Viewing layers on adobe reader using chromebook

[cwr_harrison]

Is it possible to view different layers of a PDF on Adobe Reader on a Chromebook?

[jane-e]

Hi,

The specific laptop that you use should not make a difference. If the PDF has layers, then you can toggle them on or off with the Layer pane in the left hand panels.

Are you having trouble with a specific PDF or is this a general question?

Jane

[cwr_harrison]

Hi Jane

The issue is with a specific and multiple PDF’s. I can open the PDF on a Mac with no issues viewing/printing layers. Opening the exact same PDF on a chromebook does not have the layer pane available.  There also doesn’t seem to be much in terms of adding/removing taskbars within adobe reader on a chromebook. Just wondering if maybe there is a different program that I could need to download.

[jane-e]

Hi cwr,

Please show a screen shot from Chrome Book.

Jane

[Bernd Alheit]

What OS does your Chromebook use?

[kc0ggv]

I assume this is still an issue.  I have downloaded adobe acrobat reader and there is no left hand menu bar that i can see.  is there an option for the left hand nav bar?  There is no layers icon to click.  move the PDF to a windows machine, i see the left hand nav bar and the layers icon.  Am i missing something?

[ls_rbls · Accepted solution]

MODIFIED REPLY

++Adding to this discussion,

In summary, the short answer version to your question is No.

You can't use or view layers using the current app in a Chrome OS based Chromebook.

Chromebooks don't  support MS Windows, period.

Unless you've been able to force MS Windows in a Chromebook, these laptops doesn't ship  with macOS nor any version of MS Windows.

Chromebook computers run with Google's Chrome OS.

Chrome OS runs on a proprietary linux kernel.

As such, it  is basically an  Android OS version that uses Google Chrome web browser as the main interface.

So, when you read in the forums that Adobe doesn't support Linux that is not accurate.

The same would be true when someone tells you that a particular software is not certified.

Software that is deemed "not certified" by a software vendor simply means that, that particular software was not tested to run on a specific harware architechture that was released to the consumers.

Therefore, to say in this context that Linux is not supported, that is partially true.

BUT.... that doesn't mean, however, that it is not possible to modify your own linux kernel  and compile your own drivers in order to run such non-certified software app legally and successfully on almost any hardware architechture imaginable.

This also doesn't mean that, by running non-certified software in your machine,  you're violating any End User License Agreement unless it is explicitly stated in that Agreement. Take for example the Windows App Certification Kit.

As long as you follow the required guidelines you're good to go.

Since, You're basically up to your own devices in the journey of  learning  how to  make things work in a linux universe, it becomes an everyday commonality to stir up a lot of confussion in  forums such as this one; specially between a fan-based community,  and ultimately the end users who are trying to figure out how to save money.

Now, going back to the topic, mostly every  Adobe free app that you can get  your hands on, and to be able to play around with  it in an Android powered device,  is basically enough proof that Creative Cloud products are indeed supported for a linux kernel.

Recently,  full support was added in newer versions of Chrome OS  to access, download, and install apps from the Google Playstore.

That said, you'll only  have access to the Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile  app, and the Adobe Acrobat extension for Chrome web browser.

These are limited versions of Acrobat Reader of course.

Additionaly, if you're using an older  version of Chrome web browser in your Chromebook,   you may notice that you won't be able to open PDFs directly in your Chrome browser; support was dropped since 2015.

The Chrome web browser has its own PDF viewing extension, and as a result it now disables  the Adobe Acrobat extension that used to work before.

Please refer to the following thread to see how to enable and work with the Adobe Acrobat Chrome extension in modern web browsers:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/pdfs-will-not-display-in-chrome/m-p/10850753#M235797 

Now that this part of the answer is out of the way, you're basically left with the Adobe Reader mobile app.

By unlocking premium editing features, You can use this app to edit text and images, comment, print, and Save As PDF. You can even export to Micrososft Office documents.

You unlock these premium editing features by logging in to your user account with your Reader mobile app,  and using an AdobeID  that belongs to an Adobe Acrobat Pro DC subscription, for example.

So, you're basically using Adobe Reader in an Android device.

You will not be able to view layers using the Adobe Reader mobile app.

Bookmarking, for instance, is also not possible with the Adobe Reader mobile app in an iOS device.  But in an android device is an added feature.

However, bookmarking pages in Android OS  only works as long as the PDFs are viewed in your that Android device.

When moving the same PDFs to a Windows box, it will not retain such bookmarks (kudos to Bernd_Alheit who clarified this to me in another thread back in December 2019).

On the other hand, newer Chromebooks  also allow you to install Linux apps.

This means, that you are able to install OS emulating apps like Crossover, PlayOnLinux, Wine, WineTricks in a Chromebook and be able to run Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. 

To learn more how to install linux apps in Chromebooks see here:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.androidcentral.com/how-install-linux-apps-your-chromebook%3famp  

To learn more how to install PlayOnLinux on a Chromebook see here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DNmfi4NTa7Cw&ved=2ahUKEwjp19-Xnf3mAhUfB50JHcDBAe4QFjABegQIDRAK&usg=... 

To learn how to install Adobe Reader 9, which is natively supported in Linux, see here as a possible work around:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.fosslinux.com/1776/how-to-install-adobe-acrobat-reader-in-ubuntu-an... 

To learn how to install latest Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on an ubuntu based linux distribution use the following guidance and see if you get lucky:

• using snapd for Linux Mint:  https://snapcraft.io/install/acrordrdc/mint 
• using snapd for Ubuntu Linux: https://snapcraft.io/install/acrordrdc/ubuntu 
• Installing adobe Reader XI in Ubuntu Linux: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1047686/install-the-latest-version-of-the-adobe-reader-in-ubuntu-or-... 
• Adobe Reader FTP download site : ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/AcrobatDC/1500720033/  You can get the reader version from here and try to emulate with Wine, PlayOnLinux, or Crossover(free but paid for app unleashes great possibilities)
• Installing CrossOver in Chromebook:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe-WL2GbkNU 
• Installing Microsoft Windows in Chromebook using Oracle's VirtualBox: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.howtogeek.com/173353/how-to-run-windows-software-on-a-chromebook/am... 

NOTE:  Termux  THE KILLER APP 

Keep reading if you want to really learn linux in Android devices without rooting your device or using developer mode:

https://blog.lessonslearned.org/building-a-more-secure-development-chromebook/