I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open Acrobat
every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a website.  In these
instances, I just want to read the file and move on, so it's really tedious
to have to wait for Acrobat to open every time (I tend to leave it open and
just close the document).

However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by using
the right-click menu.

Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and still
retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click menu?

Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?

-- 

Jonathan Finney

"Jonathan Finney" <jon@isotrack.com> wrote:

>I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open Acrobat
>every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a website.  In these
>instances, I just want to read the file and move on, so it's really tedious
>to have to wait for Acrobat to open every time (I tend to leave it open and
>just close the document).
>
>However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by using
>the right-click menu.
>
>Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and still
>retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click menu?

No, doesn't work.

>Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?

No.

Adobe don't support having both Acrobat and Reader on the same system,
but still it works for most people. But in choosing to use this risky
setup, you are choosing to sacrifice detailed control over automatic
opening.

The solution is an extra step, but simple enough: start the program
you want to be running, and in all cases that one will handle future
files until it is closed.
----------------------------------------
Aandi Inston  quite@dial.pipex.com http://www.quite.com
Please support usenet! Post replies and follow-ups, don't e-mail them.

Jonathan Finney wrote:
> I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open
> Acrobat every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a
> website.  In these instances, I just want to read the file and move
> on, so it's really tedious to have to wait for Acrobat to open every
> time (I tend to leave it open and just close the document).
>
> However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by
> using the right-click menu.
>
> Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and
> still retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click
> menu?
>
> Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?


I have sucessfully done exactly what I believe you want.

1. Install Acrobat and Reader and test that you can run them by selecting 
from the start menu.
2. Open "My Computer" and select Tools | Folder Options.. | File Types.
3. Scroll down the list to find PDF and click on the "Advanced" button to 
obtain the "Edit File Type" window.
4. Highlight the "Open" action and click on the "Edit.." button.
5. Rename the action as "Open with Acrobat Reader 6" and then select Reader 
as the Application, not forgetting the quotes and the "%1"
(on my pc it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" 
"%1").  Click on OK
6. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, click on "New..."
7. Enter an action name of "Edit with Acrobat 6" and then select Acrobat as 
the application
(on my PC it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" 
"%1").  Click on OK
8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat 
Reader" action and click on "Set Default"

The above will mean that if you double click on a file in Windows Explorer 
etc, it will open with Acrobat Reader.  If you right-click on the file an 
option in the pop-up menu will be "Edit with Acrobat 6".  Selecting this 
will open the document with Acrobat 6.

There is still the issue of viewing a PDF file on a web page, which will 
open with Acrobat 6 by default.  You need to edit a registry entry to select 
Reader as the application to view PDFs in Internet Explorer.

Change registry key using Regedit:
  HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe
to
  "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"

NB quotes required.

The above information I gathered from various answers to a similar query 
that I posted some time ago.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=pdf+ajhuk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&selm=c5rdd1%24503do%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=9

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&threadm=c4goi9%242i36k8%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dpdf%2Bajhuk%2B%2522Edit%2Bwith%2BAcrobat%2BV5,%2Bread%2Bwith%2BReader%2BV6%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3Dc4goi9%25242i36k8%25241%2540ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de%26rnum%3D1

Thanks Aandi, but I'll try the suggstion from Andrew below.

-- 

Jonathan Finney

"Aandi Inston" <quite@dial.pipex.con> wrote in message
news:419c8a25.161335237@read.news.uk.uu.net...
> "Jonathan Finney" <jon@isotrack.com> wrote:
>
> >I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open
Acrobat
> >every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a website.  In
these
> >instances, I just want to read the file and move on, so it's really
tedious
> >to have to wait for Acrobat to open every time (I tend to leave it open
and
> >just close the document).
> >
> >However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by
using
> >the right-click menu.
> >
> >Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and still
> >retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click menu?
>
> No, doesn't work.
>
> >Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?
>
> No.
>
> Adobe don't support having both Acrobat and Reader on the same system,
> but still it works for most people. But in choosing to use this risky
> setup, you are choosing to sacrifice detailed control over automatic
> opening.
>
> The solution is an extra step, but simple enough: start the program
> you want to be running, and in all cases that one will handle future
> files until it is closed.
> ----------------------------------------
> Aandi Inston  quite@dial.pipex.com http://www.quite.com
> Please support usenet! Post replies and follow-ups, don't e-mail them.
>

Thanks, Andrew.

That's a great help.  Hope it works OK.

