Adobe Acrobat is a family of computer programs designed to view, create, manipulate and manage files in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF).
#10828
Fixes and workarounds for Acrobat.
#22305
PDF: Fit for Human Consumption If Designed Properly
Jakob Nielsen hit a nerve with some PDF enthusiasts when he recently wrote in his monthly usability column that, in terms of suitability for use on the Web, the format is allegedly 'unfit for human consumption.' We're publishing a rebuttal that another satisfied user recently sent to Nielsen -- and also shared with us. In addition, Steve Borsch provides several samples of PDFs designed to be read and navigated online.
PlanetPDF (2003). Articles>Usability>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#28261
PDF: Unfit for Human Consumption
Users get lost inside PDF files, which are typically big, linear text blobs that are optimized for print and unpleasant to read and navigate online. PDF is good for printing, but that's it. Don't use it for online presentation.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2003). Articles>Web Design>Usability>Adobe Acrobat
#19757
PDF: Unfit for Human Consumption
Users get lost inside PDF files, which are typically big, linear text blobs that are optimized for print and unpleasant to read and navigate online. PDF is good for printing, but that's it. Don't use it for online presentation.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2003). Articles>Usability>Web Design>Adobe Acrobat
#19238
Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format that allows the page creator to ensure that all fonts, formatting and graphics etc are preserved throughout the document regardless of the platform on which it is being viewed. Due to the control the author has over the style of the document, a number of accessibility problems can be identified.
Draffan, E.A. and Sue Harrison. TechDis (2002). Design>Information Design>Accessibility>Adobe Acrobat
#29872
PDFs and Section 508: Compliance, Accessibility, and Usability 
This paper addresses limitations and problematic issues of usability and accessibility involved in the creation and use of Adobe Acrobat PDF files for people with visual impairments who use screen readers as an assistive device. In some cases, due to technological limitations, PDF documents can present information incorrectly to such persons. A document which is accessibility compliant may then not be fully usable by individuals with visual impairments. The lack of specific guidelines for accessible PDF documents complicates the issue, though a series of W3C PDF Checkpoints provides some guidance. Problematic issues discussed include footnotes, special characters and formats, acronyms and abbreviations, and tables.
Dolin, Samantha and Jane L. Willig. STC Proceedings (2004). Articles>Accessibility>Adobe Acrobat>Section 508
#22595
A listing of over 700 tools for checking, separating, correcting colors, ordering and re-ordering pages.
PlanetPDF (2003). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#22296
A website with articles about generating Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
#10822
A forum where Acrobat users can help each other get the best out of the product.
#23744
Posting User Documentation on the Web
Our company posts user documents on its Internet web site as PDF files. Announcements are sent to customers and company staff to inform them of the latest document updates. Customers log on a password- protected documentation page, where they can view the documents in a Reader or save them to their PC hard drives. There are several advantages to distributing documents in PDF on the Internet for both customers and our company.
Utz, Dana. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Documentation>Online>Adobe Acrobat
#23085
Preflighting for PDF/X-Compliance with Acrobat
PDF/X (PDF Exchange) is a subset of Adobe PDF that eliminates many of the color, font, and trapping variables that lead to printing problems. You can verify that a PDF document is PDF/X-compliant in Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Professional before submitting the document to a service provider, and then embed the verification results in the file.
PlanetPDF (2001). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#22583
Between 23 and 30 percent of all files submitted for print are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF), a figure that's likely to grow.
Miley, Michael. PennWell (2003). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Adobe Acrobat
#25805
Prepress Tutorial: Preparing PDFs Made from Microsoft Word for Offset Printing
You just received this wonderful PDF from one of your clients. It was made from Word. On top of that, the client who gave you that PDF wants you to make some changes to the text. How do you make those changes using the PDF itself and what do you have to do to make that PDF press ready?
Bruno, Elisabetta. Designorati (2005). Resources>Document Design>Prepress>Adobe Acrobat
#22538
PDF is becoming the de facto standard for not only viewing documents onscreen but also for printing them on paper. Acrobat 6 Professional includes better printing and prepress tools than ever before. PDF pundit Ted Padova shows you how they work.
