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_Andorio_Magellano_
Participant
June 20, 2007
Question

PDF Preview Handler doesn't work

  • June 20, 2007
  • 47 replies
  • 433611 views
Hi, I got this error in the e-mail window:

This file cannot be previewed because of an error with the following previewer:
PDF Preview Handler for Vista
To open this file in its own program, double-click it.

No more error details are provided.
Windows Vista x64 + Outlook 2007.
I tried reinstalling 8.1 update, no success.
Any clue?
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    47 replies

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    E
    Entropy1963
    Participant
    May 22, 2009

    This is a problem only for x64 platforms… in the same machine I have 2 drives with exactly the same configuration except that one drive runs Windows 7 x32 and the other Windows 7 x64. The preview handler of adobe does not work only when I run Windows 7 x64!

    As I see this problem is around for years with vista x64 and adobe has done absolutely nothing. And won't do for the years to come. For some reason adobe does not like much x64 platforms.  With the recent exception of photoshop no other product of adobe has a x64 flavor…

    C
    ChadleyD
    Participant
    August 24, 2009

    I am having a similiar problem with Vista x32.  The preview handler is able to display the pdf, but the fields that were filled in prior to the email are not showing any values, but when you open the pdf with reader the values are there.  Below is a more detail account of what is happening.  I have contacted the third party dll as well, but thought someone here might have an idea too.

    I have a client that is using the a thrid party PDF dll (Syncfusion) to generate and email PDFs reports. There seems to be an issue with the PDFs that are generated and using the built-in PDF Preview Handler for Vista. The scenario is ...


    1. User receives an email into Outlook that contains a generated PDF (see image ''01-Opening-Email.jpg'')

    2. User clicks on the attachment in Outlook and the preview handler starts up (see image ''02-Loading-Previewer.jpg'')

    3. The PDF displayed in the preview handler does not have any of the fields filled out (see image ''03-Report-Loaded-In-Viewer.jpg'')

    4. User then right clicks on the PDF (in outlook) and selects to open the PDF with Adobe Acrobat Version 9.0 and the report is displayed with all the fields filled out (see image ''04-Report-Opened-With-Adobe.jpg'')


    All of these images are included in the attachment that I have uploaded with this incident. As well, in the RAR file is the PDF that was sent by the system using the PDF dll from Syncfusion. Please let me know if you need any more information from me.

    S
    supermix
    Participant
    April 10, 2009

    Same problem, same operating system, same outlook. How is it possible that Adobe doesn't repair the bug?

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    ADOBE COME ON!!!

    _
    _Boe_Ski_
    Participant
    March 28, 2009
    I ran "PDFPrevHndlrShim.exe" as described, verified that it was running in the process list and still no joy ):
    _
    _markhavshoj_
    Participant
    March 24, 2009
    I found a solution that worked on my PC. I found out that PDFPrevHndlrShim.exe was not running in Windows processes. I then located PDFPrevHndlrShim.exe (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat) and double clicked on it. Voila! Now it works.
    _
    _mikepunktch_
    Participant
    March 17, 2009
    I had the same problem on my Vista 64bit.
    I've just installed the 'Foxit PDF Preview Handler'.

    It works perfect in Outlook 2007 and in the Windows Explorer !!!

    http://timheuer.com/blog/archive/2008/05/09/foxit-pdf-preview-handler.aspx
    W
    W0GER
    Participant
    March 10, 2009
    It's now 33 months!

    Anyone with an open case have anything they can share?
    _
    _Ross_Snowden_
    Participating Frequently
    November 30, 2008
    My advice is to use Foxit Reader instead. It's much quicker and only about a 4 MB download.
    _
    _Herman_Westendorp_
    Participant
    November 30, 2008
    I have the exact same problem as D Spinnacer using Acrobat 9.0.0 Pro Extended on a Vista x64 machine. I also have Office 2007 installed as well as Adobe CS4 Master collection (entire suite except InDesign CS4 - I need to finish a project in InDesign CS3 first)

    On top of it all Acrobat now closes 5 seconds after opening any .pdf - resident file or email attachment.

    Herm Westendorp
    Grrrrrr.
    _
    _D_Spinnacer_
    Participant
    August 6, 2008
    In case anyone wants to let Adobe know that you agree, please file a bug report here:
    http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

    You'll have to fill-out your exact data, but feel free to use my comment (change # of months accordly from August, 2008):

    ******BUG******
    Concise problem statement: PDF preview handler does not work for 26+ months now.
    Steps to reproduce bug:
    1. Open email with PDF attachment in Outlook 2007
    2. Click PDF attachment tab for previewing
    3. Observe error: "This file cannot be previewed because of an error with the following previewer: PDF Preview Handler for Vista"
    Results: Form frown on face
    Expected results: If Foxit can do it, Adobe should be able to too.
    _
    _D_Spinnacer_
    Participant
    August 6, 2008
    Has anyone discovered a solution to this issue? The Foxit PDF Preview Handler was working just fine until I recently bit the bullet for Acrobat Pro Extended, only to find that the preview handler no longer works on my Vista x64 system. Like other contributors, I have Office 2007 installed.

    Upon reinstalling the Foxit PDF Preview Handler (which worked again), various Acrobat functionality was no longer present in Office programs (e.g. Save As > Adobe PDF in Office 2007 program 'button' menus) AND a window popped-up stating that Acrobat detected an error and offered a 'repair' option. Being that I want to have operational, expensive software, I chose 'repair,' which beyond taking an exorbitant amount of time and processing, fixed Acrobat and un-fixed the preview handler.

    This is not FUN, abode! I know your heart pumps Macintosh blood, but if you want to poise as cross-platform, I'd like to see some action on this 26-month-and-counting bug. I could deal before I spent $700, but now it's making me mad! And I'm being generous on the 26-month figure since that's how long the VISTA preview handler functionality has been PUBLICLY available... no doubt Adobe had access to the code a year or more in advance of that. This is clearly not a MS issue since Foxit seems to have their head on straight... and their heart in the right place. Oops, did I say that?

    You can check VISTA development dates here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_of_Windows_Vista
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