When the software is successfully installed, you can use it just like any other software. To give an example, the MS Word, word processing software is used to open files that have a .DOC extension, and when you open your MS Word application, it looks for files with .DOC extension. The Acrobat Reader software, when activated, looks for files with .PDF extension.
In order to use the Acrobat Reader on the Web, you need to take the following steps:
Using your Web browser , you can download the Acrobat Reader for your Operating System (MAC, DOS, Windows...) by clicking on the appropriate option at the following site:
While at the above site, please take a look at the "System Requirements" for the Reader you are downloading.
The automatic download process will save the installation program on your computer's hard disk. (You need to make a note of where on you hard disk you are saving this file). You are now ready to install your software. If you are using a Modem connection t o the Web, you should disconnect the connection before you proceed with the installation on Acrobat Reader.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: The files for MAC on the internet are encoded in either BinHex (HQX extension) or MacBinary (.bin extension) format. Before you can use them you must decode the BinHex or MacBinary file. Your Web Browser might have an option to automatically do it for you. If your browser does not "decode" the files automatically (if the file you have downloaded form Adobe does not say AcroRead.Sea or AcroRead.mac, that means you browser HAS NOT decoded the file), you should ask your Systems Administrator for a copy of the BinHex or MacBinary utility). Alternatively, you can download one of the following public-domain files
stuffit-expander.hqx
stuffit-expander.bin
binhex.hqx
that are available on many of MAC ftp archives, such as on:
gopher://gopher.archive.merit.edu (or its many many mirror sites)
When you click on the PDF file, Netscape will bring a window up that tells you:
If you choose Configure Viewer, it will let you set up you Netscape so that it will automatically activate the Acrobat Reader anytime you click on a PDF file while browsing the Web. To set up the Acrobat Reader in this process, after you have hit the Configure Viewer option, the window that opens allows you to go thru your desktop and find the Acrobat Reader application and double click on it.
You can also set up the viewer by choosing preferences from the option menu on your Netscape browser. Choose Helper Applications from the pulldown at the top of the Preferences dialog and click on New. Enter application in the Mime type field and pdf in the Mime subtype and hit OK. Click on the Browse in the Preferences dialog and search for the Acrobat Reader application and click Open. Type pdf in the Extensions field and select PDF using the File Type pop up. Then, click on the Launch Application radio button, and OK the process. Make sure you save all these steps by selecting Save Options.
The installation process does not install ATM, edit any INI files on your system, and a does not force a restart of Windows after completion.
You are now ready to use Acrobat Reader
When you encounter a PDF file on the Web, here are your options (It is assumed that you use Netscape, but the procedure is fundamentally the same for most other Web Browsers):
When you click on the PDF file, Netscape will bring a window up that tells you:
If you choose Configure Viewer, it will let you set up you Netscape so that it will automatically activate the Acrobat Reader anytime you click on a PDF file while browsing the Web in the current session. To set up the Acrobat Reader in this process, after you have hit the Configure Viewer option, the window that opens allows you to go thru your hard disk and find the Acrobat Reader application (located at c:\acroread\acroread.exe) and double click on it.
You can also set up the viewer, permanently, by choosing preferences from the option menu on your Netscape browser. Choose Helper Applications from the pulldown at the top of the Preferences dialog and click on New Type. Enter application in the Mime type field and pdf in the Mime subtype and hit OK. Click on the Browse in the Preferences dialog and search for the Acrobat Reader application (c;|acroread\acroread.exe). Double click on acreoread.exe. Next, type pdf in the Extensions field hit OK. This will program your Netscape to launch Arobat Reader whenever you encounter a pdf file on the net.
Back Home