i/s Back Issues

Volume 17

No. 3  January/February 2002

Adobe Acrobat 5 Leaps Ahead in Flexibility

Robyn Fizz

Adobe Acrobat has been a staple in publishing for many years. This software lets you convert electronic documents into the compact Portable Document Format (PDF), a standard that preserves the look and feel of the original documents across platforms. Fonts, images, colors, and layout are all preserved.

You can publish PDF files in print or on the Web, or send them as email attachments. Anyone who has the free Acrobat Reader can view and print the files, no matter what software is on their machine. The Reader also lets you fill in and submit Adobe PDF forms online. (See the box below for information about IS support for Acrobat Reader.)

Acrobat, which lets you create and enhance PDF files, is commercial software. Adobe released Acrobat 5 for Windows and Macintosh last year. The current version is 5.0.5. This update addresses known issues in Acrobat 5.0 and provides support for Windows XP and Mac OS X, along with better integration with Microsoft Office.

New features in Acrobat 5 improve the ability to repurpose content and review documents. Security and accessibility have also been enhanced.

Repurposing Content
Acrobat 5 offers several ways to extract text and graphics from PDF files. You can use the Save As command to save all text in a PDF file to Rich Text Format (RTF), for use in word processing and page layout programs. The same command also lets you save each page in a PDF file to an image format, such as JPEG, PNG, or TIFF. A settings option gives you control over compression quality, resolution, and the like.

The Export command lets you extract all graphics from a PDF file; each graphic is saved to a separate file. Again, you can choose the JPEG, PNG, or TIFF format, using the settings option for more control.

On the flip side -- turning documents into PDF files -- Acrobat 5 lets you convert a range of file types to PDF using the Open as Adobe PDF command. You can either create a new PDF file or add the document to an existing PDF file.

The Web Capture command lets you convert Web pages into PDF files with all links intact.

Review Documents Online
With Acrobat 5, multiple users can view and add comments to the same PDF document from within their Web browsers. Reviewers can add their comments right at the location of requested changes. These comments can be in the form of electronic sticky notes, text, audio, or attached files.

Added Security
Acrobat 5 provides enhanced controls so that you can securely share sensitive documents online. The program now supports 128-bit encryption and a flexible digital signature architecture.

Acrobat 5 lets you restrict printing or allow printing only at low resolution, among other options.

Finally, flexible security settings let you determine which actions viewers of a PDF file can take. You can prevent others from changing a document, for example, yet still let them add comments or digitally sign the document.

Accessibility
Acrobat 5 offers some improvements for people with disabilities. The program supports high-contrast settings for those with low-vision impairments. In addition, authors can create documents that are compatible with third-party, Windows-based screen readers.

More Information
For in-depth information about Adobe Acrobat 5, start at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/

As a user of the program, go under the Help menu to find extensive documentation about Acrobat features.

IS Support for Acrobat Reader Information Systems supports the latest version of the popular PDF viewer, Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0.5. Acrobat Reader can be used as a stand-alone product or with a Web browser on Windows or Macintosh systems. If you are using an older version of Acrobat Reader and it is working for you, you don't need to upgrade to Reader 5.0.5 unless you want access to its new features. These include: Support for screen readers, offering accessibility to the visually impaired (Windows only) Improved access to Web-hosted applications and online services Ability to save copies of files downloaded in Web browsers Better display of text on LCD screens using Adobe CoolType technology You can download Acrobat Reader from http://web.mit.edu/software/ For installation instructions, see http://web.mit.edu/ist/help/acrobat/ Getting Help For help with Acrobat Reader, send email to <computing-help@mit.edu> or call x3-1101 (Macintosh) or x3-1102 (Windows). IS does not support the commercial product, Adobe Acrobat; if you need help with Acrobat, the Computer Help Desk will make a reasonable effort to provide assistance.

i/s Home |  i/s Back Issues |  Volume 17 |  No. 3