed to Foxit, it has opened every PDF that I have thrown at it.

[Noreen]

OK I'll try Foxit.

[Inactive]

Nothing to lose Noreen, if it works, fine, if not, it's back to Adobe problems.

[Noreen]

Foxit appears to work OK, thanks. I've been posting PDFs for Malc in the Roots thread. Would he be able to open those saved with Foxit even if he's using Adobe reader?

[Inactive]

I would think so Noreen, they are in the same format.

Glad Foxit seems to be working, I prefer it to Adobe.

[Rik]

Foxit appears to work OK, thanks. I've been posting PDFs for Malc in the Roots thread. Would he be able to open those saved with Foxit even if he's using Adobe reader?

Did you have the full Acrobat, Noreen, or are you just talking about PDF files created elsewhere which you're saving from Foxit?

[Noreen]

I'll attach a Foxit saved file to this post and perhaps someone that uses only Adobe Reader will be kind enough to check if they can open it.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Rik]

No problems, Noreen.

[Noreen]

Thanks Rik, I did notice that it "appeared" to take longer to attach than the previous Adobe attachments. I've tried it with some of my commercial genealogy CDs which use Adobe Reader and it seems to work so far, this is where a previous version of Foxit had failed. As you can imagine that was no good for me.

I can't understand why Adobe Reader 8 won't open when it appeared to install without a problem, apparently In had a similar problem.

[Inactive]

It opened in seconds using Foxit here Noreen.

Looks like a result.

[Rik]

I can't understand why Adobe Reader 8 won't open when it appeared to install without a problem, apparently In had a similar problem.

I suspect it hasn't completely hooked in to the OS.

[Noreen]

In, am I right in thinking that Foxit doesn't actually "install" onto the computer?

[Inactive]

Noreen, you should know better than ask me anything complicated.....it just works on mine.

( I believe it does install ).

[Rik]

I suspect, Noreen, that Foxit installs to the browser, ie it won't be available anywhere else. I'll go take a look...

Later: The name mislead me, it's a standalone, not a Firefox addon.

[Noreen]

My Foxit is running straight from the downloaded unzipped file, there doesn't appear to be any HD installation.

[Rik]

Has it created any file associations, ie if you double-click on a PDF file, does that file opne with it? If so, it's made some registry entries.

[Inactive]

It is listed in my programmes list with an uninstall option, so I guess it is installed Noreen.

[Noreen]

Yes I associated it with PDF files.

It's not in my Add or Remove Programs so no uninstall process, not in Start either. I just stored it away and installed an icon in the toolbar, seems to be working quite happily like that. I've just tried it, uninstall is just by deleting it.

[Rik]

I wonder how it would handle file associations on deletion, then? IOW, there doesn't appear to be an easy way to reset them.

[Inactive]

It's not in my Add or Remove Programs so no uninstall process, not in Start either. I just stored it away and installed an icon in the toolbar, seems to be working quite happily like that. I've just tried it, uninstall is just by deleting it.

Fair enough Noreen, as long as it works, I suppose it doesn't matter if it is installed or not, I recall that it is a tiny download in comparison to Adobe.

[Noreen]

I've just downloaded the manual, Rik. The zip download doesn't need to be installed, the exe download does. It seems necessary to have the manual as there seem to be no help files.

1. ZIP Format

If you download the ―foxitreader22.zip‖ file to your computer, all you need to do is
UNZIP and DOUBLE CLICK the FoxitReader.exe application file. You can start using
it right away. This format requires no installation.

[Rik]

Curious. I'm still left wondering how you are meant, except by manual editing, to change file associations if you remove it.

[Noreen]

Don't many programs ask you if you want to make it the default program during installation or there is often an option in the program. I can't tell with Adobe Reader which is still installed at the moment as I can't open it.) Foxit asked me but I can't remember exactly when.

[Rik]

Generally thy do, Noreen. However, you haven't installed Foxit, but it seems to have made itself the default reader, so I'm guessing you would manually have to edit the PDF associations if you removed it.

[Noreen]

It didn't make itself the default reader, Rik, it asked me if I wanted to make it the default reader and I did. There is also an option to make it the default program or not within the program

[Rik]

So, presumably, before deleting it, you would have to choose not to have it as the default?

[Noreen]

It says to just delete the program in the manual, Rik, no mention of the default issue. However I've just done a Google search and did find someone on a forum who recommended making your new PDF Reader the default before deleting Foxit.

