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Question

Interactive PDF - video crop

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
October 1, 2023
7 replies
1156 views

I'm working on an interactive PDF embedded with video. I have a video embedded in the page but when I exported it, the video didn't show how I placed it. The video becomes out of the grid layout (larger).

I figured that although the video resized with the percentage, it didn't crop with the frame. It still maintains the same ratio as its original form. Is there a way I can force the video to be cropped to fit in my grid layout? Or I'll have to resize the video into the grid ratio.

This topic has been closed for replies.

JR Boulay

Community Expert

That's not the OP's question, but you're right. Although PDF pros do have their tricks.

Force the use of a PDF with a "real" PDF Reader:

https://www.abracadabrapdf.net/ressources-et-tutos/js-et-formulaires-ressources/forcer-utilisation-pdf-avec-un-vrai-pdf-reader/

Force the use of a PDF with Acrobat:

https://www.abracadabrapdf.net/ressources-et-tutos/js-et-formulaires-ressources/forcer-utilisation-pdf-avec-acrobat/

(Copy-paste these URL in Google Translate)

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Derek Cross "the only way you can do this is to hyperlink to an external site such as a YouTube or similar video."

You can't be serious. See this PDF file containing 3 videos:

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:982c897c-f6bf-4efa-8119-28c78deb5115

You can also link the video, but you haven't been able to use YouTube-hosted videos for over 10 years, as it's against YouTube's rules of use.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

Derek Cross

Community Expert

You left out the word "successfully", and that is because you can't normally control the PDF viewer that might be used.

JR Boulay

Community Expert

BobLevine "and the last time I even played around with it, it was impossible to control the video at all."

This is no longer true, see above linked PDF.

"In fairness, there was a smiley in there so I don't think any offense was intended."

You're right, it was just a quip.

"It's not impossible but it requires way too much effort"

Select the tool, and simply click and drag to place a video on a PDF page. 😉

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

K

Karen JRAuthor

Known Participant

Hi JB Boulay, I never knew there was a rich media tab in Acrobat that can embed audio and video into a PDF. Thanks for the tips.

But I also agree with Boblevine that asking the receivers to always click on the setup of Acrobat to make the video work on the file is not an ideal situation for the viewers. I'll probably do what others suggest on the embedded hyperlink on the image and hope they will click on it for the video to be displayed.

Really appreciated all these discussions! Never knew this would be a debate when I was simply thinking to resize the video in InDesign 😂 You all are so experienced in this!

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Willi Adelberger "PDFs do not support movies. In former versions you could view videos in a PDF with the help of Adobe Flash. Since the death of Flash it is not possible to watch viedeos (and other medias) in Acrobat or other PDF viewers. Therefore avoid it."

You can't be serious. See this PDF file containing 3 videos:

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:982c897c-f6bf-4efa-8119-28c78deb5115

PDF also supported sound and video long before it supported Flash Player.
It all started with Acrobat 3, released in 1996, with .MOV

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

BobLevine

Community Expert

I clicked your link. They don't work in the browser window that opens by default on my computer and I suspect most other folks as well. So, I download it (after searching for the download link) and opened it in Acrobat on a desktop.

This is was the result:

I just don't see the average user jumping through the hoops necessary for this to work.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

If you want to successfully distribute a PDF with a video in it, the only way you can do this is to hyperlink to an external site such as a YouTube or similar video. JRBoulay is not only rude about one of the most experienced contributors to this forum but he's mistaken as well.

BobLevine

Community Expert

In fairness, there was a smiley in there so I don't think any offense was intended.

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Don't listen to the grumpy old people. 😉

Create the layout with InDesign, export to PDF, and use Acrobat Pro to place the video in the desired dimensions.

InDesign media tools are not working properly.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

PDFs do not support movies. In former versions you could view videos in a PDF with the help of Adobe Flash. Since the death of Flash it is not possible to watch viedeos (and other medias) in Acrobat or other PDF viewers. Therefore avoid it.

If you want to provide videos or other medias, provide a link to open the browser or change to other formats than PDF.

BobLevine

Community Expert

It's not impossible but it requires way too much effort and the result is absolutely not worth it. It's wonky as hell even in Acrobat and the last time I even played around with it, it was impossible to control the video at all.

BobLevine

Community Expert

My advice: forget the whole thing. Multimedia in a PDF is a crapshoot at best.

Find another method, this one is pretty much going to haunt you.

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