[PDF] Re: Adobe Acrobat 6.0 -- Compatibility

[Duff Johnson]

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Dov Isaacs wrote someplace:

>Leonard's response notwithstanding, the simplest way of assuring
>that PDF files produced by Acrobat 6 can be fully accessed in
>Acrobat Reader 5.0 or 5.1 is to use Distiller job options that
>limit the PDF version to PDF 1.4 or earlier!

To Dov's point, I would add (or emphasize) that the ONLY way to
"comprehensively" assure both actual and "perceived" compatibility
with earlier versions of Acrobat is, as Dov suggests, to use
Distiller settings for creating 1.4 spec PDFs... AND (my addition)
use only Acrobat 5.0x to modify the file after creation.

Not only are some interactive methods in 6.0 incompatible
with 5.0x, but even if you do nothing to the file in 6.0 other
than perform a Save As, you'll still force 5.0x users to view
the alert dialog when they open the file.

At Document Solutions, we have elected to NEVER quash
that dialog, since it is the most obvious tip that the file
has been "touched" by 6.0 - and is therefore "suspect"
with respect to compatibility with earlier versions of Acrobat.

Our experience is that the "average" 5.0x user (alas, often a
decision maker) is not infrequently alarmed by the alert dialog.
To some, the dialog is an indication of inherent incompatibility...
ouch. Granted, that's not (especially) reasonable, but they cut
the checks, and our job is to given them what they want.

Since we frequently produce files for use by high volumes of
un-managed users, we've (reluctantly) concluded that use of 6.0
must be "disclosed" up-front. For many corporate applications,
this often leads to a discussion in which the client eventually
requires us to "make sure they are Acrobat 5 compatible".
Unfortunately, the functional implication of their request often
forces us to avoid 6.0 altogether.

A typical dialog can go like this:

Prospect: "I opened your sample file, and I got this funny dialog
that I hadn't seen before. What's that all about?"

DSI: "Your users must have 6.0, or they will get an alert when
they open the file in an earlier version of Acrobat."

Prospect: "Why is that? Our corporation has not (and has
no immediate plan to) spend the money / IT hassle / retraining
to upgrade to 6.0".

DSI: "Well... WE use 6.0, so that means your users will see
the alert."

Prospect: "Oh, that's very nice... for you. Can't you make it
go away? Seems like a simple enough thing to do."

DSI: "Um... sure, we can do that."

DSI Project Manager to DSI Project Staff: "OK, folks.
Another 5.05 project! Put the 6.0 boxes on the shelf, and
break out the 5.05 boxes again. And don't forget to stay
current on both versions!"

For the time being (and I suspect this will last for quite some
time), we must "segregate" our projects (and machines, and
training) into 5.05 and 6.0 versions. I love buying new
computers, of course, but our accountant is not so enamored.

If only the 6.0 Optimizer could actually "down-version" files to
1.4, the transition problem would be EASY to manage! Too
much to hope for, I'm sure.

Duff Johnson
Document Solutions, Inc.
www.document-solutions.com

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[Melvin Backus]

At 04:47 PM 9/6/2003 -0700, Duff Johnson wrote:

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Dov Isaacs wrote someplace:

>Leonard's response notwithstanding, the simplest way of assuring
>that PDF files produced by Acrobat 6 can be fully accessed in
>Acrobat Reader 5.0 or 5.1 is to use Distiller job options that
>limit the PDF version to PDF 1.4 or earlier!

To Dov's point, I would add (or emphasize) that the ONLY way to

<very large snip>

For the time being (and I suspect this will last for quite some

time), we must "segregate" our projects (and machines, and
training) into 5.05 and 6.0 versions.  I love buying new
computers, of course, but our accountant is not so enamored.

While I can't offer any magic bullet that will make this situation go away, I can in fact offer a solution that may make your accountant happier, at least if you're working in a PC environment.  In my "other" life as a QA specialist as well as my personal use for experimenting with different environments I have become very fond of a product called VMWare.  It can very easily make the segregation of different environments a trivial task.  Depending on your particular environment that might mean a copy on the affected workstations or a copy of one of their server products.  There are some other similar products available but I happen to prefer this one, perhaps because I used it first, but the concept is viable whichever of them you happen to choose.  It won't solve the problem of having to keep staff current on both versions, but it will make it simple for them to switch into which ever environment they need at the time.

Later...

Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Melvin Backus
Principal Wizard
Sleepy Dragon Enterprises
www.sleepydragon.net

[Michael Jahn]

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On 9/6/03 6:53 PM, "Duff Johnson" (former adobe-ite) wrote:

> To Dov's point, I would add (or emphasize) that the ONLY way to

> "comprehensively" assure both actual and "perceived" compatibility
> with earlier versions of Acrobat is, as Dov suggests, to use
> Distiller settings for creating 1.4 spec PDFs... AND (my addition)
> use only Acrobat 5.0x to modify the file after creation.

This sounds similar to text from a letter written by General Ned Ludd !

My - what would Spencer Perceval think ?

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRperceval.htm

<smile> - just kidding here.

Cheers,

Michael Jahn
1104 Esplanade
Suite 102
Redondo Beach
California
90277

Home office : 310 540 6950

Fax: 310 540 8369