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Help with PDF files
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PatLetendre.com
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Resources for transfusion medicine & other health professionals |
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Help with PDF files |
Created: 14 Jan. 2007 | Last updated: 20 Jan. 2007
Adobe Acrobat Reader is the standard application used to read PDF documents. Depending on Reader's configuration, PDF files may open in Reader or, more typically, in a web browser such as Internet Explorer (IE) or Firefox. Below is a resource for using the main buttons on Acrobat Reader's menu.
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Acrobat Reader, version 8 or earlier versions
Graphic #1 below shows an example of the Acrobat Reader menu that is displayed when Reader is integrated with IE. Depending on your version of Acrobat Reader and IE, the menu may look different.
- Instructions for the latest version of Adobe Acrobat (v. 8) are at the bottom of this page.
GRAPHIC #1. PDF Menu (older versions of Acrobat Reader).
Links to tips for numbers on Graphic 1 above: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
1. The "save" button saves the document to your local computer. You can also choose SAVE AS from the FILE menu. Be sure to
- Navigate to where you want the file saved.
- Give the file a descriptive name (it will help if you have to search for it later)
In Graphic 2 below, the #1 arrow shows where to click the DOWN arrow to get choices for where to save a file. If you are not experienced with navigating through your folders, the #2 arrow shows a good place to save files initially - the desktop. It's easy to find files here and they can be moved to appropriate folders later.
GRAPHIC 2. How to save PDF files to a location where you can find them.
2. After selecting the printer button you can print all pages, the current page, or a range of pages (Graphic #3).
GRAPHIC 3. Choosing what to print.
3. The "show/hide" button controls whether you see just the file or the file with an "index" of bookmarks on the left. It is a toggle - click to change back and forth between the 2 views. Each bookmark is a hotlink that will take you to that page.
4. The side-by-side pages icon is a "copy" button that can be used with the # 7 "text tool" to copy and paste text into another document. Click on the "T" (text tool) to select text within a PDF document:
- Place the text tool in front of text you want to copy, hold the mouse's left button down and scroll cursor over the text you want to copy (it will show as high-lighted text).
- Then click the copy button (2 pages side-by-side) to copy selected text. Alternatively, use Ctrl-C (hold down the Ctrl button and hit the letter "c") or use COPY from the EDIT menu.
- Paste selected text into any other application on your computer (e.g., e-mail message, MS Word doc). An easy way to do this is to place your mouse curser in the document you want to paste the selected text into and use Ctrl-V (hold down the Ctrl button and hit the letter "v").
5.The hand ("grabber") button is usually activate when a PDF file is opened. Left clicking it will cause the hand to "grab" the page and you can move the page up, down, etc., by dragging the page with the closed hand.
6.The magnifying glass buttons increase or decrease the size of a page and text size. When one of the buttons is clicked, the grabber hand changes to a magnifying glass cursor and by clicking it on the PDF document the size changes. To stop changing page size, re-click the grabber button. There is also a sizing window that allows you to specify a percentage, e.g., 75%, 100%, etc.
7. The "text tool" ( T ) allows you to select text for copying and pasting.
Click on the T button, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the mouse to highlight text.
Once text is selected, click on the "copy" button as in #4 above (or use Ctrl +C).
Paste the text into any other open document (using Ctrl +V).
8.These arrows are used for navigating from page to page. The inner triangle buttons move forward or backward, one page at a time. The outer triangle buttons move to the beginning or end of a document. Other ways to navigate include using the:
grabber hand
navigation bar on the right of the screen (hold down left mouse button and scroll up or down)
bookmarks - click on each page to move to that page (you can hide bookmarks, if you prefer)
mouse wheel (if your mouse has one)
Note: There is a page section, usually at the bottom of the PDF screen, which reads "Page 1 of 60" (or however many pages the file has) and also gives the current page number.
9.The 3 page-size buttons show pages (with a folded corner) of various sizes. Clicking on a button will change page size:
The left button sets the document at 100% magnification.
The middle button shrinks the document to display the full page.
The right button sets the document to fill the screen.
10.The binocular icon is the "find" button. Click on this button to display a pop-up window that allows you to search for text within the PDF document.
TIPS FOR FOR ACROBAT READER v8
Note: Some instructions are abbreviated. Refer to equivalent directions above.
GRAPHIC #4. PDF Menu (Acrobat Reader v8)
1. Printer 2. Save button 3. Find button 4. Navigation arrows 5. Page section
6. Select tool - equivalent to "text tool" ( T ) - use to select text for copying and pasting.
7. Grabber hand 8. Magnifying (+ /-) buttons and sizing window (%)
9. 2-arrow icon - active by default - fills the window with each page; 4-arrow icon shows one page at a timeBack to Acrobat Reader v8 menu
10. Quick find: Type in text to search for words or phrases. Once first occurrence is found, "pages with arrows" appear to allow for finding NEXT and PREVIOUS (Graphic 5).GRAPHIC #5. Quick find with NEXT/PREVIOUS arrows.
Back to Acrobat Reader v8 menu
11. Navigation Panel - Pages: Click to scroll through pages (Graphic 6). Useful if looking for something not obvious in bookmarks, e.g., a photo.
GRAPHIC #6. Navigation panel - pages.
Back to Acrobat Reader v8 menu
12. Navigation Panel - Bookmarks: Use to quickly access any page by clicking on it (Graphic 7). Serves as Table of Contents. Note: Unfortunately, many PDF files lack bookmarks even when they should have them to help users navigate.
GRAPHIC #7. Navigation Panel - Bookmarks.
*NOTE: If Pages or Bookmarks disappear from the Navigation Panel, go to top menu and open VIEW --> NAVIGATION PANELS, then click on Pages or Bookmarks.
13. ? icon: Click to open HELP menu.
OTHER TIPS
Reader v. 8 has many more features than shown here. To reveal all the toolbar options, open TOOLS --> CUSTOMIZE TOOLBARS, and the following options appear (Graphic 7).
GRAPHIC #7. How to customize toolbars.
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To suggest other tips for this page, please go to the PLC website and select "Contact" in top menu. Pat L.
