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Participant
July 25, 2023
Question

Interactive pdf return to previous viewed page?

  • July 25, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 4605 views

Hi, I have a lengthly interactive pdf. My client would like to add a button on every page so that the user can return to the previously viewed page. This would not be just "previous page" (like going from page 2 to 1) It would link back to whichever page in the document that they were just viewing before the current page. Does that make sense? Is this possible?

We already have on every page interactive chapter tabs, a home button and previous and next.

thank you for your help!

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3 replies

BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 25, 2023

And be aware that most of this won't work except with Acrobat or Reader on a desktop.

Luke Jennings3
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 25, 2023

You can set the button properties in Acrobat to have a button return the user to the previous view or last page. In Acrobat, go to Tools> Prepare Form> Right click on a button to bring up the button properties, Select Action: Execute a menu item, click Add, then select a menu item.

Also, interactive pdfs should be viewed with Acrobat or Reader only.

Participant
July 25, 2023

Thank you! So, there's not a way to do it in InDesign? This document is over 100 pages and I'd like to have it in the master page. 

Luke Jennings3
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 25, 2023

Generally, Acrobat has better tools for editing interactive pdfs, however, the page navigation selections appear to be the same, so you can create the button on the master page. I was incorrectly assuming the "Last page" option would bring you to the last page you looked at, where it would actually bring you to the last document page. You might take a look at the Acrobat forum, there may be a script you can add to a button command that would send the viewer to the previously viewed page.

Community Expert
July 25, 2023

Use "Go to Previous View" instead of "Go to Previous Page" action.

Participant
July 26, 2023

This worked! I feel so silly because I was SURE I looked for this in the button choices. Thank you for mentioning it and making me look again.