Adobe Acrobat X: Your Frequently-Asked Questions Answered
October 31st, 2011 Leave a comment
It’s been about a year since Acrobat X (10) was released, and given Adobe’s typical two-year cycle with this product line, it will probably be another year before we see Acrobat 11 coming out… So in the meantime, we’ve put together a list of helpful questions and answers that have accumulated here and during sessions with Adobe.
Hopefully sharing this information below can help answer frequently-asked questions that you may also have about the product:
Q: Does Acrobat X come in a 64-bit version?
A: No – though it works on 64-bit operating systems.
Q: Is Acrobat X Pro fully compatible with Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit?
A: Yes – and Acrobat X version 10.1 now supports Office 2010 64-bit.
Q: Will there be a 64-bit version in the future?
A: I’m sure – we’re getting a lot of demand – no timetable though.
Q: can Acrobat 9 be installed together with Acrobat X on one PC? If so, that’s great news.
A: Yep!
Q: Can version 9 and X coexist on a Mac running OS 10.6?
A: Yes. we’re doing that at the moment!
Q: Can I read an Acrobat X file with Acrobat 9?
A: Yes, you can usually do this.
Q: Do you have a list of all new features in Acrobat X, versus earlier versions like 9 or 8?
A: Sure, here’s an article about exactly this.
Q: Is there an Acrobat X Pro Extended version, or just Pro?
A: Just Pro.
Q: What’s happened with the Pro Extended version in Acrobat X?
A: There isn’t an Extended version in Acrobat X; only Standard and Pro.
Q: a.k.a. Acrobat 3D…
A: Acrobat 3D is supported in Acrobat X, but you won’t find the features you saw in Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, e.g.: the 3D or geospacial tools.
Q: Do the version 9 shortcuts still work in Acrobat X?
A: Yes they do.
Q: Will all current Adobe add-ons work with Acrobat X?
A: They should.
Q: Adobe made some nice Portfolio templates for me, can I import them in X?
A: You won’t be able to use the .NAVs but your portfolios will work.
Q: Are user manuals available for us home schoolers who enjoy stimulating bedtime reading?
A: The user manual is now exclusively online.
Q: Is there a PDF version of the documentation or only the ‘Adobe Help’ version?
A: You can usually find a PDF version for download via the Adobe Help page – it’s generally at the top right of the window.
Q: When and from where can we download the trial version?
A: The Acrobat X trial download is available from Adobe. It’s only available in Windows.
Q: Will there be a Mac version of the Acrobat X Trial coming?
A: No.
Q: Can guided actions be Reader enabled or do you have to have Acrobat?
A: Guided actions are used in Acrobat.
Q: Does Acrobat X further reduce the file size of scan documents?
A: You’re going to be surprised at the improvements in scanned files in Acrobat X. It has undergone some significant improvements.
Q: PDF Portfolios are cool and will work in Adobe Reader 9 and higher, is that correct? For using them, what is the current “penetration” of Reader 9 and higher out there?
A: We generally don’t share that information. If you’re concerned about people with lower versions of Reader not seeing your content, Acrobat X can export a Portfolio as a web site. All you need is a Flash-capable browser – no Reader required.
Q: Oh, OK – I thought you did, because I see Flash Player penetration numbers everywhere (like 99%), so I thought it might be the same with Reader. Does Reader now update itself with the same kind of technology as Flash Player then?
A: No – though we have changed the way that the updater works to make it more seamless.
Q: Thanks. On “Acrobat X can export any PDF Portfolio as a Flash-based website.” – that is really really cool!
A: No kidding. It’s quite amazing. Not only that, but it’s very quick.
Q: Does the Mac version of X support embedding Flash video?
A: Version 9 and X on Windows and Mac support embedded or streaming Flash video. We do it all!
Q: Okay but can a PDF portfolio, in general, be uploaded somewhere for sharing online? if it includes video?
A: Absolutely. Do you have an account at Acrobat.com? You can upload portfolios to that workspace and share them.