Padova, Ted. Creative Pro (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Adobe Acrobat
#10290
A Quick Guide: Converting Print to Online
A Quick Guide: Converting Print to Online tells you how to convert print-based documents to an online format. This is a task that many writers do in their real-world work lives on a daily basis. However, there is not enough information available for how to handle the various conversions, so I wrote this brief guide. The document is saved as a Portable Document File (PDF). To view it, you need to have a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™ 3.0 or later software installed on your PC.
Keller, Nancy L. EServer (2001). Design>Web Design>Writing>Adobe Acrobat
#25140
Redefining the Document Using Adobe Acrobat 
How content is combined from multiple sources quickly and easily.
Baker, Donna L. STC Region 7 Proceedings (2002). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#23133
Distributing documents as Adobe PDF files can reduce the problems that may occur when you exchange large presentation or page-layout files. In many cases, you can make your Adobe PDF file even more compact without compromising the document's integrity. The PDF Optimizer in Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Professional gives you easy access to several options that can help you reduce the file's size, including compression options that are comparable to the ones available when you create an original Adobe PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Distiller.
PlanetPDF (2004). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#29932
Reducing Screen Clutter in Acrobat
Are you looking to remove all distractions to read your PDF content? Perhaps you just want to remove all distractions so that you can skim through your PDF document before signing off on it and sending it off? This tip explains how to reduce on-screen clutter in Acrobat to allow you to focus your attention completely on the content.
Shea, Dan. PlanetPDF (2007). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#21892
Sizing PDFs for Posting Online
What is the preferred maximum target file size for PDFs that will be accessed online by average users?
Miller, James. PDFzone (2003). Design>Web Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#14858
Ten Tips From The PDF Best Practices Gurus
It is our hope that even one of these tips will help you rethink one of your current PDF processes.
PDFzone (2000). Design>Document Design>Workflow>Adobe Acrobat
#30108
Tips from the Acrobat Dirty Tricksters
Demonstrates and explains a collection of handy tips dealing with various tools and features of Adobe Acrobat.
Foss, Kurt. Adobe (2007). Design>Information Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#14865
Updating Graphics In Existing PDFs
Adobe's built-in way to edit and replace images is fairly slick. Start out by checking your preferences--choose File > Preferences > TouchUp. The two applications listed here will be used for editing bitmap and vector images, respectively, so make sure these are the programs you want to use for those purposes. Remember, though, that only Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator will be able to send the images back to Acrobat without any additional work on your part.
PDFzone (2000). Design>Graphic Design>Web Design>Adobe Acrobat
#30113
User-Friendly Technical Document: Not an Oxymoron
PDF is a perfect format for assembling technical materials, so how can a PDF document work more like a standard three-ring binder? Here's how.
Baker, Donna L. Adobe (2007). Articles>Documentation>Usability>Adobe Acrobat
#22303
Using Acrobat Standard 6.0 in a Document Review Cycle
A six-part sample lesson on how to use Acrobat and PDF for document review. Included for download are several files referenced in the exercises.
PlanetPDF (2004). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
#22585
Using Distiller to Build Booklets
Adobe InDesign and Adobe PageMaker include utilities that create booklets using a simple page imposition routine. However, other applications such as Adobe FrameMaker or Microsoft Word do not have these utilities and leave users with a bit of a dilemma when they want booklets made. Using Adobe Acrobat Distiller and a simple PostScript file (sig.ps), you can create booklets from EPS (encapsulated PostScript) pages printed from your application. The PostScript file takes the EPS files and arranges them on pages in a single PDF document. This technical guide briefly explains impositions and signatures and provides instructions for editing the associated sig.ps PostScript file used to create a booklet. Knowledge of PostScript may be helpful but is not absolutely necessary; you need only to make a few clearly explained edits for the sig.ps file to work with any documents you have.
Virginia Tech. Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe Acrobat
