Ticket Options
Question Profile
| DATE | Dec 19, 2007 |
| TICKET | #335385 |
| STATUS | Closed |
| SUBJECT | Adobe Reader display |
| CAT | Computers, Operating Systems, Applications or Connected Devices |
| TYPE | Software Applications |
| DESC | Graphics, Photo & Publishing |
| DESC | |
| PLATFORM | Apple Macintosh (Intel) |
| MODEL | eSata Mini |
| PROC | 1.5 |
| RAM | 2 gb |
| DRIVE | 320gb Sata2 7200rpm on Sata bus |
| NAME | Robin |
| USERNAME | RobinS |
| TECHNICAL | Little Experience |
| ISSUE | Stumped |
Question Details
TICKET ARCHIVE -> Adobe Reader display
RobinS - Dec 19, 2007 - 1:58 pm
I just got the latest Adobe Reader and I can't figure out how to get it to remember the last view settings. I want to open in Fit Width View or, even better, Full Screen all the time. There must be a way. Couldn't see anything in Preferences for this. It would be so simple if these programs retained their last view settings.
DeltaMac - Dec 19, 2007 - 9:35 pm
I work with a variety of .pdf documents every day. I normally use Preview, as I prefer the interface, I occasionally use Reader.
The view settings seem to be set by the document being opened. You can choose the keep the settings used by _that_ document the last time it was opened, or open with the view settings that the document uses.
These are all repair manuals or user guides. When I open a PDF that I have used before, it will normally open to the same page (and the same view) as when I last opened that document.
I suppose you can set opening defaults, but that seems to only apply if the author of a .pdf has not provided view settings.
I think I can say that you don't get to control a document before you open it, as a .pdf can override the default view settings.
That being said - Did you try changing the Accessibility settings in the Reader preferences? Those under Override Page Display might help you out...
Also, in my experience, Apple's Preview seems to remember the settings for previously viewed docs better than Adobe's Reader. But, that's just my experience with the kind of docs that I use.
What sort of documents are you typically using with Reader?
- Dale
The view settings seem to be set by the document being opened. You can choose the keep the settings used by _that_ document the last time it was opened, or open with the view settings that the document uses.
These are all repair manuals or user guides. When I open a PDF that I have used before, it will normally open to the same page (and the same view) as when I last opened that document.
I suppose you can set opening defaults, but that seems to only apply if the author of a .pdf has not provided view settings.
I think I can say that you don't get to control a document before you open it, as a .pdf can override the default view settings.
That being said - Did you try changing the Accessibility settings in the Reader preferences? Those under Override Page Display might help you out...
Also, in my experience, Apple's Preview seems to remember the settings for previously viewed docs better than Adobe's Reader. But, that's just my experience with the kind of docs that I use.
What sort of documents are you typically using with Reader?
- Dale
RobinS - Dec 19, 2007 - 11:31 pm
I open many PDF's a day. I read them, then I may not read them for months. I just want the program to remember the last view settings or allow me to set a default setting. I can't understand why they don't build this into it. If they allow you to adjust it to what you want, why wouldn't they allow you to open it to what you want?
Accessibility / Always use Zoom Setting - Fit Width - did nothing. Still opens in half my screen size and never fitting the width. So tedious, tiresome and needless.
UPDATE: I tried setting the "Always use Page Layout Style" to Single Page Continuous and POOF - it opens in full width. The angels sing for joy.
Now is there any way of getting "Hide Navigation Panel Buttons" to go and never come back? Every time its there. Some PDF's bring it up with the table of contents and some don't. What would be REALLY useful would be an autohide function like OS X uses with the Dock for a lot of these toolbars. Slide the mouse over and POOF - there are the table of contents.
Or can I disable the table of contents permanently? There is an X that I use to close it above the Options button. After hitting that X a thousand times you'd think the program would learn that "Hey, Maybe he doesn't want to see that anymore!"
Strange oddity: Under Options, you have 6 lines. The bottom one is Text Size. The small is smallest, the medium is the biggest and the large is the medium. Great!
As for Preview I can never get that program to open full width. The maximize button (of course there could never be a keyboard shortcut for something used hundreds of times a day by readers) never works properly. It makes it bigger but rarely full width and height. I kind of thought that's what maximize meant. Not "just a little bigger because you the user like to read a quarter of a page at a time."