-- 

Jonathan Finney

"Andrew" <ajhuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:304kvqF2rcl5aU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Jonathan Finney wrote:
> > I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open
> > Acrobat every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a
> > website.  In these instances, I just want to read the file and move
> > on, so it's really tedious to have to wait for Acrobat to open every
> > time (I tend to leave it open and just close the document).
> >
> > However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by
> > using the right-click menu.
> >
> > Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and
> > still retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click
> > menu?
> >
> > Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?
>
>
> I have sucessfully done exactly what I believe you want.
>
> 1. Install Acrobat and Reader and test that you can run them by selecting
> from the start menu.
> 2. Open "My Computer" and select Tools | Folder Options.. | File Types.
> 3. Scroll down the list to find PDF and click on the "Advanced" button to
> obtain the "Edit File Type" window.
> 4. Highlight the "Open" action and click on the "Edit.." button.
> 5. Rename the action as "Open with Acrobat Reader 6" and then select
Reader
> as the Application, not forgetting the quotes and the "%1"
> (on my pc it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
> "%1").  Click on OK
> 6. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, click on "New..."
> 7. Enter an action name of "Edit with Acrobat 6" and then select Acrobat
as
> the application
> (on my PC it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe"
> "%1").  Click on OK
> 8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat
> Reader" action and click on "Set Default"
>
> The above will mean that if you double click on a file in Windows Explorer

> etc, it will open with Acrobat Reader.  If you right-click on the file an
> option in the pop-up menu will be "Edit with Acrobat 6".  Selecting this
> will open the document with Acrobat 6.
>
> There is still the issue of viewing a PDF file on a web page, which will
> open with Acrobat 6 by default.  You need to edit a registry entry to
select
> Reader as the application to view PDFs in Internet Explorer.
>
> Change registry key using Regedit:
>   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe
> to
>   "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
>
> NB quotes required.
>
> The above information I gathered from various answers to a similar query
> that I posted some time ago.
>
>
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=pdf+ajhuk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&selm=c5rdd1%24503do%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=9
>
>
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&threadm=c4goi9%242i36k8%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dpdf%2Bajhuk%2B%2522Edit%2Bwith%2BAcrobat%2BV5,%2Bread%2Bwith%2BReader%2BV6%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3Dc4goi9%25242i36k8%25241%2540ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de%26rnum%3D1
>
>
>

Andrew a �crit :
> Jonathan Finney wrote:
> 
>>I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open
>>Acrobat every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a
>>website.  In these instances, I just want to read the file and move
>>on, so it's really tedious to have to wait for Acrobat to open every
>>time (I tend to leave it open and just close the document).
>>
>>However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by
>>using the right-click menu.
>>
>>Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and
>>still retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click
>>menu?
>>
>>Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?
> 
> 
> 
> I have sucessfully done exactly what I believe you want.
> 
> 1. Install Acrobat and Reader and test that you can run them by selecting 
> from the start menu.
> 2. Open "My Computer" and select Tools | Folder Options.. | File Types.
> 3. Scroll down the list to find PDF and click on the "Advanced" button to 
> obtain the "Edit File Type" window.
> 4. Highlight the "Open" action and click on the "Edit.." button.
> 5. Rename the action as "Open with Acrobat Reader 6" and then select Reader 
> as the Application, not forgetting the quotes and the "%1"
> (on my pc it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" 
> "%1").  Click on OK
> 6. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, click on "New..."
> 7. Enter an action name of "Edit with Acrobat 6" and then select Acrobat as 
> the application
> (on my PC it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" 
> "%1").  Click on OK
> 8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat 
> Reader" action and click on "Set Default"
> 
> The above will mean that if you double click on a file in Windows Explorer 
> etc, it will open with Acrobat Reader.  If you right-click on the file an 
> option in the pop-up menu will be "Edit with Acrobat 6".  Selecting this 
> will open the document with Acrobat 6.
> 
> There is still the issue of viewing a PDF file on a web page, which will 
> open with Acrobat 6 by default.  You need to edit a registry entry to select 
> Reader as the application to view PDFs in Internet Explorer.
> 
> Change registry key using Regedit:
>   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe
> to
>   "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
> 
> NB quotes required.
> 
> The above information I gathered from various answers to a similar query 
> that I posted some time ago.
> 
> http://groups.google.com/groups?q=pdf+ajhuk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&selm=c5rdd1%24503do%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=9
> 
> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&threadm=c4goi9%242i36k8%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dpdf%2Bajhuk%2B%2522Edit%2Bwith%2BAcrobat%2BV5,%2Bread%2Bwith%2BReader%2BV6%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3Dc4goi9%25242i36k8%25241%2540ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de%26rnum%3D1
> 
> 
> 
Thanks, it works well !