Q: That’s great. does the video that is embedded playback when the PDF portfolio is updated to Acrobat.com
A: It depends on your user, not the file itself. If your browser opens a PDF file in Adobe Reader directly in the browser, then you’ll see it online.
Q: Can you edit the file now that it is Word?
A: Yes absolutely. It’s full text and images to do whatever you like.
Q: If I want to have a first page as a table of contents for a large documents will do that and if I edit will pagination change automatically?
A: You’d need to reauthor the file in your authoring application and recreate the PDF file.
Q: Does Acrobat X include a page flip feature to make portfolios appear more like e-books?
A: No. The way Portfolios work in Acrobat X doesn’t look like a book at all; switching pages in the documents is a simple fade or cut.
Q: Can you have an image on a folder (so you see the image rather than the folder icon)?
A: With a custom Theme you can – check out this tutorial guide.
Q: Is reading mode by default in browser?
A: Yes – unless the file is set to have bookmarks or another panel open – then it opens in the regular mode.
Q: In the settings for the PDF, can you set it to open in regular mode (not reader mode)?
A: Reader mode is a user function.
Q: Will my animation in Powerpoint be “transported” into the PDF?
A: If you use the “Presenter” plug-in which is available in the Suite – not if you use the Acrobat ribbon.
Q: So the plugin is only available on Windows.
A: Yes.
Q: So embedding Flash in Word on a Mac does not work?
A: If you embed Flash in Word on a Mac, you aren’t working in Acrobat. You’re using Apple technology.
Q: 2011 Word?
A: The APIs on the Mac version of Office don’t exist for us to do that type of integration. We’d like to but we can’t.
Q: So ‘no’ is the answer?
A: Yes – No is the answer. But not for lack of will. The APIs just are not there.
Q: Is forms creation and editing no longer in LiveCycle Designer then?
A: Yes it certainly is. You don’t open LCD directly from Acrobat X though, as you saw in previous versions. You certainly can work in LCD for form creation and editing. But you don’t have a command in Acrobat itself to open LCD as you saw in previous versions of Acrobat.
Q: Exactly what role does LiveCycle Designer have with forms in Acrobat X? Is there a clear explanation of LCD and Acrobat and how they relate to one another?
A: LCD is a separate program. Acrobat forms are PDF-based forms you create in Acrobat X. You can open a form created in Acrobat, but you can’t open a form created in LCD for editing in Acrobat. In previous versions of Acrobat, you could click a command in the Forms menu to open LCD.
Q: Is LiveCycle Designer still shipping with Acrobat Pro? Is it a separate install?
A: Yes it does ship with Acrobat Pro X (Windows), and a separate install.
Q: That helps but I still am quite confused by LCD and Acrobat. I have Acrobat 9 Pro Extended. My understanding has been that I create forms in LCD. So what you are telling me now is that form creation can now be done directly in Acrobat X?
A: You have always been able to create forms in Acrobat itself, and it is the only option available for Mac users.
Q: Capturing from Chrome browser?
A: We don’t support Chrome yet.
Q: Where can we get the PDFmaker for Firefox on Mac?
A: It’s installed as part of the Acrobat X installation. And it works very well.
Q: Can it capture video also when you capture a web page?
A: It can – depends on how the video is streamed though.
Q: What is the educational cost for Acrobat X on Mac?
A: You’ll have to check the Adobe Education Store site for the various costs for upgrades and full versions.
Q: Can third party plug-ins be integrated into the Action Wizard?
A: Of course.
Q: In version 9, I sometimes had problems with links in Portfolio. Is Acrobat X any more robust in that respect, for example, will it now recognize files imported after the Portfolio was constructed?
A: It depends on the type of link. External links, sure. If you’re linking from one file to another within a portfolio, you have to do that manually.
Q: With the Acrobat X Suite, does it offer additional advantages over buying Acrobat X, Photoshop, Captivate etc separately? (aside from price of course)
A: Just price.
Q: I think the interface is like other Acrobat products and I like it already. Good job.
A: Glad to hear!!