[Rik]

That would make sense, Noreen.

[madasahatter]

Call me stupid (everybody else does  ), but won't the file associations automatically default back to Adobe, if that's still installed?

Or have I missed something here?

[Rik]

Not usually. Windows doesn't keep a record of file associations that have been set, only ones that are set. Once an app over-writes a previous setting, the associations have to be restored manually, or by re-installing another app, eg Reader. There's nothing to stop an installer making a note of the original settings and restoring them when uninstalling, but I've never met one that does.

[madasahatter]

Ok - just that I thought that had happened on my PC before with some media players I was trying out. Never mind.

Not very often I'm right, but I'm wrong again 

[Rik]

As I say, technically it can be done by an installer, but Windows itself has no 'memory' unless you use System Restore.

[Noreen]

Rik, I tried to change the present default setting from within Foxit just as an experiment and got a message that I needed to make another Reader the default, so it appears that the option is actually only to make Foxit the default over another Reader.

[Rik]

Interesting. Now you need to get Reader working and see what it makes of the situation.

[Noreen]

OK, how?

I did also post this Adobe problem on another forum but the only answer I've received so far is a suggestion is to use the "repair" option in Add or Remove Program.

[Rik]

Have you tried repairing, Noreen? Is there, in fact, an entry in add/remove? If there is, and repair doesn't do it, I'd be inclined to uninstall, then clean the registry manually, but it's not something to undertake lightly.

[Noreen]

There is such an item, Rik and no I haven't tried it yet.

This what the other person found.

Run Detect And Repair while no other applications are running.

1. Quit all applications and restart Windows.

2. Choose Start > Control Panel, and double click Add Or Remove Programs.

3. Select Adobe Reader and click Change.

4. When prompted, confirm that you want to repair Reader.

5. After the repair is complete, restart your computer.

Would that mean without NOD32 and my firewall running?

[Rik]

I'd be inclined to turn off the firewall, but not NOD, Noreen.

[Noreen]

Well, I've solved the problem to a certain extent, I uninstalled Adobe Reader 8.

[Rik]

Well, that's half the battle. Going to risk try a re-install?

[Noreen]

Maybe later, I'll see if I have any problems with Foxit.

[Rik]

Sounds like a plan.

[Inactive]

Well, I've solved the problem to a certain extent, I uninstalled Adobe Reader 8.

Best move you ever made Noreen, it was an absolute pain in the arse for me, ever since the last upgrade I think.



Foxit works a treat for me.

[Rik]

I still have this strange loyalty to Adobe, after all these years. Just can't bring myself to let go...

[Inactive]

Well as you know Rik, I am no expert on these matters, but on this occasion I can state categorically that Foxit works 100% and very fast as well, Adobe was OK but they seem to have messed it up for me on the last major update.

Adobe was so bloated as well, the download was enormous compared with Foxit.

[Noreen]

PDF Exchange Viewer has also been recommended to me, saying that it's better than Adobe or Foxit.  http://www.docu-track.com/home/prod_user/PDF-XChange_Tools/pdfx_viewer

[Rik]

I know, In, it's emotion getting in the way of intellect, but I did work so closely with the firm for years, and they did give me many thousands of ££s of software and fonts. I can't quite untie the Gordian knot.

[Inactive]

Interesting Noreen, I have never heard of that one.

[Baz]

Well as you know Rik, I am no expert on these matters, but on this occasion I can state categorically that Foxit works 100% and very fast as well, Adobe was OK but they seem to have messed it up for me on the last major update.

Adobe was so bloated as well, the download was enormous compared with Foxit.

yeah same here. Had Adobe for years as did most people I guess and I often got bother with it, freezing etc. switched to Foxit and found it amazingly better.

[Noreen]

Just got another recommendation for PDF Exchange Viewer, certainly one when to bear in mind if I have any problems with Foxit. It's strange that Foxit now seems to work well with my commercial genealogy programs, something relevant must have changed from a previous edition.

[Rik]

Did you have Acrobat active when you tried it previously, Noreen?

[Noreen]

No idea really but I don't think that I have it, Rik. I think that I only had the Reader, that's all the I've removed anyway.

[Rik]

I was thinking just of Reader, Noreen. It's entirely possible, given its nature, that it had hooked into the OS and stopped Foxit from working correctly. Or maybe Foxit just had a bug at the time...