Jaco wrote:
> Andrew a �crit :
>> Jonathan Finney wrote:
>>
>>> I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open
>>> Acrobat every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a
>>> website.  In these instances, I just want to read the file and move
>>> on, so it's really tedious to have to wait for Acrobat to open every
>>> time (I tend to leave it open and just close the document).
>>>
>>> However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by
>>> using the right-click menu.
>>>
>>> Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and
>>> still retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click
>>> menu?
>>>
>>> Will changing the association affect the way website files are
>>> opened?
>>
>>
>>
>> I have sucessfully done exactly what I believe you want.
>>
>> 1. Install Acrobat and Reader and test that you can run them by
>> selecting
>> from the start menu.
>> 2. Open "My Computer" and select Tools | Folder Options.. | File
>> Types.
>> 3. Scroll down the list to find PDF and click on the "Advanced"
>> button to
>> obtain the "Edit File Type" window.
>> 4. Highlight the "Open" action and click on the "Edit.." button.
>> 5. Rename the action as "Open with Acrobat Reader 6" and then select
>> Reader
>> as the Application, not forgetting the quotes and the "%1"
>> (on my pc it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat
>> 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" "%1").  Click on OK
>> 6. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, click on "New..."
>> 7. Enter an action name of "Edit with Acrobat 6" and then select
>> Acrobat as
>> the application
>> (on my PC it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat
>> 6.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" "%1").  Click on OK
>> 8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with
>> Acrobat
>> Reader" action and click on "Set Default"
>>
>> The above will mean that if you double click on a file in Windows
>> Explorer
>> etc, it will open with Acrobat Reader.  If you right-click on the
>> file an
>> option in the pop-up menu will be "Edit with Acrobat 6".  Selecting
>> this
>> will open the document with Acrobat 6.
>>
>> There is still the issue of viewing a PDF file on a web page, which
>> will
>> open with Acrobat 6 by default.  You need to edit a registry entry
>> to select
>> Reader as the application to view PDFs in Internet Explorer.
>>
>> Change registry key using Regedit:
>>   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe
>> to
>>   "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
>>
>> NB quotes required.
>>
>> The above information I gathered from various answers to a similar
>> query
>> that I posted some time ago.
>>
>>
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=pdf+ajhuk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&selm=c5rdd1%2
4503do%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=9
>>
>>
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&threadm=c4goi9%242i36k8%2
41%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dpdf%2Bajhuk%2B%2
522Edit%2Bwith%2BAcrobat%2BV5,%2Bread%2Bwith%2BReader%2BV6%2522%26hl%3Den%26
lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3Dc4goi9%25242i36k8%25241%2540ID-197877.news.uni-b
erlin.de%26rnum%3D1
>>
>>
>>
> Thanks, it works well !

A word of warning.  If/when you download Acrobat updates the file
associations seem to get changed back.

Hi Andrew.

Your suggestion appears to address my needs completely, so I followed your
instructions to edit the file association to files with a PDF extension.  It
doesn't seem to work.  I have checked that all the changes have been saved
and double checked the file names and locations (default, same as yours).

Double clicking a PDF file still opens the file with Acrobat 6.  Starting
Reader from the Start menu with Acrobat 6 already running, simply restores
the Acrobat window and even right clicking and selecting Open with Reader
opens with Acrobat 6!

The only way I can open a document with Reader is to start it (without
Acrobat 6 running), then select the file from the File|Open.

I have not restarted, but don't think this is the problem.

Any suggestions?