Q: Are there any free tutorials or training for the new version?
A: Yes! See over 3 hours of free video tutorials for Acrobat X (10).
Q: Thank you. Excellent. I’m headed over to check it out right now.
A: You’re going to enjoy the program, once you figure out how to get around.
What other questions do you have about Acrobat X? Just ask in the comments below and we’ll see if we can get them answered for you.
Or download a 30-day trial to run it free today and for the next month.
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Thanks for the FAQ. Regarding question #2, Acrobat X version 10.1 does support Office 2010 64-bit.
Best,
Ali Hanyaloglu
Sr. Marketing Manager, Acrobat Solutions
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Great! Thanks for reviewing the FAQ and for the updated answer – we have made the change to reflect the good news with the latest 10.1 release and Office 2010.
Can I expand current bookmarks if I do not have tags set up in the original document? The drop down list shows the choice but nothing happens when I choose it.
Hi VH, thank you for your question… You might check the “Page bookmarks” section of the Acrobat X online documentation on that.
Is there a chart comparing the options between the Full version and the School/Home edition?
We are trying to decide which one to purchase. We are an educational nonprofit organization.
Hey there Pam, for that answer please see our coverage on the complete differences between Adobe’s education editions vs. regular (including Acrobat).
Is it possible to create a pdf file with adobe acrobat or indesign that will automatically resize to fit any screen size of any desktop computer of anyone who might view it? If so, how do you do it? I am thinking specifically of a photo ebook whose images can be easily viewed on any screen without having to manually make adjustments to their pdf reader.
Greetings Tim, normally PDF files are completely zoomable and fittable to whatever screen size you have… The Page Display Preferences (Layout and Zoom) for Acrobat and Reader are settable, but default to “Automatic.” If a PDF you pull up isn’t showing entirely showing on your screen you can just use the Acrobat keyboard shortcut Ctrl+0 to fit the entire page. Is that the kind of thing you mean, does that help?
I am interested in creating a pdf file that automatically resizes when it opens. You say Acrobat will do that as a default. What about InDesign? Does that option exist when you export a file to pdf?
InDesign has the same keyboard shortcut as Acrobat – Fit Page in Window (Command key+0 on Mac, Ctrl+0 on Windows). We can’t speak to more than that because we’ve never really used InDesign in an automatic viewer type of capacity.
Is it possible to change a colored PDF to black and white or grayscale within Adobe Acrobat X?
If not, what is the best way to do it?
Sure Vernon, converting a color PDF to a black & white PDF is easy with Acrobat:
1. Go to File > Print…
2. Change the printer to “Adobe PDF”
3. Click on Properties
4. Find the option to change the output to B&W
5. Print the document to a new file with a different name
6. Open the new black & white PDF document
Or there are other ways too for converting color to greyscale or B/W.
Hope this helps!
Thanks very much, very simple and direct.
You bet Vernon – glad to help!
I loved Acrobat 7 because of the editing tools, especially the “add text box” tool. I have had Acrobat 9 Pro and now X Pro and cannot find an equivalent in either. Is there a way to do this?
Yes, I think so Kimberly… Do you mean:
Where to Find the Typewriter Tool in Acrobat X?
Hello,
Question on Acrobat 9 Pro
When you arrange a portfolio with a specified sequence of pdf files (over 100 pages) and want to combine them to a single pdf document, the combine function rearranges the files. Is it possible to make the combine in same file sequence as the portfolio?
Hello Niels, thanks for your question… Here’s your answer:
Converting PDF Portfolio in a Single PDF in Acrobat Pro
Thanks for the answer. Just another question, is it possible to auto-generate bookmarks for several pages in Acrobat Pro?
Not sure what you mean by that Niels, could you be more specific?
Bookmarks are generated automatically during PDF creation from the table-of-contents entries of documents created by most desktop publishing programs…
Or you might take a look at the AutoBookmark plug-in for Acrobat, if that’s the kind of thing you’re looking to do.
