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Roland Erwin5ECC
Participant
May 18, 2021
Answered

Reading depreciated features of PDF 1.x files with PDF 2.0 Reader

  • May 18, 2021
  • 7 replies
  • 1734 views

According to the PDF 2.0 specification some features of PDF 1.x will be depreciated. A proper PDF 2.0 reader will not be able to read these depreciated features of PDF 1.x files (See Site of Library of Congress loc.gov). I wonder how the Adobe Acrobat PDF 2.0 Reader will handle files with depreciated features? Will the user be asked to switch to a PDF 1.x reader? We have tens of thousands of PDF 1.x files in our archives. Among the depreciated features are some common encryption methods of PDF 1.x files. Will there be a software to convert the PDF 1.x files with depreciated features such that the files can be read by PDF 2.0 readers?

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    Correct answer Test Screen Name

    "Since Adobe did not answer my question, I assume..." You assume wrong. The assumption that this is a place where you can contact Adobe at all is wrong, still less the assumption that Adobe will answer highly detailed technical questions about their future plans at all.

     

    Personally, I don't agree. Why on earth would you make it need "an effort" for people to read PDF 1.x files, when the vast majority of users don't even know what a PDF is, still less what its version is. Such artificial difficulties could fatally undermine the acceptance and ease of use of PDF. And how would browsers make this distinction since there is only one Content-type... no I think we will continue to see one code base. "PDF 2.0 only" readers are likely to be a rarity.

    7 replies

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    Roland Erwin5ECCAuthor
    Participant
    May 26, 2021

    Since Adobe did not answer my question, I assume Adobe has not yet decided how to handle PDF 1.x Files that cannot be read by a PDF 2.0 Reader. Since the version of an Adobe PDF File is written on top of the File, it may be preferable that Adobe 2.0 Reader will actually consist of two code bases: A code that still read Adobe 1.x Files with a PDF 1.x Reader and a PDF 2.0 Reader that reads PDF 2.x Files. In many years I expect that PDF Readers will only use the second code base, such that users will need to make an effort to read PDF 1.x Files: It appears to me that in many years  a user will have to actively search and download a Reader that is able to read a PDF 1.x File of the 2020.

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    Test Screen NameCorrect answer
    Legend
    May 26, 2021

    "Since Adobe did not answer my question, I assume..." You assume wrong. The assumption that this is a place where you can contact Adobe at all is wrong, still less the assumption that Adobe will answer highly detailed technical questions about their future plans at all.

     

    Personally, I don't agree. Why on earth would you make it need "an effort" for people to read PDF 1.x files, when the vast majority of users don't even know what a PDF is, still less what its version is. Such artificial difficulties could fatally undermine the acceptance and ease of use of PDF. And how would browsers make this distinction since there is only one Content-type... no I think we will continue to see one code base. "PDF 2.0 only" readers are likely to be a rarity.

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      Roland Erwin5ECCAuthor
      Participant
      May 26, 2021

       PDF 2.0 Reader that reads all PDF 1.x features is not consistent with the PDF 2.0 specification. The PDF 2.0 specification states that some PDF 1.x features (including the most used encryption methods) are depreciated. "Depreciated" is defined in the same specifications as "ignored by a reader". See the PDF 2.0 specification ISO 32000 or https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000474.shtml :"The definition of "deprecated" in the specification says that features marked as deprecated in this part of ISO 32000 [...]  should be ignored by a reader." But Adobe may not care too much about the specification and simply sell a PDF Reader that reads all, at least until PDF 1.x files with depreciated features become infrequent.

      T
      Test Screen Name
      Legend
      May 19, 2021

      To my mind, a good PDF viewer product will, forever, be able to display PDF 1.x and PDF 2.x files. There is no reason to make or sell a thing that only handles new files, and ignores the old. And there is no conflict in this requirement, because the PDF viewer knows which type of file it is reading.

      Bernd Alheit
      Community Expert
      Bernd AlheitCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 19, 2021

      May be that new versions of Acrobat Reader can also display old PDF versions.

      Peru Bob
      Community Expert
      Peru BobCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 18, 2021

      I've moved this from the Using the Community forum (which is the forum for issues using the forums) to the Acrobat Reader forum so that proper help can be offered.

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