-- 

Jonathan Finney

"Andrew" <ajhuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:304kvqF2rcl5aU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Jonathan Finney wrote:
> > I have both Acrobat 6 and Reader installed, but I don't want to open
> > Acrobat every time I double-click a PDF file or open a PDF on a
> > website.  In these instances, I just want to read the file and move
> > on, so it's really tedious to have to wait for Acrobat to open every
> > time (I tend to leave it open and just close the document).
> >
> > However, I want to be able to open a PDF with Acrobat for editing by
> > using the right-click menu.
> >
> > Can I just change the file association from Acrobat 6 to Reader and
> > still retain the ability to open Acrobat 6 by using the right-click
> > menu?
> >
> > Will changing the association affect the way website files are opened?
>
>
> I have sucessfully done exactly what I believe you want.
>
> 1. Install Acrobat and Reader and test that you can run them by selecting
> from the start menu.
> 2. Open "My Computer" and select Tools | Folder Options.. | File Types.
> 3. Scroll down the list to find PDF and click on the "Advanced" button to
> obtain the "Edit File Type" window.
> 4. Highlight the "Open" action and click on the "Edit.." button.
> 5. Rename the action as "Open with Acrobat Reader 6" and then select
Reader
> as the Application, not forgetting the quotes and the "%1"
> (on my pc it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
> "%1").  Click on OK
> 6. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, click on "New..."
> 7. Enter an action name of "Edit with Acrobat 6" and then select Acrobat
as
> the application
> (on my PC it is "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe"
> "%1").  Click on OK
> 8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat
> Reader" action and click on "Set Default"
>
> The above will mean that if you double click on a file in Windows Explorer
> etc, it will open with Acrobat Reader.  If you right-click on the file an
> option in the pop-up menu will be "Edit with Acrobat 6".  Selecting this
> will open the document with Acrobat 6.
>
> There is still the issue of viewing a PDF file on a web page, which will
> open with Acrobat 6 by default.  You need to edit a registry entry to
select
> Reader as the application to view PDFs in Internet Explorer.
>
> Change registry key using Regedit:
>   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe
> to
>   "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe"
>
> NB quotes required.
>
> The above information I gathered from various answers to a similar query
> that I posted some time ago.
>
>
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=pdf+ajhuk&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&selm=c5rdd1%24503do%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=9
>
>
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&threadm=c4goi9%242i36k8%241%40ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dpdf%2Bajhuk%2B%2522Edit%2Bwith%2BAcrobat%2BV5,%2Bread%2Bwith%2BReader%2BV6%2522%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26selm%3Dc4goi9%25242i36k8%25241%2540ID-197877.news.uni-berlin.de%26rnum%3D1
>
>
>

"Jonathan Finney" <jon@isotrack.com> wrote:

>Double clicking a PDF file still opens the file with Acrobat 6.  Starting
>Reader from the Start menu with Acrobat 6 already running, simply restores
>the Acrobat window and even right clicking and selecting Open with Reader
>opens with Acrobat 6!

Yes. This is by design. So stop Acrobat and start Reader.
----------------------------------------
Aandi Inston  quite@dial.pipex.com http://www.quite.com
Please support usenet! Post replies and follow-ups, don't e-mail them.

Jonathan Finney wrote:
> Hi Andrew.
>
> Your suggestion appears to address my needs completely, so I followed
> your instructions to edit the file association to files with a PDF
> extension.  It doesn't seem to work.  I have checked that all the
> changes have been saved and double checked the file names and
> locations (default, same as yours).
>
> Double clicking a PDF file still opens the file with Acrobat 6.
> Starting Reader from the Start menu with Acrobat 6 already running,
> simply restores the Acrobat window and even right clicking and
> selecting Open with Reader opens with Acrobat 6!
>
> The only way I can open a document with Reader is to start it (without
> Acrobat 6 running), then select the file from the File|Open.
>
> I have not restarted, but don't think this is the problem.
>
> Any suggestions?

If I understand correctly you say that selecting File|Open does open using 
Reader, but double clicking opens with Acrobat 6?

If you right click on a PDF file, in the menu that appears, which of the 
commands is in bold?  I presume it is "Edit with Acrobat 6".  If so, then 
this is the default action that will occur if you double click on the file. 
I think you have missed out the final step (step 8 in my original 
instructions), which is to select "Open with Acrobat Reader" as the default.

(8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat 
Reader" action and click on "Set Default")

As Aandi says separately, if either Acrobat or Reader is already open when 
you double click then it doesn't matter what you have as the default 
application, the currently open one will be used.  However, if neither is 
currently running, the one set as Default will be used when you double click 
on the file. 

Thanks Aandi, but this isn't a problem.  If Acrobat is already open, the
file opens quickly anyway.  I wil post a more detailed reply to Andrew's
reply.

-- 

Jonathan Finney

"Aandi Inston" <quite@dial.pipex.con> wrote in message
news:41a1ffa1.519063874@read.news.uk.uu.net...
> "Jonathan Finney" <jon@isotrack.com> wrote:
>
> >Double clicking a PDF file still opens the file with Acrobat 6.  Starting
> >Reader from the Start menu with Acrobat 6 already running, simply
restores
> >the Acrobat window and even right clicking and selecting Open with Reader
> >opens with Acrobat 6!
>
> Yes. This is by design. So stop Acrobat and start Reader.
> ----------------------------------------
> Aandi Inston  quite@dial.pipex.com http://www.quite.com
> Please support usenet! Post replies and follow-ups, don't e-mail them.
>

Thanks Andrew.