Hi, I’m just trying out the Adobe Acrobat X Pro for windows on my 64-bit computer with Windows 7 – free 30-day trial. I’m using it to create a portfolio. I started with 20- single pdf pages that had started out as word files at a size of 8.5 x 5.5. Their pdf size remained at 8.5 x 5.5. This is what I want and need. However, when I brought the files over, one by one, and created the auto-portfolio, the entire portfolio size was automatically reduced to 7.0 x 5.0. I cannot find any way to correct this. Please help! Thanks!
Hmm, that sounds odd Barbara… Have you read all the documentation on PDF Portfolios to make sure your settings are correct?
Sorry if this is a silly question, but if my client is working with Acrobat X Pro, will I still be able to edit/mark up their PDFs and read/edit their comments etc using Acrobat X Standard?
Welcome Carol, it’s not a silly question at all… You should be able to do that, see:
What’s the Difference Between Adobe Acrobat X Standard vs. Pro?
I would like to buy the Acrobat X Pro but I would like to know if the product key is personal, that is can I can install it in my 3 computers with Windows XP, Vista, and 7, or do I have to get separate product keys for each system, as the cost is on the high side – and what about upgrades and updates if any.
thanks
Hi Saint, you should be able to activate the software on up to two of your computers…
If you need to run the application on more than one of those systems at once, then take a look at buying a CS6 volume license.
Product updates like bug fixes and minor features are included, and free.
Upgrades to future releases like Adobe Acrobat 11 would not be included.
Hope that helps!
In previous versions of Acrobat Pro for Mac, I’ve been able to use the “Text Box Tool” to create small boxes, with yellow background, black text, and black border. The default text and border color changed to red in version 9, I believe, however these were customizable in the Properties for the Text Box.
Now, in Acrobat Pro X for Mac, the “Add or Edit Text Box” tool is the new name for what used to be called the “Typewriter” tool. While the functions provided by this tool are also very important to have at hand, the new “Add or Edit Text Box” tool does not provide the old “Text Box Tool” functionality.
I want the ability to continue to create a small box, with colored background and border, containing 3 lines of text. This box is not a comment, nor a note. It should be visible when the file is opened, and printed. It is not an annotation either, although the ability to hi-lite, cross out, or otherwise annotate existing text is also extremely useful.
Does the functionality of the old “Text Box Tool” exist in Acrobat X for Mac, and if it does, how do I access it?
thanks
Okay, found it with a hint from another thread – the old “Text Box Tool” is now implemented as a Drawing Markup element under the Comment pane. It is the “Add text box” selection!
Great – glad you found it Roy!
Hi there,
I’ve installed Adobe Acrobat X Pro on a Windows 7 64-bit laptop, but I can’t run it. I even tried to do it as Administrator but it still is unable to run. Just clicked twice over the icon and it does nothing.
Many thanks.
Sorry you’re having difficulties Jacinto… Does your computer meet all of the Acrobat X system requirements? Have you tried uninstalling the software, rebooting, then reinstalling it? Were there any error messages or other warnings during the installation process? Have you checked or searched the problem with Adobe Support?
I am an attorney who uses Corel .. specifically WordPerfect. will Adobe X Standard or Pro do everything you can do to a WordPerfect document that you can do to a Microsoft Word doc?
I know Adobe Acrobat is not a word processing program, what I’m really asking about is it compatible with WordPerfect? Will I be able to easily convert my WordPerfect document into a PDF document? And more importantly, will I be able to OCR a hardcopy document and use that output easily with my WordPerfect word processing program?
Please advise.
Greetings Allen, thanks for your questions. The answer is yes, because Acrobat doesn’t actually hook into Word – the conversion to PDF happens with the “Adobe PDF Printer” driver accessible from all applications. So that interfaces compatibly with WordPerfect the same way it does with Word.
When you OCR with Acrobat the result goes to PDF format, not to Word or WordPerfect format. But you can convert your PDF’s to .doc or .rtf files, which WordPerfect can read.
Your best bet is probably just to download and run the free Acrobat trial and see how it fits into your workflow and works with WordPerfect.