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Prevent automatic generate second copy of a file.

Community Beginner ,
Jan 27, 2023 Jan 27, 2023

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When opening a PDF file (click on a PDF-file in File Browser), Adobe Reader (for Android) creates another copy and the title appears in the list of Adobe Reader's recently opened files. 

 

If you delete the file using an Android file browser, the copy still exists in the list of recently opened files and need to be deleted manualy. How to stop Adobe Reader from always creating another copy?

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Community Expert ,
Jan 28, 2023 Jan 28, 2023

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++EDITED REPLY, fixed typos

 

 

Hi,

 

When I first started getting familiarized with the mobile app I used to notice that too, and I used to confuse the Recent view of Adobe Acrobat as a file storage location.

 

I've also noticed that many iOS and Android OS users seem to get confused with the same observation.

 

Fortunately, the Recent view is just a temporary cache  and it is not an integral part of the actual operating system's folder structure.

 

In addition, every operating system relies heavily on temporary folders or a temporary cache location to hold copies of executed programs, sub-routines and many other tasks that are consistently loaded into the device's memory area and easily accessible for the application programs that the user may be working with.

 

In other words, the Adobe Acrobat's Recent view is similar to that of a temporary location, except that it is part of the Adobe Acrobat's working space and it is viewed within the programs own tabbed browsing interface while it keeps a log of symbolic links.

 

NOTE:

Symbolic links are a reference to a requesting program on where and how to read from, write to, or execute a file.

 

In this context, symbolic links aid the requesting program(s) with loading into memory a cache of the file directly from the referenced directory paths ( or Folder Paths)  while also  instructing the operating system how to serve it to the requesting program(s).

 

Just imagine if Adobe Acrobat was trying to figure out on its own how to execute a file type and where to look for it, and then even produce its own search indexing catalogues... it is very time consuming.

 

The user  on the other hand, just need to worry about clicking on that referenced link and wait for the application program that is requesting for it to load the file into memory and release that unique memory space successfully to the requesting program (also referred to as an entry point in Microsoft OS  slang).

 

So, the Recent view is just a log that holds bunch of references to symbolic links that point to where the most used files  (or most recently used files) are executed from; it is not an actual copy nor additional copy of the original file.

 

But anyway, it is very easy to clear all of the Recent files with just two taps and it won't have any impact on how and where the actual files are stored in your mobile device.

 

However, when you delete some files through the operating system's file manager, you should be aware that many other programs like Adobe Acrobat also don't interact with the operating system's shell as you would expect; and for a good reason:

 

  • File access redundancy.

 

If, for instance, let's say that the operating system would allow no restrictions for any app or programs to delete any original files each time that the user chooses to clear a temporary folder from within a program or an app, then what would happen if that user is not careful and deletes files unintentionally ??

 

Those files would be gone permanently!

 

In short, the user must manually clear the Recent view and handle the actual deletion of files through the operating system's file management system.

 

This file preservation and redundancy is true for every good-known operating systems out there:

 

  • Linux distributions (Desktop PC's, workstations, fileservers and web servers, mobile devices, etc)
  • Unix or Unix-like operating systems such as macOS and iOS,
  • and Microsoft Windows.

 

The user must get in the habit of doing system cleaning and system maintenance, OR,  simply use the provided built-in task managing apps to optimize the computer device and get rid of the excess clutter.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 28, 2023 Jan 28, 2023

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Thank you for the comprehensive and very informative reply. I don't really care about the technical background of the double storage of the PDF files and I don't see any real advantage there. Users aren't always stupid and also many operating systems have something like a recycle bin where deleted files end up and then this has to be emptied to really delete the files. I therefore consider triple redundancy (as evident with Adobe Reader mobile) to be nonsense - above all because it is not optional and cannot be deactivated.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 28, 2023 Jan 28, 2023

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You're welcome.

 

However, your observation could be a great feature to add to the mobile app.

 

You may use this link to voice your opinion directly with Adobe:

 

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 28, 2023 Jan 28, 2023

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This redundancy of Adobe Reader Mobile does not seem to be quite as safe and reliable. I've just noticed an obvious bug in Reader Mobile for Android - if you do the following, Reader also deletes the original file (at least on Android):

 

1. Open file normally with Reader.

 

2. then delete the file with a file manager.