No.  This is not quite the whole picture.

If I have neither program running, double clicking a PDF file opens the file
in Acrobat 6.  This is what I want to change.

Right clicking on a PDF file opens the menu with 'Edit with Acrobat' in bold
(even after setting 'Open with Reader' as the default action).  Selecting
'Open with Reader' correctly opens the file in Reader unless Acrobat is
already running, in which case it opens in Acrobat (this is slightly weird
behaviour, but correct according to Aandi).

The problem is just the default action being to 'Edit with Acrobat' when
I've set it to be 'Open with Reader'.

I have checked the settings in Tools|Folder Options|File Types for PDF
extension and everything is as it should be after the changes I made
yesterday: Selecting PDF and clicking the Advanced button opens the Edit
File Type dialog and Open with Reader is bold showing it should be the
default action.  Selecting this action and clicking Edit shows the following
line in the 'Application used to perform action' field:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" %1

This appears to be correct although I have also tried it with the %1 in
quotation marks and without the %1 (but it gets added automatically).

I have browsed to this location and the file AcroRd32.exe is there and, when
double clicked, does start Reader.

I haven't tried editing the registry key to change the IE action yet.

I'm stumped!  Any ideas?

-- 

Jonathan Finney


"Andrew" <ajhuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:30f0ucF30fhtaU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Jonathan Finney wrote:
> > Hi Andrew.
> >
> > Your suggestion appears to address my needs completely, so I followed
> > your instructions to edit the file association to files with a PDF
> > extension.  It doesn't seem to work.  I have checked that all the
> > changes have been saved and double checked the file names and
> > locations (default, same as yours).
> >
> > Double clicking a PDF file still opens the file with Acrobat 6.
> > Starting Reader from the Start menu with Acrobat 6 already running,
> > simply restores the Acrobat window and even right clicking and
> > selecting Open with Reader opens with Acrobat 6!
> >
> > The only way I can open a document with Reader is to start it (without
> > Acrobat 6 running), then select the file from the File|Open.
> >
> > I have not restarted, but don't think this is the problem.
> >
> > Any suggestions?
>
> If I understand correctly you say that selecting File|Open does open using
> Reader, but double clicking opens with Acrobat 6?
>
> If you right click on a PDF file, in the menu that appears, which of the
> commands is in bold?  I presume it is "Edit with Acrobat 6".  If so, then
> this is the default action that will occur if you double click on the
file.
> I think you have missed out the final step (step 8 in my original
> instructions), which is to select "Open with Acrobat Reader" as the
default.
>
> (8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat
> Reader" action and click on "Set Default")
>
> As Aandi says separately, if either Acrobat or Reader is already open when
> you double click then it doesn't matter what you have as the default
> application, the currently open one will be used.  However, if neither is
> currently running, the one set as Default will be used when you double
click
> on the file.
>
>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jonathan Finney" <>
Newsgroups: comp.text.pdf
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: Acrobat 6 and Reader PDF file association


