How do I match Bookmark location with View location?

[shohnng]

Good day,

I've been searching high and low for this answer, but yet continue to be stumped.  I would like to simply be able figure out how I can have my location within a PDF document be reflected and matched by the bookmark?  ie. how do I have the bookmarks pane scroll along to match my current location in the document pane (or where the cursor is) and highlight the matching bookmark?

Hoping someone can help solve this one for me!

Thank you.

[try67]

The bookmark corresponding to your current location will highlight automatically as you scroll, but the panel itself will not scroll automatically for you.

[shohnng]

Unfortunately I think that's what I'm trying to accomplish, as I scroll through the document, the bookmark panel doesn't highlight automatically. 

For example, if I click on a bookmark, and then scroll past a few bookmarked locations, the bookmark panel doesn't advance.

In reading over your response over, I think you're saying this doesn't happen, but could you maybe clarify what you mean by 'the bookmark corresponding to your current location will highlight..."?

Thank you! 

[try67 · Accepted solution]

If you just open the Bookmarks panel and scroll down the page, as you enter a page which a bookmark points to that bookmark will become (slightly) highlighted by its color changing from blue to gray. Here's an example:

You'll notice that the "annotAttachment" bookmark has a different color as soon as I scrolled to the page that it points to. When I continue scrolling and move past that page, that highlight disappears and the icon returns to its original state:

If I then scroll on some more and arrive to the next one ("AnnotRichMedia"), it will also become highlighted:

And so on. However, when I go past the last bookmark visible in the Bookmarks panel ("Events", in this case) the panel itself will not scroll down automatically to match my location in the file. I'll have to do that myself.

[shohnng]

Thank you very much for the clarification.  

I now understand what you mean by 'the panel itself' will not scroll down automatically.  

What you've described in the transition between "annotAttachment" and "AnnotRichMedia" being highlighted as you progress through the document is exactly what I am trying to replicate.  This is not occuring for me.  

I am editing in Adobe Acrobat DC if that matters. 

Thank you! 

[try67]

It might have to do with the type of action associated with the bookmarks. Do you know how to check that?

[shohnng]

Yes, I believe I do... 
- right-click on individual Bookmark itself, and select Properties.

- from there, the Action tab provides a list of options to add/edit etc.

Looking forward to your guidance.  Thank you again,

[try67]

OK, and what do you see there? What kind of action is associated with the bookmarks in your file?

[shohnng]

Generally speaking it's what I've set... and it's pretty basic:

1) "Go to page in this document" - with associated settings for Page # and Zoom Level

2) "Execute Menu Item" - View>Zoom>Fit Height.

...and that's generally it.  

[try67]

Then it should work.

[shohnng]

Dang... don't know why it isn't.

When I select a bookmark, the bookmark name is highlighted in 'blue' vs. the icon like in your pictures above.

...and while I'm on the subject of the icon, is there a reason the merged bookmarks are "double curled flags" (?) vs. if I create one post-merging, it's a 'single UNCURLED flag'.  In your pictures above, I'd refer to those as "Single curled flags"

[try67]

Re blue highlighting: That is correct behavior, but it's unrelated to the kind of highlighting I talked about.

Re different icons: That has to do with how the bookmarks were created. When they are the result of multiple files being merged (in Acrobat) you'll get those "double" bookmark icons. I've actually developed a (free) tool some time ago to convert those bookmarks to "regular" ones.

You can find it here: https://try67.blogspot.com/2011/09/batch-change-bookmarks-type.html

[shohnng]

Re: highlighting - yes, it appears different than the kind of highlighting you've reflected.  I can't actually get it to highlight as in your pictures.... just the ribbon of blue highlight across the entire bookmark name.  

I'm going to try editing in FoxIt and see if there might be some sort of Property to adjust.  I'm at the end of my rope on this one.  It's somewhat cosmetic, but it's a bigger issue as I have a 300+ page document.

Thank you for your patience and assistance.

[shohnng]

OK... @try67, you're going to kill me.

Loaded FoxIt and the bookmarks advance as I would have wanted... so I try opening in Acrobat Reader only, and suddenly noticed that what I wanted is actually occurring.  Confirmed the same in Acrobat DC.  

The only issue was that it was *barely* visible.  The 'highlight' of the flag is only apparent on the border of the flag, and goes from one dark shade of grey, to an ever so slightly darker shade of grey.  *facepalm*

Also, I probably only noticed this after running your script because it standardized the icon to the "single unrolled flag".  Any way to change how it 'highlights'?  🙂

[try67]

Yes, it's very imperceptible, and no, it can't be changed.

[jamesgarlearnin]

The fact that this feature doesn't work better is really quite shocking. Most websites have this setup now, it is trivial to program, and gives the reader a much better idea where they are in a long pdf. In fact all other pdf readers that I know of, I even just tried "Preview" on my Mac and it works like a champ. As I scroll through the book the appropriate bookmarks light up in order. Simple.

[try67]

You can submit a feature request here: https://www.adobe.com/products/wishform.html