In Preview Preferences "Scale large images to fit window" fits height. Useless for reading farther away from your monitor. You want it to fit width and obviously height as well.
I"m going to try Windows again soon. Maybe it will be less aggravating. At least for offline work it might be better. We'll see. It can't be much worse than this. Or maybe it can....lol. Maybe OS X is spoiling me.
I just can't understand how Apple's programs can have such diverse commands, shortcuts and design function variability. The first look at the Apple keyboard with 2 keys labeled the same is a sign of the logic to come.
You know, there may be more wasted time in the modern world today because of thoughtless software design than any other life task.
Anyway, what do you recommend to try to beg Preview to open full screen width and height every time it opens a document? I don't care what reader I use - just one with a memory.
Accessibility / Always use Zoom Setting - Fit Width - did nothing. Still opens in half my screen size and never fitting the width. So tedious, tiresome and needless.
UPDATE: I tried setting the "Always use Page Layout Style" to Single Page Continuous and POOF - it opens in full width. The angels sing for joy.
Now is there any way of getting "Hide Navigation Panel Buttons" to go and never come back? Every time its there. Some PDF's bring it up with the table of contents and some don't. What would be REALLY useful would be an autohide function like OS X uses with the Dock for a lot of these toolbars. Slide the mouse over and POOF - there are the table of contents.
Or can I disable the table of contents permanently? There is an X that I use to close it above the Options button. After hitting that X a thousand times you'd think the program would learn that "Hey, Maybe he doesn't want to see that anymore!"
Strange oddity: Under Options, you have 6 lines. The bottom one is Text Size. The small is smallest, the medium is the biggest and the large is the medium. Great!
As for Preview I can never get that program to open full width. The maximize button (of course there could never be a keyboard shortcut for something used hundreds of times a day by readers) never works properly. It makes it bigger but rarely full width and height. I kind of thought that's what maximize meant. Not "just a little bigger because you the user like to read a quarter of a page at a time."
In Preview Preferences "Scale large images to fit window" fits height. Useless for reading farther away from your monitor. You want it to fit width and obviously height as well.
I"m going to try Windows again soon. Maybe it will be less aggravating. At least for offline work it might be better. We'll see. It can't be much worse than this. Or maybe it can....lol. Maybe OS X is spoiling me.
I just can't understand how Apple's programs can have such diverse commands, shortcuts and design function variability. The first look at the Apple keyboard with 2 keys labeled the same is a sign of the logic to come.
You know, there may be more wasted time in the modern world today because of thoughtless software design than any other life task.
Anyway, what do you recommend to try to beg Preview to open full screen width and height every time it opens a document? I don't care what reader I use - just one with a memory.
RobinS - Dec 19, 2007 - 11:40 pm
The bizarre thing: If they allow you to adjust it how you want, why can't you set that as a default view setting? Its not in the author's reach whether you display a toolbar, display for width or height, the default font, etc. These have nothing to do with the author at all. I realize the attraction of pdf's is the control the author has over its display. They want consistentsy. Thankfully this has nothing to do with that.
If there's nothing in Preferences, I should be able to edit some list that is presently setting the default opening parameters to something else. Right?
MOst documents are ebooks I guess. And magazines. Everything needs to be full screen or max width/heght - I just got a 22" monitor and love the way I can sit back and read for extended periods. But of course Apple doesn't allow a system wide font setting - they don't care. Its like everyone in Apple has the most superlative eyesight. Maybe nobody is over 20? But when you have a message box that has lots of empty space, why use a font with a height of 1/16"? That is utterly pointless.
So every time I use Apple programs and am in most areas I have to sit way to close to the monitor. Windows has a system wide setting that enlarges everything - not fonts only leaving the letters spilling out of the boxes. Its like the way OPera enlarges things. Its 100% proportional - well 99% of it is. Some video windows are fixed - but not Video.google or youtube. That way you retain the same perspective originally designed by the website creator. Wearing myopic correcting glasses at a computer is a fools undertaking which will degrade vision at an accelerated rate. So that is not an option for people in the know.
If there's nothing in Preferences, I should be able to edit some list that is presently setting the default opening parameters to something else. Right?