 

3. then restore the deleted file (deleted files end up in a separate folder and have to be deleted there manually - to be precise, they are actually deleted there automatically after 30 days of deletion).

 

4. Then delete the relevant file in Reader recentlx used list - the original of the file has also disappeared afterwards!!! I don't think that's what Adobe intended, it's more of a mistake.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 28, 2023 Jan 28, 2023

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Interesting!

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Community Expert ,
Jan 29, 2023 Jan 29, 2023

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Actually, you are completely right.

 

I feel like a fool after posting all that verbage earlier.

 

I was going off of the full desktop version of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

 

In the desktop version you are  able to only share/unshare a file from the Recent view or remove it from the Recent view.

 

But, in order to delete a selected file the Acrobat program needs to do so by interfacing through the operating system's shell; which gives more careful control of what you need to delete as you have to navigate through folders.

 

In the mobile version, however, it allows you to deletea listed file directly from the Recent view, making it gone (really gone).

 

See my screenshot:

Screenshot_20230129_142150_Adobe Acrobat.png

 

 

Have you heard the old-school term:

 

  • "Hey !  It's not a bug... It's a feature"

 

🙂

 

 

Also, the full desktop version seems to enforce  a limit up to certain amount of recently used files, while in the mobile version (as you've observed... at least on Android OS) , it seems like it lists everything.

 

Sadly, there is no feature to prevent the mobile app from doing that, and in my opinion very poorly documented guidance to encourage  users in being aware and careful when using  the "Delete feature".

 

I'm gonna keep digging and see what else I can find.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 29, 2023 Jan 29, 2023

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I don't find what you wrote earlier to be verbage.

 

Also, when using Android Reader for Mobile, a PDF file is NOT permanently deleted from the device, only the copy of Android Reader. I also don't see any difference between selecting "Remove from recent" or "Delete" - the file is only removed from the list of recently opened files.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 29, 2023 Jan 29, 2023

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When I used Delete instead of Remove from Recent, the file was literally deleted from its saved location in Android.

 

I had a test file saved in Downloads. I opened it with Acrobat mobile, then closed the program.

 

When I loaded up Acrobat again went to the Recent view, it was listed there and selected Delete.

 

Then went back to the Download folder to search for the file using the  Android's file manager and the file was gone for good.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 29, 2023 Jan 29, 2023

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Not deleting (as described) on my device - Oppo Reno 2 with Android 11 and Adobe Reader for Mobile 22.12.1.25269  🤔🤷‍:male_sign:

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Adobe Employee ,
Jan 29, 2023 Jan 29, 2023

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Hi @Alexander28144190y60u,

 

Hope you are doing well. Sorry for your experience with Acrobat Reader Mobile.

 

I went through the entire conversation. Here are the points I would like to add:

1. When you open a file from the File Browser, Acrobat Reader does not create a copy of the file, but the name stays in the recent view list as the file was opened through Acrobat Reader. This does not necessarily mean the file is still present, and if you might have tried, the file won't open when clicked. Also, to top that, all the files available to read will contain a logo of the storage where they are located (a phone logo if in the internal storage, an Adobe logo if saved on Adobe Cloud storage) beneath the file name, indicating that the file is available to open.

2. However, as you mentioned, and it seems an excellent addition to removing the name from the recent list, I suggest filling out the feature request form: https://acrobat.uservoice.com/. Filling out the form ensures that your feedback reaches our product team to review and implement the changes in the future version.

3. We are aware of the confusion it creates between the "Remove from recent" and the Delete option with the message prompt, and we are in line to get the prompt message fine-tuned so it provides complete information as to what using the delete option would do.

 

Hope I was able to clarify your points. Please feel free to respond to the thread if you have further questions or suggestions.

 

-Souvik.

 

 

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 29, 2023 Jan 29, 2023

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quote

Hi @Alexander28144190y60u,

 

Hope you are doing well. Sorry for your experience with Acrobat Reader Mobile.