[Noreen]

Don't know, Rik. Foxit is working at the moment and we have to be grateful for small mercies.

[Rik]

And, as with all things computing, we'll probably never know.

[madasahatter]

Does Foxit do everything that Adobe does Noreen?

[Rik]

No, they don't have a Photoshop equivalent... 

(Sorry, couldn't resist, we used to get people calling up for tech support and saying, "I've got Adobe..." It didn't enable us to give them much specific advice. )

[MoHux]

My computer says Foxit takes up only 7.05MB space.  How does that compare to Adobe Reader Noreen??  Can you remember?

 

[Noreen]

I don't know, Mad. It's just that it works for me and Adobe Reader 8 didn't. See here  http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

Mo, it doesn't appear to take up any as the version that I have isn't actually installed on the HD. Don't know the official name for this sort of software, it's just "free standing".

[Rik]

About 13MB better from memory, Mo.

[drummer]

Another Foxit evangelist here, particularly since v2.0 was released.  Earlier versions were a bit idiosyncratic and handled graphics rather poorly, but since v2.0 I've never, ever felt the need to install Adobe Reader.

The standalone exe is less than 3Mb, which is a pretty small footprint in my books.

Before I dumped Reader for good I did some benchmarking on a 1.2Mb pdf with lots of graphics and opening (as opposed to saving) directly from a hyperlink.

Cleared browser cache and clicked the link with Foxit as the default pdf reader, then cleared the browser cache again, made Adobe the default pdf reader and clicked the link again and the results were as follows:

Foxit    2 seconds
Adobe 12 seconds

Not the end of the world in the grand scheme of things but to compound it, the graphics only rendered on Reader when I accessed the relevant page, whereas they were already there with Foxit.

Then (because I'm like that), I checked out Task Manager on both, and Adobe used between 5-20Mb of RAM and up to 20% of the CPU whilst Foxit utilised less than 1Mb of RAM and didn't even impact on the CPU unless I was frantically scrolling.

I'm not knocking Adobe (Photoshop is one the best pieces of software ever written), but Reader is as bloated as the newer versions of Nero and isn't very good at doing its basic job (like Norton AV) and I don't understand Adobe's blind spot on this one simple app.

That was a bit longer than the one-line post I intended to write...

[miker]

I use Foxit, not Adobe reader. Its a much smaller footprint and does it all.

[Sebby]

I must try this Foxit. I've always used Adobe Reader, but I must say that every time I download it I can't believe the size of the download. Foxit sounds a lot more efficient.

[Noreen]

It's here, Sebby. http://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/

[Sebby]

Thanks, Noreen.

[Simon]

I think I'm going to give this a try as well - thanks for the link Noreen. 

[Inactive]

I don't think you will regret the change, it just plain works.

[Rik]

What you have to remember is that Adobe's interest in Reader is simply to get people using the PDF format so that they can sell the creation package (the full Adobe Acrobat). There's little incentive, therefore, to improve Reader.

[Inactive]

Yes I realise that Rik, however you have this historical bond with Adobe, we don't.. 

[Noreen]

All I want it to do is to read PDFs both commercial and other people's.

[Inactive]

Exactly Noreen.. 

Same here.

[Rik]

I know. It's just history with me - I was there when the PDF was launched.

[Inactive]

By the way Rik, what does PDF stand for?...I never did know.

I presume the " F " is Format.

[Rik]

Yup. Portable Document Format. It was originally envisaged as a way of having feature-rich documents which could be moved between machines and platforms without the need for the creating app to be on the machine. However, because it's based on Postscript, as DTP programs developed, it soon became the standard way to submit artwork for printing, rather than pushing out Postscript files.

[Noreen]

I've just found this in the manual (which has to be downloaded separately). This is what the free Reader CAN'T do as opposed to the paid-for Pro version.....................

  Can annotate a PDF document but save the annotated pages with
evaluation marks.
  Cannot convert PDF to text file.
  Can view text in text viewer but fail to use the copy function and save text file.
  Cannot use Advanced Editing Tools, such as measure tools, loupe tool, image
tool, file attachment tool, link tools, and annotation selection tool, but save
the modified pages with evaluation marks.

I do find that that that quote makes rather confusing reading, not that I think that it'll bother me anyway.

You can download the manual here http://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/usermanuals/