MOst documents are ebooks I guess. And magazines. Everything needs to be full screen or max width/heght - I just got a 22" monitor and love the way I can sit back and read for extended periods. But of course Apple doesn't allow a system wide font setting - they don't care. Its like everyone in Apple has the most superlative eyesight. Maybe nobody is over 20? But when you have a message box that has lots of empty space, why use a font with a height of 1/16"? That is utterly pointless.
So every time I use Apple programs and am in most areas I have to sit way to close to the monitor. Windows has a system wide setting that enlarges everything - not fonts only leaving the letters spilling out of the boxes. Its like the way OPera enlarges things. Its 100% proportional - well 99% of it is. Some video windows are fixed - but not Video.google or youtube. That way you retain the same perspective originally designed by the website creator. Wearing myopic correcting glasses at a computer is a fools undertaking which will degrade vision at an accelerated rate. So that is not an option for people in the know.
DeltaMac - Dec 20, 2007 - 7:09 am
If you have ever used Acrobat, you would know that the author of a .pdf has a lot of control over the view options. Width allowing for the ToC, embedded graphics force a full screen call, etc. All done by tags within the document itself.
You, as the user, have the option to change the view, but the opening view settings are tagged by the pdf itself.... In a sense, the document controls the app, and not the other way around.
There are a few apps that do full screen by their nature. Video apps, games, etc. Apple does not use the term 'maximize' for any choice in the finder. Zoom is more descriptive of what happens. The zoom could go to full screen width and height. Most often, zoom extends to full screen height, if the document is that long, and the zoom width is most often determined by the contents of the window. I usually see web browsers 'zoom' to a width that seems to be determined by the html on the page.
I have computer glasses. Much more comfortable to wear at the computer than the bifocals that I wear for other uses. Those are single-vision lenses, and in my case, are sharpest at about 2 feet.
I use the same lenses for playing piano, so I can read the chart. (note-I am a piano player, and not a pianist. I play mostly for my own use. Any time in public forces the listener to hear all the wrong notes.LOL ) Anyway, proper lenses make all the difference for me. But, I know you have investigated that sort of thing....
Resolution independence, which has been talked up for some time now, is supposed to become part of Leopard (not yet, though) Each window that you open could have different resolution settings not dependent on the capabilities of the screen, and not dependent on the dpi built-in to the OS. You could simply enlarge a window and make everything in that window larger, and not just make more space for what's in that window. Does that make sense to you?
You, as the user, have the option to change the view, but the opening view settings are tagged by the pdf itself.... In a sense, the document controls the app, and not the other way around.
There are a few apps that do full screen by their nature. Video apps, games, etc. Apple does not use the term 'maximize' for any choice in the finder. Zoom is more descriptive of what happens. The zoom could go to full screen width and height. Most often, zoom extends to full screen height, if the document is that long, and the zoom width is most often determined by the contents of the window. I usually see web browsers 'zoom' to a width that seems to be determined by the html on the page.
I have computer glasses. Much more comfortable to wear at the computer than the bifocals that I wear for other uses. Those are single-vision lenses, and in my case, are sharpest at about 2 feet.
I use the same lenses for playing piano, so I can read the chart. (note-I am a piano player, and not a pianist. I play mostly for my own use. Any time in public forces the listener to hear all the wrong notes.LOL ) Anyway, proper lenses make all the difference for me. But, I know you have investigated that sort of thing....
Resolution independence, which has been talked up for some time now, is supposed to become part of Leopard (not yet, though) Each window that you open could have different resolution settings not dependent on the capabilities of the screen, and not dependent on the dpi built-in to the OS. You could simply enlarge a window and make everything in that window larger, and not just make more space for what's in that window. Does that make sense to you?
RobinS - Dec 20, 2007 - 11:35 am
Resolution independence.......I just want everything enlarged a certain degree - like you can control with Windows. It makes such perfect sense. If you need larger fonts in one app you're goin got need larger fonts in every app.
(Wise choice getting computer glasses.) But most people get the prescription 20/20 at their monitor's distance. That unfortunately causes cycstrain. Ideally you want a slight blur so the eye has to "work" a bit. Or just sit back slightly more I guess. The blur is difficult to get used to if you've been spoilt with razor sharp clarity before for most things. Not a huge blur, just slight. If you're -1 (slightly myoppic) reading glasses are better, but then you have to sit closer of course. Having something positioned just barely within reading distance on the wall allow the computer user to constantly check their eyesight for strain. Its like feedback, available all the time. Then you realize how much our vision changes throughout the day.
