Adobe Reader X - Firefox integration Problem

Report · Nov 23, 2010

Dear All,

My first post here.

I am having problem's with the Adobe Reader X integration with Firefox (v3.6.12). I have been using Adobe Reader always and it's been fine.

But I installed the new Adobe Reader X, and it integrates with firefox well, PDF document's open well within the browser.. BUT, I cannot save the PDF document from within the pdf.. I cannot click anywhere on the toolbar.. I cannot click on the pop up toolbar as well (the black one).. When i press F8, I can restore the toolbar or make it disappear.. but that's all I can do..

If I try to save the document from firefox file menu, it works.. but not from within the pdf...

This problem is also seen in IE, as well.

I have tried repairing the install and also uninstall / reinstall adobe reader X. But nothing worked..

For more info., I have been discussing this issue here > http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows-os-software/534412-adobe-reader-x-available-3.html

I am looking forward to resolving this soon, because I use / read / work with hundreds and thousands of PDF, and they are extremely essential for my research work.. as some might know, all research articles are in PDF format these days..

Thanks in advance and best wishes,

Cheers, fondue

Report · Dec 15, 2010

Thanks for the message

Given your response, I looked more carefully at your image and now I think those differences are just an artifact of the jpeg compression. Can you confirm that the first few icons do have blue highlights, and there are circles around plus and minus?

No. They are not artifact's. I don't see the blue highlights or anything. The icons are just inactive, just as the other user posted a picture (see above).. The icon's are greyed out and just cannot be clicked or anything. It's the same as one would see if there was no pdf open (again, as shown above in the picture from travellingann.)

Can you use F8 to show the toolbars, then Shift-F8 to move the keyboard focus to the toolbar, and the arrow keys to select tools? <enter> should then select that. This would bolster the theory that it's just the mouse-positioning that is strange, and we can concentrate on that.

I can use F8 to show and hide the toolbars, but shift-F8 does not work. I mean, it doesn't do anything.

I can try to uninstall and reinstall again, and see, but I have done it many times by now and I don't know if it will change anything. But I will try again.

Thanks again and Cheers.

Report · Dec 16, 2010

Hello People,

I did a clean uninstall and reinstall, multiple times over, today and guess what??????

The issue seem's to have been gone!!!!

I have absolutely no idea what is happening here!!!!

Now Reader X open' fine, all the icons in the tool bar are enabled, I can click to save, print etc etc.. Also the right click now brings up the right click menu at the right place, where the right click was made.

Now I can also click on the black floating toolbar properly, and save the pdf document from there as well...

I have checked the same in IE and Chrome too, and it's working fine there also.

I'm just blown away by this!!!!

By the way, I have a small issue STILL, though...

When I open certain PDF documents, the one's which have the read feature by hand tool enabled by default (you know, the hand tool with the downward pointing arrow), I cannot save those PDF documents from within the browser (or from the floating toolbar)... I am having to save from the browser file menu using "save page as" feature... ctrl+s doesn't work from within the browser as well neither does ctrl+shift+s.....

Any idea on this? this is seen in IE and Chrome as well... again, just for the sake of repeating, it's not all documents. Only the PDF documents which have that hand tool reading ability...

The normal pdf documents are all fine...

What can I do?

By the way, I have searched and I have tried disabling the make hand tool read document function from edit > preferences.. but it didn't help..

So I don't know if it's the document properties.. and I have checked the document security and it's not secured in any way.. it's an open pdf document, but one which has the read by hand tool enabled...

Thanks

Report · Dec 16, 2010

By the way, I downloaded the Adobe Reader installation file fresh today... so I don't know if there was an update or whatever sneaked through during the last few days, after the initial release (which was the file I was using for intall, till now).

Cheers.

Report · Dec 20, 2010

@fonduekid: the only thing I can think of is that you somehow had a prerelease version of the installer on your machine -- don't know how it got there, perhaps our website didn't clearly mark it as such. You kept installing from that and it kept acting the same; then when (as you say) you re-dowloaded the installer, since we don't have any prerelease on our website any more, you go the newest one.

Glad to hear it's working.

I'm not sure of the save problem; have you tried turning off Protected Mode (IE's, through Tools->Internet Options, then Reader's through Reader Preferences -> General). Trying one or the other my work.

Report · Dec 20, 2010

Thanks again, for your posts and messages @browserpdfman. My replies are in bold.

@fonduekid: the only thing I can think of is that you somehow had a prerelease version of the installer on your machine -- don't know how it got there, perhaps our website didn't clearly mark it as such. You kept installing from that and it kept acting the same; then when (as you say) you re-dowloaded the installer, since we don't have any prerelease on our website any more, you go the newest one.

I have no idea and I can't confirm this, but could be!!

Glad to hear it's working.

