PDF Preview Handler doesn't work

[_Andorio_Magellano_]

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?

[_Ross_Snowden_]

I have the exact same problem you are/were having.
Also running VISTA x64 and Outlook 2007.
What is the solution to this problem ... anyone?

[_Ognian_Tschakalov_]

Same for me!!
Vista 64 bit, Reader 8.1.1. I have this since 4 months waiting for either a fix from MS or Adobe. I've several times installed / re installed the Reader, no change. On the Web there are a lot of people complaining about this. Could someone from Adobe confirm this BUG and provide at least a Statement!

[_Ross_Snowden_]

I installed the Foxit PDF Preview and it worked, so I would suggest you download and install this; at least until Adobe fixed this problem.

[_Ognian_Tschakalov_]

Thanks a lot !!
This works great, and the only thing you need is just one .msi containing everything.

[_michele_salvini_]

I have the exact same problem you are/were having.
Also running VISTA x64 and Outlook 2007
It's incredible Adobe doesn't fix it (from Micro$oft i don't expect anything anymore...:-))

[John T Smith]

>incredible Adobe doesn't fix it

Send a bug report... the more reports, the more likely to have a fix

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

[_Christopher_Abichandani_]

Based on the knowledge base article linked by this blog entry:

http://jtbworld.blogspot.com/2007/07/pdf-preview-handler-included-with-adobe.html

This is a known issue and it is actually a bug in 64-bit versions of Windows. Apparently there is a patch but in order to work with the patch, adobe must update their product. So originally we were waiting on both parties but now I think we are waiting on Adobe.

I have the Vista SP1 RC installed and my gdi32.dll is a version even later than this patch (6.0.6001.17052; 379kb; 11/30/2007), so I guess I have to wait for Adobe to update their previewer to work with the fix provided by the patch and successive versions of gdi32.dll, including the one provided with the SP1 RC.

The KB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930627

-Chris

[_Ross_Snowden_]

All I can say is at least the programmers who created the Foxit preview reader got it right the first time, proof that it is actually possible. Quite embarrassing, considering all the resources available to Adobe.

[_Campbell_Goodwille_]

Is there a solution to this problem yet? I have upgraded to 8.1.2 but the PDF Preview Handler for Vista will still not run in Office 2007 (on Vista Business x64).

[_Ross_Snowden_]

The only solution that works for me is to install the Foxit PDF preview handler. It works flawlessly with Vista Home Premium x64 and Office Outlook 2007. The link is posted below.

http://www.timheuer.com/blog/archive/2007/02/27/14001.aspx

I don't think you will be disappointed.

[_AakashShah_]

The newest version, Adobe 9, still doesn't offer the PDF preview functionality on Vista x64.

I've installed FoxIt, and it works great. However, it displays the Bookmarks pane which takes up a lot of space when using it in Explorer and hence it isn't use space efficient. Otherwise, it's a great program that's quick to use, and fast and simple to install.

[_dswain_]

I have Windows Vista Business, Outlook 2007, and Adobe Reader 9. The PDF Preview Handler works for almost all of pdf's I receive in Outlook. However, for some reason one particular pdf file I get will not work.

The email is from the same source every day, the file has the same name. I can't even save the attachment. I have reinstalled Reader 9 (no luck), I have tried Foxit (same type of error message for this email only).

Any ideas?

[_Christopher_Abichandani_]

dswain, perhaps you are using 32-bit Vista, so the preview handler doesn't exhibit the issue people are talking about here. It seems you may simply be receiving an invalid PDF from that particular sender.

[John T Smith]

>receiving an invalid PDF

I don't remember the details (don't send/receive PDF by email) but I "sort of" remember a previous discussion that an attached PDF is "seen" by some (most-all???) email software as a "text" file due to the first few bytes... so a particular attachment coding is used... but the file is actually not text, and the attachment coding then corrupts the file

I do remember the solution... Tell the sender to ZIP the file and send that via email

[_AakashShah_]

dswain:

If I understood you correctly, I know exactly what you are talking about. This is actually a problem with the way Outlook deals with attachments with the same name. To fix it, you need to clear your cache. I know it sounds weird, but here is some technical information about it:

Let's say you constantly get an email with an attachment called "This001.pdf" (I get this from my Xerox WorkCenter each time I scan something). When you open it in Outlook, it stores it in the Outlook Temp folder which is in your Internet cache. When you open the next email that contains another This001.pdf, Outlook will open it, but in the background, it appends a number making "This001 (1).pdf". This number keeps incrementing until it reaches "This001 (99).pdf". After (99), Outlook is unable to increment the number and hence starts giving you errors when attempting to open or even save it. To see this for yourself, go to your Outlook Temp folder and you will find the 99 versions of "This001 (xx).pdf". The second you delete this, it should work.

[_dswain_]

AakashShah - That was a fix but had some issues!

I cleared cache, rebooted and it still didn't work. I did a search for Outlook Temp and saw what you described above (99 versions of the file). I attempted to delete these files but it said they could no longer be found. I went back to Outlook and was now able to preview the pdf's. I ran the search for Outlook Temp again and saw four versions of the file still remaining...(55), (56), (60), (62). I can't open or delete these files. I also don't see the Temporary Internet Files folder on the path below (where the files are supposed to exist)

c:\Users\Admin\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\xxxxx

Anyway, I don't understand the remaining issues but it looks like your suggestion has solved my immediate problem. Thanks!!!

[_AakashShah_]

dswain:
The Temp folder is "super hidden". To view this, go to:
Organize | Folder and Search Options | View tab and de-select Hide protected operating system files. This should allow you to view the Temp folder.

Also, make sure you close out of Outlook and any other programs that may use Outlook (any search programs, etc). This may let you delete the remaining files.

[_D_Spinnacer_]

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

[_D_Spinnacer_]

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.

[_Herman_Westendorp_]

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.

[_Ross_Snowden_]

My advice is to use Foxit Reader instead. It's much quicker and only about a 4 MB download.

[W0GER]

It's now 33 months!

Anyone with an open case have anything they can share?

[_mikepunktch_]

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

[_markhavshoj_]

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.