 

I went through the entire conversation. Here are the points I would like to add:

1. When you open a file from the File Browser, Acrobat Reader does not create a copy of the file, but the name stays in the recent view list as the file was opened through Acrobat Reader. This does not necessarily mean the file is still present, and if you might have tried, the file won't open when clicked. Also, to top that, all the files available to read will contain a logo of the storage where they are located (a phone logo if in the internal storage, an Adobe logo if saved on Adobe Cloud storage) beneath the file name, indicating that the file is available to open.

2. However, as you mentioned, and it seems an excellent addition to removing the name from the recent list, I suggest filling out the feature request form: https://acrobat.uservoice.com/. Filling out the form ensures that your feedback reaches our product team to review and implement the changes in the future version.

3. We are aware of the confusion it creates between the "Remove from recent" and the Delete option with the message prompt, and we are in line to get the prompt message fine-tuned so it provides complete information as to what using the delete option would do.

 

Hope I was able to clarify your points. Please feel free to respond to the thread if you have further questions or suggestions.

 

-Souvik.

 

 


By @S. S
  1. Thank you (you too) for the reply. Unfortunately it is not as you described, i.e. if I delete a PDF file with an Android file manager, it can still be opened in Adobe Reader via the "Recently opened files" list (if this file has been opened before). Consequently, Adobe Reader for Mobile must make a copy somewhere and somehow. On the other hand, on the Adobe Reader side (with one particular exception I described above) the file is not deleted on the smartphone itself - regardless of whether I choose "Delete" or "Remove from recent" from the menu. In both cases, the file or files will only be deleted from the recent list (at least that's how it is on my smartphone).

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 30, 2023 Jan 30, 2023

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Now the files are deleted after all if I choose Delete from the Adobe Reader menu - but not if only remove from recently used list. It's all kind of confusing and unsatisfactory. Maybe I'll decide on another app as a PDF reader because the whole thing with Adobe has cost me a lot of time and nerves so far.....

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Adobe Employee ,
Jan 30, 2023 Jan 30, 2023

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@Alexander28144190y60u The options themselves spell out what the intent behind the selection would do. 

 

The Remove from recent option removes the file's name from the list shown on the home tab when you first open the application. In contrast, the delete option is used when you want to delete the file permanently from the source location.

 

-Souvik.

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Community Expert ,
Jan 30, 2023 Jan 30, 2023

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LATEST

+++ UPDATE

 

So, I also have my phone with no microSD card.

 

Not sure if this detail is relevant, but in the past, when I've used Android mobile devices with an microSD card for data storage, I always set the SD card storage location as the Document Cloud cache location for the Acrobat Mobile app.

 

When Using this method, if you select delete from the mobile app, it will also delete what is copied (or cached) to the Adobe Document Cloud and files will no longer remain lingering on the Recent view, nor the Document Cloud, nor anywhere in the file system of the mobile device's operating system (unless, of course, the trash can bin is set to keep files for 30 days, but that can be disabled too).

 

NOTE:

The same would apply if PDF files are stored in another third-party cloud space (i.e. Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, etc).

 

I've seen this frustration too with iOS users who seem to miss this important detail because the GUI in iOS devices doesn't seem to be as user-friendly as Android in the context of finding what you need on the fly  (and tons of very good and useful features are hidden in iOS, like how to enable Ethernet connection, for example ... completely hidden.).

 

Anyway, Try my suggestion as shown in my slide below:

 

Screenshot_20230130_115957_Adobe Acrobat.png

Since I don't have an microSD card in my device at this time, the screenshot reflects the only available storage location for the Adobe cloud storage location.

 

Select external SD Card if you have it and move all your data files to the microSD card; only use the secured internal card storage location for Android apps and operating system files.

 

Any other 3rd party apps I also install to the microSD card directly (this is convenient if your mobile device's internal storage capacity is not very large).

 

 

BONUS TIP:

When shopping for a microSD card the read and write speeds matter. Look for solid brands that support anything above 100 MB per second read speeds and any above 60 MB per second for the writing speeds.

 

 

IMPORTANT:

 

The point is that I am only able to get rid of the file redundancy using this method.

 

Otherwise, a copy of every PDF will always be cached to the document cloud and synced to and from with the mobile device for file updates; making it impossible to manually delete such files even from the operating system file system manager.

 

This forces the user to go online instead and manually unshare and delete files directly from the document cloud space via web browser... not convenient!

 

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