I'm glad too Though I'd love to get rid of the other problem too (saving PDF's of some PDF documents!!!) I use those websites a lot for my studies and research and it's (sometimes) quiet annoying to have to save them... By the way, I'm not the only one on this - another user from NBR confirmed he has the same problem with Acrobat X too. Please see here > http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows-os-software/534412-adobe-reader-x-available-5.html (Last post from User "Pirx")

I'm not sure of the save problem; have you tried turning off Protected Mode (IE's, through Tools->Internet Options, then Reader's through Reader Preferences -> General). Trying one or the other my work.

Yes - they are turned off. But I still can't save those specific type of PDF documents.

FYI, there have been no updates to Reader X, and Reader X and file versions "10.<anything>" are the same at this point.

I thought so.. and I've been following and I saw no update's as such.

Thanks again and Cheers.

Report · Dec 16, 2010

Update

I just heard from another user that the problem with some PDF documents (as I described before, the one's with read by hand tool enabled by default) is present in Acrobat X as well!!!!

So, I don't know if it's because of some PDF document settings / security settings and so on...

Anyway, for those who want to check what I am saying about (and for those who have access to online scientific journals, you can use this pdf as a example > http://www.cell.com/abstract/S0092-8674%2810%2901362-0 [click on the pdf link to see the pdf] or Try this

Please let me know.

Thanks and cheers

Report · Dec 01, 2010

By the way, does anyone, by any chance, think there could be some problem with regard to the adobe shockwave player being installed?

I see that I have both adobe flash player, it's plugin and adobe shockwave player.

Is there any possibility for some conflict between these and adobe reader x' browser integration feature?

I am asking because I don't know about these things but neither could I find any hint on what could be wrong with the browser integration.. and I am just trying to look into all possible aspects...

Later today, I am planning to uninstall the shockwave player and see how it is with the reader x and browser integration.. I'll get back with that soon... meanwhile, if someone has any idea, I'd be happy to hear...

Thanks and cheers.

Report · Dec 07, 2010

I also had the same problem as you after upgrading to Reader X. I could not get the PDF to save from within my web browser (Firefox 3.6.12). And I too am running Windows 7 on my notebook (although Home Premium 64-bit, not Ultimate). I came looking for a solution and found your thread. After reading through all the posts, I tried out some of the suggestions, but none of them worked for me either. I did, however, feel more comfortable playing around with some of the preference settings in reader X after the fact, and ending up finding a solution just by changing one of my preferences:

> Open Adobe Reader X.

> Choose Preferences from the Edit menu.

> Choose the Internet category.

> Uncheck Display PDF in browser under Web Browser Options, and click OK.

That fixed it for me. Hopefully it will work for you too.

P.S. Although it sounds as if unchecking Display PDF in browser will no longer allow PDF files to open within your web browser, this wasn't the case with me. I could see no visible change in the way the PDF appeared as it opened in my browser, but the problem was resolved. It seems as if it only changes the extent to which the file is manipulatable or something like that. I was just happy that my problem was fixed.

Report · Dec 08, 2010

Thanks for the message @ Claire

I have tried this, but didn't work.. I've almost tried everything I could think of, reinstalled a million times, tried many more things... and finally just uninstalled and went back to 9.4.1...Wonder what the issue is... or else, I just wait for the next update release or whatever and try installing that... I really don't know..

Report · Mar 11, 2011

I had this same problem in Adobe X while using it in both IE and Firefox. ClaireJMB's fix worked for me! Thanks so much. I spent over an hour trying everything. Installing, uninstalling, all of the troubleshooting tips available on the Mozilla and Adobe site. I'm working on my dissertation so I was having a full on panic attack not being able to download pdfs from the library website.

May the technology overlords smile down upon you and shower you with trouble free computing for the foreseeable future....you saved my weekend!

-A

(starving grad student who still has XP)

Report · Dec 09, 2010

Please try disabling Protected Mode of Reader and see if the issue goes away.

The way you can do this is:

With the PDF opened in browser,click Ctrl+K to launch Preferences.

Under the General Category, uncheck the checkbox "Enable Protected Mode at startup" and restart browser.

Please note that this is not a workaround or solution to the problem. Disabling Reader's Protected Mode may be harmful to your computer.

This is just to check if Reader's Protected Mode is causing some problem here.

Report · Dec 10, 2010

Thanks for your message @ Ruchi

I've checked what you suggested, but no effect. I still have the same problem.

Cheers

Report · Dec 13, 2010

Do you have other Firefox extensions or plugins? Sometimes there is interference between them.

Also, on your laptop, is your user an administrator or a standard user?

Report · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks for your message.

Yes, I do have firefox extensions and plugins (and I guess every firefox user has!!), but which one could possibly interfere with the pdf plugin?

