External JS Editor Won't Open

[MADink_Designs27]

I've been using Acrobat for years and have never had an issue where the external editor will not open.

I've tried:

• Changing to a different editor
• Changing to the Acrobat editor and back to an external editor
• Modifying the JavaScript settings (unchecked everything using several scenarios)

Any suggestions? I see that Tuesday, October 12, 2021 there was an update... Could the new update caused a bug?

The only other things I can think to do is try to repair the installation or try to reinstall the previous version...

[MADink_Designs27]

I tried repairing the installation without success.

I also opened a form on another computer with a different Adobe license, and it does not open the editor either. I'm beginning to think this is a bug with the latest version, but the CC app doesn't seem to have a place to download the previous version...

[Firefly Integrations]

Upon further testing, notepad is the only external editor I've been able to get to work thus far.

[Bernd Alheit]

Try the editor notepad++

[MADink_Designs27]

Thank you for your reccomendation. I'm familiar with Sublime Text and would prefer to stick with that. VS Code doesn't work either. This has now been tested on three different machines under different accounts.

Why would some editors work and others aren't but previously were?

I have already submitted to Adobe Uservoice.

[MADink_Designs27]

Is there a way to revert back to a previous build of Acrobat?

Other CC applications have a way to install previous. It doesn't seem to be the case with Acrobat...

[JFRaf653]

How was this rectified?  I'm having the same problem

[MADink_Designs27]

No, but I'm no longer working on JS forms. The last time I was using them, it was not working. I had to copy and paste script from my editor into notepad.

[GGN]

I have a similar problem. My favorite Editor, EditPad Pro, did work fine as an external JS-Editor for years - until 3 days ago! No Error-message, nothing, The Editor simpy don't start working. Now strange:

1. Windows Notepad works well

2. Notepad+++ works well

3. And when I sign up as Admin even EditPad Pro works well!?!

But as normal User ...

Since MADink_Designs27 issue wasn't solved really, I hope someone from Adobe jumps in 🙂

[GGN]

Guess I better open a new thread, seems, that noone cares for the old ones?

[MADink_Designs27]

Did you ever find a solution to this?

[GGN]

There must be another thread somewhere ... well actually I found two and a half solutions:

1. Use Notepad+++ - That's what our company-admins prefer. I prefer EditPad Pro, but Notepad isn't bad either.

2. Modify the settings "Preferences > Security (Enhanced)" either by

2.1 disable the "Enhanced Security" and "Sandbox Protection" or

2.2 using "Privileged Locations"

[GGN]

And even one more, I didn't try though:

You can whitelist other editors by editing the registry as shown in the document at You can whitelist other editors by editing the registry as shown in the document at
https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AppSec/sandboxprotections.html#using-3rd-party-js...

[gary_6283]

I discovered Microsoft Defender antivirus/threat protection was blocking Notepad++.
Block Rule: "Block Adobe from "creating child processes"

[JR Boulay]

The trick is not to use the “External Editor” function.
To avoid bugs and nasty surprises, I use Notepad++ (or BBEdit on the Mac) and copy-paste into Acrobat's editor.