> Thanks Andrew.
>
> No.  This is not quite the whole picture.
>
> If I have neither program running, double clicking a PDF file opens the 
> file
> in Acrobat 6.  This is what I want to change.
>
> Right clicking on a PDF file opens the menu with 'Edit with Acrobat' in 
> bold
> (even after setting 'Open with Reader' as the default action).  Selecting
> 'Open with Reader' correctly opens the file in Reader unless Acrobat is
> already running, in which case it opens in Acrobat (this is slightly weird
> behaviour, but correct according to Aandi).
>
> The problem is just the default action being to 'Edit with Acrobat' when
> I've set it to be 'Open with Reader'.
>
> I have checked the settings in Tools|Folder Options|File Types for PDF
> extension and everything is as it should be after the changes I made
> yesterday: Selecting PDF and clicking the Advanced button opens the Edit
> File Type dialog and Open with Reader is bold showing it should be the
> default action.  Selecting this action and clicking Edit shows the 
> following
> line in the 'Application used to perform action' field:
>
> "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" %1
>
> This appears to be correct although I have also tried it with the %1 in
> quotation marks and without the %1 (but it gets added automatically).
>
> I have browsed to this location and the file AcroRd32.exe is there and, 
> when
> double clicked, does start Reader.
>
> I haven't tried editing the registry key to change the IE action yet.
>
> I'm stumped!  Any ideas?
>
> -- 
>
> Jonathan Finney
>
>
> "Andrew" <> wrote in message
> ...
>> Jonathan Finney wrote:
>> > Hi Andrew.
>> >
>> > Your suggestion appears to address my needs completely, so I followed
>> > your instructions to edit the file association to files with a PDF
>> > extension.  It doesn't seem to work.  I have checked that all the
>> > changes have been saved and double checked the file names and
>> > locations (default, same as yours).
>> >
>> > Double clicking a PDF file still opens the file with Acrobat 6.
>> > Starting Reader from the Start menu with Acrobat 6 already running,
>> > simply restores the Acrobat window and even right clicking and
>> > selecting Open with Reader opens with Acrobat 6!
>> >
>> > The only way I can open a document with Reader is to start it (without
>> > Acrobat 6 running), then select the file from the File|Open.
>> >
>> > I have not restarted, but don't think this is the problem.
>> >
>> > Any suggestions?
>>
>> If I understand correctly you say that selecting File|Open does open 
>> using
>> Reader, but double clicking opens with Acrobat 6?
>>
>> If you right click on a PDF file, in the menu that appears, which of the
>> commands is in bold?  I presume it is "Edit with Acrobat 6".  If so, then
>> this is the default action that will occur if you double click on the
> file.
>> I think you have missed out the final step (step 8 in my original
>> instructions), which is to select "Open with Acrobat Reader" as the
> default.
>>
>> (8. Back in the "Edit File Type" window, highlight the "Open with Acrobat
>> Reader" action and click on "Set Default")
>>
>> As Aandi says separately, if either Acrobat or Reader is already open 
>> when
>> you double click then it doesn't matter what you have as the default
>> application, the currently open one will be used.  However, if neither is
>> currently running, the one set as Default will be used when you double
> click
>> on the file.
>>
>>
>
>

"I'm stumped!  Any ideas?"

My solution may seem a drawn out process to you however. . . .
Some time back I recall reading a NG suggestion as to the order of 
insalltion when using different version of Reader and Acrobat. At one time I 
was using Reader 4.0 and Acrobat 5.0, and another time I was using Reader 
5.0 and Acrobat 4.0.
 Today I use Reader 6.0 and Acrobat 5.0.

Since Reader 6.0 came on my machine when new, I'm only left to assume that I 
installed Acrobat 5.0 second.
 In this current satus, when I double click on a PDF or attemt to view an 
online PDF, it's Reader that opens.

As a result. . . .UNINSTALL both software's.
Reboot computer,
Install Reader,
Install Acrobat
Reboot and test.

In the event that fails in achieving what you desire?
Repeat the same procedure, however reversing the software installations.

Jonathan Finney wrote:
> Thanks Andrew.
>
> No.  This is not quite the whole picture.
>
> If I have neither program running, double clicking a PDF file opens
> the file in Acrobat 6.  This is what I want to change.
>
> Right clicking on a PDF file opens the menu with 'Edit with Acrobat'
> in bold (even after setting 'Open with Reader' as the default
> action).  Selecting 'Open with Reader' correctly opens the file in
> Reader unless Acrobat is already running, in which case it opens in
> Acrobat (this is slightly weird behaviour, but correct according to
> Aandi).
>
> The problem is just the default action being to 'Edit with Acrobat'
> when I've set it to be 'Open with Reader'.
>
> I have checked the settings in Tools|Folder Options|File Types for PDF
> extension and everything is as it should be after the changes I made
> yesterday: Selecting PDF and clicking the Advanced button opens the
> Edit File Type dialog and Open with Reader is bold showing it should
> be the default action.  Selecting this action and clicking Edit shows
> the following line in the 'Application used to perform action' field:
>
> "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" %1
>
> This appears to be correct although I have also tried it with the %1
> in quotation marks and without the %1 (but it gets added
> automatically).
>
> I have browsed to this location and the file AcroRd32.exe is there
> and, when double clicked, does start Reader.
>
> I haven't tried editing the registry key to change the IE action yet.
>
> I'm stumped!  Any ideas?
It certainly appears as if the selection of "Open with Reader" as the 
default action is being ignored.  Without sitting in front of your PC I 
can't really offer any further advice.  I have this set up on two very 
differently configured PCs, one running Windows XP home and the other 
Windows 2000.