I ahve had the same plugin' with Adobe Reader 9.4.1 and it works fine... it's only with Reader X I am seeing this problem.

By the way, I have tried to reinstall / update Adobe Reader to the latest Reader X but the issue remains... and I have tried everything I could possibly do, I guess to figure out what is wrong and for the finding a solution to this.. anyway, I am back t 9.4.1 now...

And yes, I am the administrator!

Thanks again, Cheers.

Report · Dec 13, 2010

It's hard to say which other extensions or plug-ins could interfere; sometimes unlikely ones do.

Something about your laptop system is evidently different than the others. Since you are experiencing this in IE and Chrome as well as Firefox, it sounds like a conflict between a Reader setting and a System setting, specifically mouse-clicks. Any extension or setting that allows mouse-clicks to do special tasks, could interfere with the mouse clicks Reader is processing. Anything that captures window contents, perhaps in the background, might do that.

Most of my questions will be educated guesses at things that I would think are relevant;

Is this a 64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7 OS?

Are you on mutliple displays (laptop almost certainly means "no" but just in case...)? If so, does this happen on the main display?

Have you turned on any "Ease of Acces" (settings for the visually challenged) settings?

Does this happen with all PDFs or only some? Try http://acroeng.adobe.com/Test_Files/quickie/SONNETS.pdf

Does this happen with a PDF residing on your disk, dragged into the browser? (I looked at this forum and your posts on NotebookReview and didn't see it mentioned but I might have missed that)

Can you plug in an external USB mouse and see if that works? (you can tell I'm really reaching here)

Report · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks again for your message and information:

Let me answer with my replies in bold.

Is this a 64-bit or 32-bit Windows 7 OS?

Windows 7 Ultimate - 32-bit

Are you on mutliple displays (laptop almost certainly means "no" but just in case...)? If so, does this happen on the main display?

No multiple display

Have you turned on any "Ease of Acces" (settings for the visually challenged) settings?

No

Does this happen with all PDFs or only some? Try http://acroeng.adobe.com/Test_Files/quickie/SONNETS.pdf

Yes, all PDFs

Does this happen with a PDF residing on your disk, dragged into the browser? (I looked at this forum and your posts on NotebookReview and didn't see it mentioned but I might have missed that)

Well, I did not mention that explicitly, but yes, it happen' to PDFs from the disk, dragged into the browser as well as the PDFs opened from the web, within the browser.

Can you plug in an external USB mouse and see if that works? (you can tell I'm really reaching here)

Yes, the external USB mouse works well (and it always has, ever since I got the laptop!)

Thanks again mate.. as you can see, I'm totally lost and keep trying everyday ever since Adobe Reader X was released!!!!

Cheers

Report · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks for the continued work!

Sorry, my last question was not clear, and I'll add some more.

Does the USB mouse work in the PDF in the browser? (this is to try to narrow down if the problem is a trackpad issue).

Does right-click in the PDF content show the normal PDF menu, or do nothing? (to narrow down if it's a toolbar issue or mouse issue)

What version of Adobe Flash do you have? (you mentioned you have it but didn't mention a version)

Report · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks.

Does the USB mouse work in the PDF in the browser? (this is to try to narrow down if the problem is a trackpad issue).

With Adobe Reader X, the mouse works in the sense that I can scroll up and down with the mouse wheel. And I can click too, but just that the toolbar buttons are greyed out / unrespeponsive to the clicks.

With Adobe Reader 9.4.1 (or earlier), I never had any problem with the mouse or trackpad or whatever!

Does right-click in the PDF content show the normal PDF menu, or do nothing? (to narrow down if it's a toolbar issue or mouse issue)

As I'd mentioned before, the right click does bring up a menu window, * but * the window appears at some random place, offset by some distance from the place / point where I made the right click (am I clear here?)

Also, when I move the mouse to the bottom of the screen (with PDF file opened in the browser), the floating toolbar (that new black one) becomes visible but I cannot click on it or anything.....

What version of Adobe Flash do you have? (you mentioned you have it but didn't mention a version)

You mean shockwave flash from Adobe? It's 10.1.102.64

The Adobe Reader plugin in 9.x.x something, but of course it is, because now I keep going back to Adobe Reader 9.4.1. But when I update to Reader X, the Adobe Reader plugin update's too... so I don't think it's the problem with those!! I am not sure, though.

Thanks a lot and cheers.

Report · Dec 13, 2010

More questions before I leave for the day:

* Do you use Roaming Profiles?

* Do you have your home directory protected (encrypted or elsewise) in some way?

* If you do Save As from Firefox, whatever directory it defaults into, is that protected or encrypted?

* Are there odd characters (accents or not standard letters/numbers) in the name of that directory or the path to it?

