OTA-Off The Record Research
Online Research Distribution System FAQ

Extra browser window
Errors opening PDFs
Blank page after clicking on a link
How to save a PDF - Special Macintosh Instructions
Miscellaneous Acrobat issues


"When I click on a report name the PDF opens in Acrobat, and when I return to my browser I have an extra window to close. What's going on?"

That page is redirecting your browser to the report you requested. If you prefer to view PDFs in an Acrobat window instead of within a browser window you will need to close the extra window when you return to the browser.

If you would like to change your settings to allow PDFs to open within a browser window:

  • Open Acrobat
  • Go to File -> Preferences -> General preferences.
  • Check the box next to "web browser integration"
  • Click OK
  • Close Acrobat


"I can see the first page of a PDF, but when I try to go to the next page I get an error"
-or-
"It looks like a PDF is coming up on the screen, but I get a blank page and an error."
-or-
"There was an error opening this document"

Try again to view a PDF. If the problem persists:

  • Open Acrobat
  • Go to File -> Preferences -> General preferences.
  • Uncheck the box next to "web browser integration"
  • Click OK
  • Close Acrobat

This will let PDFs open in an Acrobat window and should eliminate the error message.


"I click on a link for a report and I get a blank page."

If you are using Internet Explorer on a PC:

  • Go to Tools -> Internet Options.
  • Click on the Security tab
  • Click the Custom Level button
  • Enable ActiveX controls and plugins
  • Click OK
  • Click OK again

The link should now bring up a PDF.


"How do I download a PDF file to my hard drive?"

You can download PDF files to your hard drive either from a link or using the Acrobat 4 viewer's Save As button. *

To download a PDF file from a link:

  1. Right-click the link to a PDF file (control-click on a Mac), then choose Save Link As (Internet Explorer 3.x or Netscape 4.x) or Save Target As (Internet Explorer 4.x or 5.0 or AOL) from the pop-up menu.
  2. In the Save As dialog box, select a location on your hard drive, then click Save.

To download an open PDF file (Netscape 4.x or Internet Explorer 3.x and earlier):

  1. Choose File > Save As.
  2. In the Save As dialog box, select a location on your hard drive, then click Save.

Note: If you are using Acrobat as a helper application so that the PDF opens in Acrobat instead of the browser window, the PDF will automatically be saved in your downloads directory.

"I use a Macintosh and have been unable to save PDF files to my hard drive."

* The Save icon in the Acrobat 4 toolbar does not work on Macs. Acrobat 5 has fixed this problem and added more usability features to the toolbar. If you use a Mac you should upgrade to Acrobat 5.

 


Download the newest Adobe plug-in here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

For more information on working with PDFs, please visit Adobe's Support Database which includes new guides on configuring Mac or Windows browsers for Reader:

http://www.adobe.com/support/techguides/acrobat/main.html

 

For further technical questions please contact: webmaster@otaotr.com