The only way I can replicate your problem is as follows:
1. Reset the registry key so Internet Explorer uses Acrobat 6
2. Open Internet explorer and then navigate to a PDF file on a web page
3. This will open using Acrobat 6 if you have not edited the registry key.
4. Close Internet Explorer.
5. Double click on a PDF file on your local PC.
6. It will open with Acrobat 6!
7. Close Acrobat 6
8. Repeat step 5 (Double click on a PDF file on your local PC)
9. This time it will open with Acrobat Reader!

Obviously Acrobat 6 gets opened when you view a PDF within Internet 
Explorer.  It does not, however, appear in the task bar.  It would seem that 
it remains open even after Explorer is closed, and is hence used to open a 
PDF file when you double click on it.

Is this possibly your problem? 

Hi Andrew.

Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the registry setting or IE.  I have
edited the registry key and IE now ueses Reader when browsing web PDFs.

However, double-clicking a PDF file always opens the filke in Acrobat
....except sometimes!  Apparently after viwing a PDF in IE.

That's it!  Thanks for your attention, but I'm not wasting any more time on
this.  Clearly Adobe engineers feel that they know better than to leave
choices such as these to the user despite a predominantly professional user
base.

-- 

Jonathan Finney

"Andrew" <ajhuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:30ih5eF2ubhepU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Jonathan Finney wrote:
> > Thanks Andrew.
> >
> > No.  This is not quite the whole picture.
> >
> > If I have neither program running, double clicking a PDF file opens
> > the file in Acrobat 6.  This is what I want to change.
> >
> > Right clicking on a PDF file opens the menu with 'Edit with Acrobat'
> > in bold (even after setting 'Open with Reader' as the default
> > action).  Selecting 'Open with Reader' correctly opens the file in
> > Reader unless Acrobat is already running, in which case it opens in
> > Acrobat (this is slightly weird behaviour, but correct according to
> > Aandi).
> >
> > The problem is just the default action being to 'Edit with Acrobat'
> > when I've set it to be 'Open with Reader'.
> >
> > I have checked the settings in Tools|Folder Options|File Types for PDF
> > extension and everything is as it should be after the changes I made
> > yesterday: Selecting PDF and clicking the Advanced button opens the
> > Edit File Type dialog and Open with Reader is bold showing it should
> > be the default action.  Selecting this action and clicking Edit shows
> > the following line in the 'Application used to perform action' field:
> >
> > "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" %1
> >
> > This appears to be correct although I have also tried it with the %1
> > in quotation marks and without the %1 (but it gets added
> > automatically).
> >
> > I have browsed to this location and the file AcroRd32.exe is there
> > and, when double clicked, does start Reader.
> >
> > I haven't tried editing the registry key to change the IE action yet.
> >
> > I'm stumped!  Any ideas?
> It certainly appears as if the selection of "Open with Reader" as the
> default action is being ignored.  Without sitting in front of your PC I
> can't really offer any further advice.  I have this set up on two very
> differently configured PCs, one running Windows XP home and the other
> Windows 2000.
>
> The only way I can replicate your problem is as follows:
> 1. Reset the registry key so Internet Explorer uses Acrobat 6
> 2. Open Internet explorer and then navigate to a PDF file on a web page
> 3. This will open using Acrobat 6 if you have not edited the registry key.
> 4. Close Internet Explorer.
> 5. Double click on a PDF file on your local PC.
> 6. It will open with Acrobat 6!
> 7. Close Acrobat 6
> 8. Repeat step 5 (Double click on a PDF file on your local PC)
> 9. This time it will open with Acrobat Reader!
>
> Obviously Acrobat 6 gets opened when you view a PDF within Internet
> Explorer.  It does not, however, appear in the task bar.  It would seem
that
> it remains open even after Explorer is closed, and is hence used to open a
> PDF file when you double click on it.
>
> Is this possibly your problem?
>
>

Two more remarks ...

"Jonathan Finney" <jon@signex.com> wrote:

> "Andrew" <ajhuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:30ih5eF2ubhepU1@uni-berlin.de...

>> Jonathan Finney wrote:

>>> "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" %1
>>>
>>> This appears to be correct although I have also tried it with the %1
>>> in quotation marks and without the %1 (but it gets added
>>> automatically).

.... remark one: You should put back the quotation marks around %1 so
that it will work with file/directory names containing blanks:

    "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" "%1"

>> Obviously Acrobat 6 gets opened when you view a PDF within Internet
>> Explorer.  It does not, however, appear in the task bar.  It would seem that
>> it remains open even after Explorer is closed, and is hence used to open a
>> PDF file when you double click on it.
>>
>> Is this possibly your problem?