...after that, I'm out of ideas, stumped.

Report · Dec 13, 2010

Thanks, mate, for your message

More questions before I leave for the day:

I'm sorry I didn't reply before as I'd already left for the day

* Do you use Roaming Profiles?

No

* Do you have your home directory protected (encrypted or elsewise) in some way?

No.

* If you do Save As from Firefox, whatever directory it defaults into, is that protected or encrypted?

No.

* Are there odd characters (accents or not standard letters/numbers) in the name of that directory or the path to it?

No.

...after that, I'm out of ideas, stumped.

I feel worse!!!!

So there... I have absolutely no darn idea what is happening. And I must say (I've said this before), I am really surprised that in a forum like this, there is no pro tech support personnel from Adobe saying a word or two!!! I don't mean I hate Adobe or this place or whatever - I still love Adobe Reader and I have always been a big fan, and I will always be. It's just that it's really annoying and also mysterious because I can't figure out what the problem is, because I can't have any expert opinion from the people who matter, and because I just can't use Adobe Reader X Because in the XP desktop and Vista Desktop / Laptop, it works great and I love the new Adobe Reader.. I'm just disappointed I am not able to make it work in my laptop with Win 7 Ultimate!!

Anyway... 9.4.1 is still there, for now, living as a king..

Thanks again and cheers.

Report · Dec 14, 2010

Um... you are talking to Adobe... if Adobe tech support can't answer a pdf-in-browser question, they go to the first level devs, and if the devs can't answer then they go to me. Believe me, I'm trying to figure out what it might be; I've been looking at the sources as well. I'll be talking to other devs as well.

Report · Dec 14, 2010

LOL.. I'm sure you did a facepalm on my post there, didn't you? @ browserpdfman

Anyway, sincere thanks for your continued support and I'm waiting to figure out (some how) what could be the issue.

Let's see. Thanks again and Cheers.

Report · Dec 14, 2010

I have to admit I was chuckling as I was crafting the reply

Still asking around, nothing yet. This is a toughie. I've characterized it as this to my fellow devs: "PDF displays fine in browsers, but all tools on toolbars and HUD are disabled. Command-keys appear to work. Right-clicking in page content shows context menu but not near mouse". Does that summarize it fairly well?

The context-menu showing up in odd places doesn't sound, to me, like it's related to the lack of toolbars but until we get to the bottom of this who knows?

Sorry to keep asking more and more questions...

For any one page, when you right-click in various places on the PDF, does it look like it's trying to put the menu the same distance and direction from the mouse each time, if it doesn't hit the edge of the screen? That is, if you click somewhere, is the menu always, say, 100 pixels to the right and 200 pixels up from the mouse... or does it appear to a really random place?

Report · Dec 14, 2010

Still asking around, nothing yet. This is a toughie. I've characterized it as this to my fellow devs: "PDF displays fine in browsers, but all tools on toolbars and HUD are disabled. Command-keys appear to work. Right-clicking in page content shows context menu but not near mouse". Does that summarize it fairly well?

That is pretty much to it. (by the way, what do you mean exactly by command-keys?)

The context-menu showing up in odd places doesn't sound, to me, like it's related to the lack of toolbars but until we get to the bottom of this who knows?

I agree.

Sorry to keep asking more and more questions...

For any one page, when you right-click in various places on the PDF, does it look like it's trying to put the menu the same distance and direction from the mouse each time, if it doesn't hit the edge of the screen? That is, if you click somewhere, is the menu always, say, 100 pixels to the right and 200 pixels up from the mouse... or does it appear to a really random place?

Well.. for this I have to say, most of the time, yes, it is like that. It pop' up at a fixed distance from where the right click was made. But sometimes I did notice it appears at a random place - now I don't know if this was because I was too close to the edge of the browser screen where I did the right click.

Btw, have you seen one another thread, with another user having the same / similar issue? Now I can't figure out where it went, but it is here in this forum > this just to let you know I'm not the only one, but of course, as I've said before, it doesn't seem to be a common bug as well. Looks more and more like it's specific to me (Poor me!!!).

Anyway, I'm here for another couple of hour' before I leave for the day..

Thanks a lot and cheers.

Report · Sep 07, 2011

The problem of the PDF displaying properly but the command buttons being inoperative only began for me a few weeks ago with one of the patches to Reader X or Firefox. I have reloaded both programs without result. I have tried a couple of the other suggestions I have viewed on this website, also without result. I tend to think the problem is with Reader. I tried opening the same files in Internet Explorer with similar results. Of course, many problems have crept into the Explorer program since I stopped using it in December.

In reviewing the posts, it appears that a number of people have the problem, but no solution exists - am I correct?

I can see myself purchasing PDF viewer software, just so that I have technical support.