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Old 4th Jun 2013, 10:31 am   #1
Paul Stenning
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Default Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI and DC

Adobe have made some changes to security settings in Reader XI which by default prevents the use of Adobe JavaScript in menus opening documents in new windows.

This is the method used on the DVD-ROM so that the index file window remains open when viewing service data.

The work-around for now is to disable Protected Mode in Adobe Reader XI. Go to go to "Edit" - "Preferences" - "Security (Enhanced)" and untick "Enable Protected Mode at startup". You will then need to close and reopen Adobe Reader, and it should then work fine.

I will look at a more permanent solution in due course, but it is likely that it would only apply to disks sold after that date.
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Old 4th Jun 2013, 11:37 am   #2
Dave Moll
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Are there any security implications of disabling protected mode?
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Old 4th Jun 2013, 12:35 pm   #3
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I don't know, but previous versions didn't have it. You could disable it when using the service data DVD and enable it again afterwards.
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Old 4th Jun 2013, 12:56 pm   #4
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Default

I have done some quick tests of some of the other free PDF viewer programs available for Windows.

The current version of Foxit Reader works fine with the DVD-ROM with its default security settings. http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Reader/

When installing be sure to untick the options for the Ask Toolbar and for making Ask your homepage (browser toolbars are evil!). I also unticked the browser integration and the PDF creation stuff but that's just personal choice.

Nuance PDF Reader seems to work too, if you choose the option to enable all JavaScript while installing. http://www.nuance.com/products/pdf-reader/index.htm (download link to skip the email address request is http://imagingcontent.nuance.com/PDF...er_English.exe).

Nitro Reader seems to work too. http://www.nitroreader.com/

All three of those are cut-down versions of larger commercial programs so there will probably be some nagging to upgrade.

Sumatra PDF and Evince don't work (no JavaScript support).

PDFLite and PDF-XChange Viewer are too riddled with adware and other junk to even install.

Comments welcomed on these and other options are welcomed.
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Old 4th Jun 2013, 2:16 pm   #5
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

The default "Document Viewer" in Ubuntu seems to display the PDFs OK (at least, all the ones I've tried). The menu doesn't work, but that's hardly a biggie as far as I am concerned; everything is organised logically in folders anyway, and I'd much sooner lose a few bells and whistles than install proprietary software.
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Old 4th Jun 2013, 2:38 pm   #6
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

That is the lack of JavaScript support. The only drawback of not having that working is that in some cases one data sheet will be relevant for several sets but there will only be one copy of the file in one folder. This means that by just using the folder structure you may think data isn't available for your set when in fact it is.

Of course you could look up the data on the website which will show you all the sets it applies to, and the filename which is the path separated by hyphens. It takes a bit longer but the results are the same.

Unfortunately I have not yet found an open source PDF viewer that supports the JavaScript. If one did exist it would be a nicer solution.
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Old 4th Jun 2013, 5:52 pm   #7
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Paul

<PDFLite and PDF-XChange Viewer are too riddled with adware and other junk to even install.>

There is NO adware with PDF-Xchange Viewer, I assume you got it from http://www.tracker-software.com/product/downloads and not elsewhere. It is now my default PDF viewer and works fine with your DVD and everything else.

Their PDF-Xchange Editor which is intended eventually to replace the Viewer though currently does not work with it though hopefully later versions will.

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Old 4th Jun 2013, 9:13 pm   #8
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I will download again from that link tomorrow and report back. I think I got it from CNET or another download site, not the publishers site. That could be a good alternative.
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Old 5th Jun 2013, 7:10 am   #9
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Many of the things downloaded via CNET come as installers that want to add their own breed of toolbar to your browser before giving you the real program. Always best to download straight from the author's site if possible, which for PDFXChange certainly is. There may be an option to install Chrome as part of the installation, make sure you untick the box (unless you want Chrome of course...).