> However, double-clicking a PDF file always opens the filke in Acrobat
> ...except sometimes!  Apparently after viwing a PDF in IE.
>
> That's it!  Thanks for your attention, but I'm not wasting any more time on
> this.  Clearly Adobe engineers feel that they know better than to leave
> choices such as these to the user despite a predominantly professional user
> base.

.... remark two: the behaviour that Aandi described, Andrew reproduced
and you were stumbling across, is consistent but somewhat hidden. I
always assumed a performance reason for the Reader plug-in for Internet
Explorer leaving AcroRd32.exe running.

Under Windows NT/2000/XP, you can see Acrobat or the Reader in the
Task Manager's Processes tab. The Reader appears there as AcroRd32.exe
(Acrobat itself will appear with its file name too). If Acrobat,
after being started by its Internet Explorer plug-in, remains running
without a window (pushbutton in the taskbar) like the Reader does,
then you can end the unwanted process with the pushbutton on Task
Manager's Processes tab. You might also be able to create a program
shortcut running something like

    taskkill Acrobat.exe

(or whatever the Acrobat executable's filename is), if you have the
taskkill utility on your Windows system.

Horst 

There is one point you should pay attention to. It is a Adobe special.
If you have already open Acrobat or Reader (maby also in the
background) the file-assocation or IE settings will be disregarded and
the PDF will be started in the already opened program.

This you can avoid if you use the command line option /n. Then the PDF
will always opened in a new instance with exact the program you have
defined. So Acrobat and/or Reader start up like Excel or Word.

The usage is: ".....\Acrobat.exe" /n "%1" or "...\AcroRD.exe" /n "%1"

This also works for IE/Registry settings. Only if you work with Pdfs
with secure protocols, like webdav or https, it don't works correct.
With http it works fine.

HTH, Reinhard

Reinhard Franke wrote:
> There is one point you should pay attention to. It is a Adobe special.
> If you have already open Acrobat or Reader (maby also in the
> background) the file-assocation or IE settings will be disregarded and
> the PDF will be started in the already opened program.
>
> This you can avoid if you use the command line option /n. Then the PDF
> will always opened in a new instance with exact the program you have
> defined. So Acrobat and/or Reader start up like Excel or Word.
>
> The usage is: ".....\Acrobat.exe" /n "%1" or "...\AcroRD.exe" /n "%1"
>
> This also works for IE/Registry settings. Only if you work with Pdfs
> with secure protocols, like webdav or https, it don't works correct.
> With http it works fine.
>
> HTH, Reinhard

The /n 'trick' is very useful.  The real reason that I want to be able to
choose Acrobat Reader rather than Acrobat is that I have Reader V6 but only
Acrobat V5.  I therefore want to be able to choose which application I use,
even if I already have another document open, which using the /n option now
allows me to do.

Is there a list of Acrobat command line parameters anywhere?  I've looked
previously without success.

Here you can find a complete list:

http://groups.google.de/groups?q=Reinhard+Franke+/h&hl=de&lr=&newwindow=1&group=adobe.acrobat.windows&selm=ef8d943.0%40WebX.aaQKaf7vad4&rnum=8

If you goggle for "Reinhard Franke /h" or similar you will get much
examples how to use it.

Have a nice weekend, Reinhard





"Andrew" <ajhuk@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<30obngF32rm84U1@uni-berlin.de>...
> Reinhard Franke wrote:
> > There is one point you should pay attention to. It is a Adobe special.
> > If you have already open Acrobat or Reader (maby also in the
> > background) the file-assocation or IE settings will be disregarded and
> > the PDF will be started in the already opened program.
> >
> > This you can avoid if you use the command line option /n. Then the PDF
> > will always opened in a new instance with exact the program you have
> > defined. So Acrobat and/or Reader start up like Excel or Word.
> >
> > The usage is: ".....\Acrobat.exe" /n "%1" or "...\AcroRD.exe" /n "%1"
> >
> > This also works for IE/Registry settings. Only if you work with Pdfs
> > with secure protocols, like webdav or https, it don't works correct.
> > With http it works fine.
> >
> > HTH, Reinhard
> 
> The /n 'trick' is very useful.  The real reason that I want to be able to
> choose Acrobat Reader rather than Acrobat is that I have Reader V6 but only
> Acrobat V5.  I therefore want to be able to choose which application I use,
> even if I already have another document open, which using the /n option now
> allows me to do.
> 
> Is there a list of Acrobat command line parameters anywhere?  I've looked
> previously without success.