I have not used Acrobat but understand the control built into that. But that's not the point. I just want retention of settings - I guess that's just not in Adobe Reader yet. I just noticed that one of my pdf's opens in full screen.
Is there any way of seeing what the author's settings were in a pdf?
So is it possible to stop the table of contents from displaying in Adobe Reader and get rid of the Navigation buttons that often appear on the left?
Is it possible to get Preview to open in full width and height?
(Wise choice getting computer glasses.) But most people get the prescription 20/20 at their monitor's distance. That unfortunately causes cycstrain. Ideally you want a slight blur so the eye has to "work" a bit. Or just sit back slightly more I guess. The blur is difficult to get used to if you've been spoilt with razor sharp clarity before for most things. Not a huge blur, just slight. If you're -1 (slightly myoppic) reading glasses are better, but then you have to sit closer of course. Having something positioned just barely within reading distance on the wall allow the computer user to constantly check their eyesight for strain. Its like feedback, available all the time. Then you realize how much our vision changes throughout the day.
I have not used Acrobat but understand the control built into that. But that's not the point. I just want retention of settings - I guess that's just not in Adobe Reader yet. I just noticed that one of my pdf's opens in full screen.
Is there any way of seeing what the author's settings were in a pdf?
So is it possible to stop the table of contents from displaying in Adobe Reader and get rid of the Navigation buttons that often appear on the left?
Is it possible to get Preview to open in full width and height?
RobinS - Dec 20, 2007 - 12:01 pm
Autohide is the answer. In combination with the non-mouse hand (pressing key combinations), a huge amount of menus and display options are available, meanwhile keeping the screen free of everything until needed. We'll see if anyone realizes this.
DeltaMac - Dec 20, 2007 - 5:07 pm
resolution independence does not just mean control over your fonts, menus, etc, system wide. It means that you have control over what individual windows show for fonts, menus, and your other visual enhancements. Each window can be invidually displayed in its own resolution environment. Very handy, but quite complex until more recent CPUs, and especially the powerful video GPUs. The idea is that the main CPU can off-load processing to the GPU for many functions, allowing this type of video manipulation to happen. Your Intel mini, which shares video memory with the main memory, may not support that function. It's not available yet in OS X, but lots of talk about it coming soon, maybe with 10.5.3 or .4
RobinS - Dec 20, 2007 - 9:02 pm
So I take it the questions I asked cannot be resolved?
There is no pdf viewer on the planet that can open in full screen and override the author's settings?
There is no pdf viewer on the planet that can open in full screen and override the author's settings?
DeltaMac - Dec 20, 2007 - 10:35 pm
Oh, sorry, I took off in a different direction there.
Sure, there's not a simple answer - you have already seen that some documents do whatever they are set up to do. (full screen, for example). Here's a web definition for PDF:
"Portable Document Format, a file format developed by Adobe Systems. PDF captures formatting information from a variety of desktop publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient's monitor or printer as they were intended."
Adobe is the standard-bearer for .pdf docs.
I don't know the answer to your question about alternate pdf viewers. The intent of PDFs is to display in the way the author intends, so you see the original document, and not something different.
So, the answer is - maybe, depends...
Is there a pdf viewer for Windows that can do what you want - by default? I have not idea....
Sure, there's not a simple answer - you have already seen that some documents do whatever they are set up to do. (full screen, for example). Here's a web definition for PDF:
"Portable Document Format, a file format developed by Adobe Systems. PDF captures formatting information from a variety of desktop publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient's monitor or printer as they were intended."
Adobe is the standard-bearer for .pdf docs.
I don't know the answer to your question about alternate pdf viewers. The intent of PDFs is to display in the way the author intends, so you see the original document, and not something different.
So, the answer is - maybe, depends...
Is there a pdf viewer for Windows that can do what you want - by default? I have not idea....
RobinS - Dec 21, 2007 - 3:53 am
Don't know about Windows pdf viewers since I use the PC .01% of the time.
Maybe I should rephrase the question for other techs. There is probably no pdf viewer that does this of course as it looks like the whole point of pdf is author control. What is stupid is that font size, and screen width and height really have no bearing on the way the pdf is displayed if done proportionately. And it always is because pdf retains tight control. So its just pointless to try to set a default screen width or height because the first thing the viewer is going to do when viewing it is to set it in accordance to their wishes.
