This article explains what you need to do in order to view, print and save PDFs.
Background
PDFs are typically found on the web. Sometimes a colleague will send
you a PDF file attached to an e-mail, or on a floppy disk. For more
information, refer to What Are PDFs?.
Software Requirement
The only way to view and print a PDF file is with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software.
Opening a PDF on the Web
PDFs on the web are usually identified by the initials PDF (uppercase or lowercase) and appear as a link. For example:
- Click on a link to a PDF file.
Results:
The file will begin to download and a box will appear saying "Viewing
Location." Acrobat Reader will automatically open and the PDF file will
appear on your screen. If the file is large or your modem is slow, this
may take a while.
Alternate Result: The PDF file may appear directly in your web browser. Refer to Configuring Your Browser to Work with PDFs for more information.
On a PC, the file has been "saved" to your C:windowstemp directory, but will not be saved permanently.
- You may now read the document on-screen, or print it.
If It Doesn't Work
If the PDF does not open when you click on a PDF link, there are two possible reasons:
1. Adobe Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer.
2. Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed but it is not configured properly in your web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer).
Saving a PDF from the web
On a PC: Instead of left-clicking with your mouse to open a PDF, right-click on the link and choose Save Link As.
On a Mac: Instead of left-clicking with your mouse to open a PDF, click and hold the mouse down in order to save it. Choose Save this link as.
Alternate Method: If the PDF appeared directly in your web browser, choose "Save As" from the browser's File menu in order to save.
Be sure and make a note of where you saved the file.
Opening a PDF on Your Hard Drive
Once a PDF file is saved on your computer, you can open it at
any time by double-clicking on it. It will open in Acrobat Reader.
Concepts
You cannot edit a PDF file with the free Acrobat Reader. The
free software is primarily for viewing and printing, with two
exceptions:
- Some newer PDF forms are specially formatted so that you
can actually fill in information and print the file or send it to
someone.
- There is a way to cut and paste text into a word processing program, but you will lose the formatting
You can create and edit PDF files if you purchase the commercial
version of Adobe Acrobat. Unless you want to create your own PDFs, you
don't need to buy Adobe Acrobat.
Cutting and Pasting Text
- Open a PDF file in Acrobat Reader and click on the Text Select Tool.
- Click and drag on the text you want to copy. The text will be highlighted just as in a word processing program.
3. Select Copy from the Edit menu.
4. Open your word processing program and select Paste from the Edit menu. The highlighted text will appear, but some of the formatting will be lost. |
