Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

[TJ_Tigger]

I want to include Reader on my CD so that if my endusers don't have it they can install it. With that being said, how many different versions of reader do I need to download and have on the CD? This is for the Windoze world so am I looking at two, one for 95/98/ME and the other for NT4/2000/XP?

Would you suggest having different pages for the software with an IF/ENDIF check to direct to the appropriate page, or just have the IF/ENDIF statement on the install button? Let's assume that there will be more than just Reader on the CD, maybe Quicktime or something else.

Thanks all

[pepethegreat]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

Are you referring to Acrobat Reader?

If so you can actually run Acrobat Reader from the CD if you wish.

Just install locally and include the installed files on the CD. It loads a bit slow but saves you from installing.

I would use the latest version since I have seen no issues between different OS's.

[TJ_Tigger]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

Just take the entire directory from my PCs directory C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobatreader, or what ever it is and put it in the Distribution folder of the CD? What else needs to be done then to open the file using that .exe rather than the one resident on their system?

[pepethegreat]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

Exactly...

You would then do a file execute command to launch the AcroRD32.exe from the CD and use the command line argument to point to the .pdf file on the CD you are trying to open.

The result will be that it loads Acrobat and the .pdf file you are looking to open.

If you want to speed the loading of Acrobat from the CD a little you could play with some of the settings within Acrobat Reader (Splash screen display etc.) or delete any of the acrobat plugins that you wont be needing (They are in a plugins folder).

Hope this helps

[Derek]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

You dont even need all the installed files ... the following will work:

AcroRd32.exe
AceLite.dll
Agm.dll
Bib.dll
CoolType.dll
SPPlugins

Stick 'em all in a sub-dir of Distribution and point to that [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[pepethegreat]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

I would think you would lose any added functionality that the plugins adds. Such as hyperlinks and form completion within a document.

[tbybee]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

I always include Acrobat Reader on my cd's, but only run it from the CD when their system doesn't support pdf's. Upon project starting do a registry check to see if they can open pdf's. If so, then just include an option to open the document. If not, then include the action to run it from the CD.

Since Acrobat Reader runs quite a bit faster from the hard drive, that's why I choose to run it there first, then resort to the CD version if necessary.

Tony

[AndrewClark]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

Strictly speaking, you're supposed to complete the Adobe distribution license agreement, available at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acroba...ute.html?logos

You will only need one version of the installable exe on your CD. You might as well have the latest and greatest, rp505enu.exe. This will run fine on all Windows 32 bit systems. I need this version because it has the Search plugin. You will need this if you are supplying an index with the PDFs.

[TJ_Tigger]

Re: Putting Reader on my CD, how many versions?

I am new to this so bear with me. On initialization you search for a registry setting and if that exists you make a variable equal to true. Then when you launch a PDF depending on the state of the variable you will either run it from the CD or their hard drive?

Would you be able to provide the examples you use? I like seeing them to learn from them. A copy and past of the event would be great.