Flash Player and Adobe Reader XI in 2021+

[Dominic-A.0D44]

Hi,

for years I am using Outlook as mail program. Important Mail I wanted to archive I right clicked and converted them to PDF files. They are a compendium. Let's say, if there are three mails I wanted to save, these mails are inside a single PDF, where they are flagged. So I can chose every mail by clicking the flag. I didn't know, however, until today, that Flash Player is part of this as well. So I missed it today, when I wanted to look for a certain mail in one archive PDF-file, as I had deleted Flash Player on Monday.

So there are some questions:

How can I read my files, which I need badly? Do I need to install another program? If yes, what?

How can I make new such PDF-files, not using Flash Player that is.

Thanks in advance.

Dominic

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

I think you are confused.  Flash Player has nothing to do with PDF files.   Acrobat is the PDF viewer, not Flash Player.

FREE Acrobat Reader -- view, comment, print & sign PDF files.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pdf-reader.html

Paid Acrobat Pro DC -- the complete solution for creating and saving PDF files.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html

[Dominic-A.0D44]

Hi Nancy, 

I have Acrobat XI, V. 11.0.23. I did right click on several Outlook Mails and converted them to a single PDF-file, including flags, which indicate the mail archives. So for example in the PDF-file Mr. Smith you could find the Mail Lunch at Noon? and the mail Dinner at 8? in the flags. One click and you got the mail, with possible attachments. Then I deleted Flash Player. I just got now the remark to reinstall the flash player plug in. I can't see the flags of the other mails, just the first mail. How can I restore them?

Thanks in advance.

Dominic

[Dominic-A.0D44]

Nevermind, I got it. Just installing a new version.

Thanks.

Dominic

[_maria_ · Accepted solution]

"I did right click on several Outlook Mails and converted them to a single PDF-file, including flags, which indicate the mail archives."

Doesn't sound like Flash Player is at all involved in this process, especially if you're not getting a Flash Player related error.  Seems to be simple PDF document where you'd need PDF viewer to view the files.

[jeromiec83223024]

Old versions of Reader used a Flash-based interface for navigating "Portfolios".  That dependency has been gone for a long time, and running a current copy of Reader should solve it. 

It's still possible to encounter a PDF where someone embedded Flash content, but those are few and far between, and document owners have had years to remove those dependencies from their documents.

For security reasons, we'd strongly advise you to avoid running an unmaintained copy of Flash Player on your machine at this point.  

For your convenience, I've included links to the Flash Player uninstallers below: 

Uninstall Flash Player - Windows:
https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html

Uninstall Flash Player - Mac:
https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-mac-os.html

[kate5CF0]

Dominic - please assist - you solved this by downloading a "new version" of what?  An updated version of Adobe Reader?  The updated Adobe Suite?  Thank you!

[Nancy OShea]

Adobe is a company name.  Acrobat is for PDF files.

FREE Acrobat Reader -- view, comment, print & sign PDF.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/pdf-reader.html

Paid Acrobat Pro DC -- the complete solution for creating and saving PDF.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/acrobat-pro.html

[kate5CF0]

Yes, Nancy - my apologies. 

I have the same problem described initially here.

Windows 10

Microsoft Outlook

Adobe Acrobat XI Pro

I would save multiple Outlook emails -both with and without attachements - in a file and convert to a single pdf file.  I could then delete from Outlook and have all in a file folder on the hard drive.  Recently I can only access ONE email per file and where the list of all other emails used to be is the Adobe Flash icon with a link to its EOL.

I have the current Acrobat Reader installed - although I am not sure if this is the default or if it links to something in the XI version that has expired.

I would appreciate any guidance.  Thank you!

[Dominic-A.0D44]

Hi Kate,

I used this method to build up an archive of important Mails. I had the problems you have myself. However, I downloaded the newest version of Acrobat Reader. With that reader I could open my archieved mails again (with attachments). Just DL the newest version of the Reader, and everything should be okay. Then you should have access to all mails and attachments again.

Best,

Dominic

[barriehaz]

I downloaded the reader, but I am still not able to see the index that was created when I combined my emails into one pdf. Is there a way to read the index? and then access all of the emails? I still just see the last one.

Thanks

[Dominic-A.0D44]

Hi,

at first, be sure you opened the file with the reader. If you did so, you should see the index above. For more I can't help you. For me it works this way.

Best,

Dominic

[kate5CF0]

Here is the deal...  as far as I have figured out...

I have Adobe Acrobat XI Pro.  I have had the default for reading .pdfs as Adobe Acrobat.  Because the XI is now out of date and was married with the Flash Player - which was necessary to read .pdfs in XI:

"You need Flash Player to view Flash content in PDFs, PDF Portfolios, and other features. Adobe Reader and Acrobat no longer include Flash Player, and features that require Flash now leverage the machine’s local copy of Flash." Apparently A had offered a Plugin to solve this, but that is no longer available!

The solution is to change the default for .pdfs to Adobe Acrobat Reader DC - the free download.  In doing this, all emails in the saved file will be visible.  I am certain that other functions will be compromised and I will either have to switch back and forth or pay for an upgrade...

Hope this helps - 

Thank you Dominic

[remco82641 · Accepted solution]

Also, just so you know: Acrobat XI went end of life back in 2017, so it hasn't gotten any security updates for three years now. Upgrading to a new version is highly recommended. For Adobe Reader this is free, for Acrobat Pro it is paid. See the links Nancy posted. 

[_maria_]

I'm moving this discussion to the Acrobat Reader forum where it should have been moved to from the beginning.

Folks there are more knowledgable on the product and should be able to provide better assistance than folks on the Flash Player community.