Need advice on sharing a 400-page pdf file as a book readable on Acrobat DC Reader

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
November 8, 2020
3 replies
1077 views

I want to share a large pdf file essentially as a book for others to read. They have the Acrobat DC Reader but no other special software. I can store the file on my Google drive and make it accessible to anyone with the link. The size of the file seems to require that the individual wanting to read the file download it, and I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Do you have any suggestions that would let the reader read the file page by page, not scrolling continuously, without the time- and storage-consuming requirement of downloading the hefty pdf file? Some of my readers will have PCs, some iMACs, some iPads, etc. I'd like to accommodate all of them.

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Luke Jennings3

Community Expert

You can set the PDF initial view document properties to either scroll the PDF- Page layout: Single Page (Continuous), or jump from page to page- Page layout: Single Page. (File> Document properties). These preferences will work as long as the PDF is viewed in Acrobat or Reader.

I would suggest you make a low-res version of your PDF by using the Acrobat Optimizer (File> Save-as other> Optimized PDF) set the images to 72 dpi and select all of the clean up and discard options, this may produce a PDF small enough to send via email. Include a button on the PDF with a link to a higher-res version of your PDF residing on your Google drive that they can download. Set the Google drive file so anybody can view or download it without permission, or use DropBox.

Santa Rosa JohnAuthor

Participant

Luke --

Just a word of thanks for your very helpful suggestions. They are right on the money and have provided an excellent solution to our dilemma. Bravo to you and to the Adobe Support Community -- a marvelous service to Adobe users.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Or, looking at this from the other side: what specific issues do people have, on what systems and apps? If you can tell us what, specifically, gives them trouble we may be able to suggest either a way that you can change what you do, or some advice you can give. What is the file size, by the way?

Santa Rosa JohnAuthor

Participant

The file is a hefty 111 MB. We're hoping to have a one-size-fits-all solution that will work for users of PCs, iMacs, and iPads. We just want to make reading the book as simple as possible for those whose computer skills are quite limited.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Why don't you want to get them to download it? This is very much what people need to know how to do, and what they should be encouratged to do. But you're trying to control their experience - whether they scroll continuously is their choice. The important thing is that people probably already know how to read a PDF, and you should not make choices that force them to read it another way. Only offer help to those who need it. We often hear from madly frustrated users who are stuck reading a file the way the creator like it, and hate that!

Santa Rosa JohnAuthor

Participant

I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. This book is one of memoirs and life stories, written by an 89-year old woman, being sent to her children and grandchildren, and also to many contemporary friends in their 80's who are lucky if they can operate their computer or iPad by simply clicking on a link, etc. We'd like to make it as simple as possible for them. The youngsters won't have any issues with downloading, of course. That information explains why I've asked for suggestions.

try67

Community Expert

Splitting it into individual pages is not the solution. I would first look into why the file size is so large. Are there a lot of heavy images in the file? A lot of non-standard fonts? etc. You can try optimizing it in Acrobat to reduce the file size. If all else fails you can split it into individual files (per chapter, perhaps), and place a link at the end of each one to download the next part.

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