This is all about pride really. And listening to the user. Or not listening. It sounds kind of odd - this subject and software. Its just human nature really. Experts think they can think for us. But it never works. This is a perfect example.
So should I rephrase the question to just the opening paramters? That should keep it simple. "Can any pdf viewer open full screen by default?" How is that? Suggestions would be most welcome.
Maybe I should rephrase the question for other techs. There is probably no pdf viewer that does this of course as it looks like the whole point of pdf is author control. What is stupid is that font size, and screen width and height really have no bearing on the way the pdf is displayed if done proportionately. And it always is because pdf retains tight control. So its just pointless to try to set a default screen width or height because the first thing the viewer is going to do when viewing it is to set it in accordance to their wishes.
This is all about pride really. And listening to the user. Or not listening. It sounds kind of odd - this subject and software. Its just human nature really. Experts think they can think for us. But it never works. This is a perfect example.
So should I rephrase the question to just the opening paramters? That should keep it simple. "Can any pdf viewer open full screen by default?" How is that? Suggestions would be most welcome.
RobinS - Dec 24, 2007 - 10:28 am
Found a soluion - sort of. In Adobe Reader, File, Save as Text, then open in Word. Also I can control the fonts better of course. But I'll need OCR from time to time I guess.
Natobasso - Dec 25, 2007 - 11:48 pm
RobinS
"Found a soluion - sort of. In Adobe Acrobat (this is version 6.0, I'm sure it's similar in the latest vers), File, Save as Text, then open in Word. Also I can control the fonts better of course. But I'll need OCR from time to time I guess."
Ohmigod no. Just go to preferences/page display and set all parameters the way you want them. No need for those gymnastics!
Or read here in Adobe Reader (go to last highlighted item in the right frame Change Default...): http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Reader/8...95ff-7fb7.html
"Found a soluion - sort of. In Adobe Acrobat (this is version 6.0, I'm sure it's similar in the latest vers), File, Save as Text, then open in Word. Also I can control the fonts better of course. But I'll need OCR from time to time I guess."
Ohmigod no. Just go to preferences/page display and set all parameters the way you want them. No need for those gymnastics!
Or read here in Adobe Reader (go to last highlighted item in the right frame Change Default...): http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Reader/8...95ff-7fb7.html
RobinS - Dec 26, 2007 - 10:23 am
Of course I've used Page Display in Preferences. Mine does not have a Full Screen option - just fit to width. Using version 8 of Adobe Reader. I don't have Adobe Acrobat. Does your version of Acrobat have full screen in Page Display?
RobinS - Dec 26, 2007 - 11:21 am
I think magnification just magnifies the existing display - so it will get blurred when big. That is useless. Its also what OS X uses in its Universal Access. Who wants a blurred screen?
But correct me if I misunderstand this.
Control_Option seem to zoom the page well and Command_Option do the same except in reverse. What? Can't see the point of that.
When you're reading hundreds of pages you certainly don't have time to use some time wasting mouse for adjusting the zoom of page after page (as font sizes change between pages sometimes).
The mousewheel works OK with scrolling within a page and Shift_mousewheel works well for horizontal scrolling. That is not needed often but at least its there when you do need it.
But correct me if I misunderstand this.
Control_Option seem to zoom the page well and Command_Option do the same except in reverse. What? Can't see the point of that.
When you're reading hundreds of pages you certainly don't have time to use some time wasting mouse for adjusting the zoom of page after page (as font sizes change between pages sometimes).
The mousewheel works OK with scrolling within a page and Shift_mousewheel works well for horizontal scrolling. That is not needed often but at least its there when you do need it.
Natobasso - Dec 26, 2007 - 11:35 am
Acrobat has full page settings in Page Display.
Magnification on a document wouldn't blur the text so long as that text was actual text and not a scanned raster image.
Magnification on a document wouldn't blur the text so long as that text was actual text and not a scanned raster image.
RobinS - Dec 26, 2007 - 2:01 pm
Cool - I'll get Acrobat. Thanks. It might take a few days.
Natobasso - Dec 26, 2007 - 2:30 pm
Remember too that you have to set the actual view window to be full page, then as you quit and restart the program it remembers your settings from your previous setting.
IF THIS IS YOUR QUESTION AND YOU WISH TO RESPOND, LOGIN HERE FIRST.