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Old 5th Jun 2013, 11:44 am   #10
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Yes, it has the dreaded Ask Toolbar but that's all. It didn't offer Chrome but I already have that installed.

It does work OK with the DVD-ROM too. It doesn't show the thumbnails in the left column when viewing a service data document though, whereas Foxit and Nuance do. So I'd class it as "also works" rather than "recommended".
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Old 5th Jun 2013, 4:11 pm   #11
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

To get the thumbnails just go 'view/bookmarks' or Ctrl/B.

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Old 5th Jun 2013, 6:03 pm   #12
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I get the left column but no thumbnails in it when viewing a service sheet. See attached, compared to Nuance, Foxit and Adobe.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Untitled-1.jpg
Views:	219
Size:	114.5 KB
ID:	80543   Click image for larger version

Name:	Untitled-2.jpg
Views:	204
Size:	119.2 KB
ID:	80544   Click image for larger version

Name:	Untitled-3.jpg
Views:	199
Size:	120.2 KB
ID:	80545   Click image for larger version

Name:	Untitled-4.jpg
Views:	187
Size:	127.5 KB
ID:	80546  
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Old 6th Jun 2013, 12:52 am   #13
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Glad to see that someone else is having some issues with the latest version of Adobe, I though it was me or my machine.
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Old 6th Jun 2013, 1:23 am   #14
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I wasn't aware of it until a customer emailed me earlier this week. I still had Adobe Reader X which worked fine, but installed XI as my customer had done, and discovered the problem.

At the moment my recommendation is to use Foxit (first choice) or Nuance (second choice) instead of Adobe Reader.
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Old 6th Jun 2013, 7:15 am   #15
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Sorry, I thought you were talking about navigating the index via the bookmarks pane. To get thumbnails use "view/thumbnails":
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	trader.jpg
Views:	169
Size:	75.8 KB
ID:	80568  
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Old 6th Jun 2013, 9:12 am   #16
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

That works, but the others all show bookmarks or thumbnails automatically depending on the settings in the PDF files. PDF-XChange Viewer seems to ignore that information and has to be told for each file. I'm still not recommending it to my customers, though I can confirm that it works to a usable extent with the DVD-ROM.
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Old 6th Jun 2013, 10:44 am   #17
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

Bookmarks/thumbnails is a personal preference. Personally I like them off (though need bookmarks on for your index page) and it annoyed me that Foxit Reader ignores your choice and forces them on. In PDFXchange it remembers your setting though I think it does respect the setting demanded in pdf files. I used Foxit for quite a while but it has now become rather bloated. Foxit and PDFXchange are pretty similar though there are quite a few things, like print options, that PDFXchange does better.

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Old 6th Jun 2013, 11:26 am   #18
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I am updating the support page on the service data website as below, which I think covers the options adequately:

Quote:
From brief tests in June 2013 it works OK with current versions of the following free programs:
  • Foxit Reader (untick the Ask Toolbar and Ask homepage options when installing, choose Help - Change Toolbar Mode if you prefer a traditional toolbar and menu interface)
  • Nuance PDF Reader (email address required to download, choose the option to enable all JavaScript when installing)
  • Nitro Reader (email address required to download, need to be online to install)
  • PDF-XChange Viewer (untick the Ask Toolbar, Ask homepage and Chrome options when installing, does not show bookmarks and thumbnails automatically)
It does not work with Sumatra or Evince because they do not support JavaScript. PDFLite was not tested because the installer tried to install too much other unwanted junk.
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Old 1st Nov 2015, 10:51 am   #19
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I see that version 15 is available now. Will the DVD ROM work with it or should I delay upgrading for now?
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Old 1st Nov 2015, 6:35 pm   #20
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Default Re: Vintage Radio Service Data DVD-ROM with Adobe Reader XI

I understand we have the same issue with all versions from XI onwards (including DC). Either change the suggested setting or use a different PDF viewer (I use Foxit).
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