Top reasons to upgrade to Acrobat 8.1, Adobe Reader 8.1

by Ted Padova

There are several reasons to upgrade your Acrobat (Professional and Standard) and free Adobe Reader software from the initial 8.0 releases to the 8.1 versions now available for download from Adobe.com. Both Windows and Macintosh customers will benefit from the feature enhancements and bug fixes in this major dot release.

Acrobat 8.0 users will be most interested in the following improvements:

New operating system support

• Windows XP 64-bit edition
• Windows 2003 64-bit edition
• Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit editions

New features

Acrobat 8.1 includes number of enhancements that will enhance productivity, especially for Office 2007 users, including:

• Vista Preview Handler: Vista Preview Handler is a new user interface for viewing PDF files in Outlook 2007 on both Windows Vista and Windows XP, and in Internet Explorer 2007 on Windows Vista. (Must be turned on in both applications)
• Office 2007 Support: Acrobat 8.1 is supported in all Office applications and includes installation of the PDFMaker and preferences support in the Ribbon.
• Faster PDF Creation from Word 2007: Acrobat now offers a new "quick-and-simple" option for blazing-fast creation of PDF files from Word.
• Integrated Flash support on the Mac: Improved support for embedded Flash files on the Mac.
• Revised InDesign Plug-in: Supports communication with InDesign for the Creative Suite 3.
• Printing over the Internet (English, U. S.-only) - A new tool has been added to all Acrobat viewers that offers an integrated link to the FedEx-Kinko’s website where you can order printing and delivery from its nationwide stores.
• Faster, smaller Designer forms: Better performance for forms created in Adobe LiveCycle Designer.

Windows Vista and Office 2007 support

Those users who have been running Windows Vista and/or Microsoft Office 2007 programs will be pleased to know that Acrobat 8.1 works with Vista and the new Office 2007 programs. If you’re running Office 2007 or Vista, you need Acrobat 8.1.

One special issue you’ll want to keep in mind when creating PDF documents in Microsoft Word 2007 is that you have essentially two types of PDF files you can create. The PDFMaker offers you a choice between quickly creating either a basic PDF document (Quick-and-simple PDF) that you might use for file exchanges and content review, or taking longer to create a Fully functional PDF for more advanced usage, such as printing, accessibility, document repurposing, forms creation, archiving standards and so on. (Note: The "Fully Functional" mode is the same way you created PDFs in Acrobat 8.0 and earlier.)

In the Office 2007 applications, you’ll notice the menubar has been replaced by the Ribbon. After installing Acrobat, you’ll see a tab for Acrobat on the right side of the Ribbon. Click the tab and all your options for PDF creation and settings are visible, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1

Click the Create PDF tool and the Save Adobe PDF File As dialog box, as shown in Figure 2. By default, the Fully functional PDF radio button is enabled. If you want to create a simple PDF document, click the Quick-and-simple PDF radio button. These options are only available in Word 2007. Other Office applications use the Fully functional PDF creation method and offer no choice for the Quick-and-simple PDF option.

Figure 2

If your work involves creating PDF files for professional uses, by all means leave the selection at the default. On the other hand, if your work involves simple document exchanges where you want a recipient to read a memo, a brief note and so on, use the simple PDF creator. This option provides much faster PDF conversion.

Also notice in Figure 1 the Preferences tool in the Acrobat options displayed in the Ribbon. Click Preferences and the same Adobe PDFMaker dialog box opens as when you select Change Conversion Settings from the Acrobat menu in the earlier Office programs.

With Office 2007, you now have two options for changing some conversion settings. Click the Preferences tool and you find the familiar conversion settings as in earlier versions of the Office applications. If you click Create PDF in the Ribbon in any Office program and click the Adobe PDF conversion options button in the Save Adobe PDF As dialog box (Figure 2), the Adobe PDF Conversion Options dialog box shown in Figure 3 opens. Notice that not all the conversion options are available, such as converting Hyperlinks, editing bookmark options and choosing accessibility options, but you can make choices for the items shown in Figure 3 without opening the Adobe PDFMaker dialog box.

Figure 3

If you’re not running Vista and/or Office 2007, not concerned with Flash files and don’t use Designer, there’s one very big reason you’ll want to upgrade your version of Acrobat/Reader to version 8.1. The newest release comes with a number of bug fixes.

Bug fixes

First, and the most important reason for upgrading, is that both Acrobat and Adobe Reader 8.1 are being distributed to fix a variety of bugs that were found after the 8.0 versions were released.

Generally, those people who experienced many different printing problems with various desktop printers will be pleased to know that a considerable number of problems related to printing have been resolved. Additionally, you’ll find fixes to areas such as PDF creation, page displays, calculation order issues, and generally all those things you may have found working in Acrobat 7, but not Acrobat 8.0 have been fixed.

See the following Adobe TechNotes for further detail:

“New features and issues addressed in the Acrobat 8.1 Update”

“New features and issues addressed in the Adobe Reader 8.1 Update”

FedEx/Kinkos support (English- and U.S.-only)

Not a major reason for you to upgrade to version 8.1, this new tool available in all Acrobat viewers and Adobe Reader 8.1 enables you to quickly access the FedEx/Kinkos website, where you can place printing orders and provide delivery instructions for the more than 1,300 FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Centers.

Click the FedEx/Kinkos button and your default Web browser opens to a FedEx/Kinkos order page, where you can place printing and reproduction orders for PDF documents and have your copies delivered to you or another recipient. It’s a handy service, but be aware that all FedEx/Kinkos offices handle order processing a little differently.

One problem I noticed is that not all FedEx/Kinkos shops use the Fit-to-Page option in the Print dialog box. If the page size for printing didn’t fit on standard pages, the order wasn’t processed. In addition, you may experience some variances between paper selections, binding and order deliveries.

If you use this service, you’ll want to establish a relationship with a local office to be certain they process your orders according to your specifications.

For further details:

FedEx Kinko’s and Adobe Collaborate to Deliver Print on Demand

FedEx Kinko’s service

FedEx Kinko’s FAQ

Download Acrobat 8.1 and Adobe Reader 8.1

So what are you waiting for? Download the patch for Acrobat 8.0 or use the program’s “Check for updates” feature under the Help menu. Full versions of Adobe Reader 8.1 are now available for download, too; and you’ll need the newest version to view the recently posted Acrobat 8 3D tutorials.

Windows: Adobe Acrobat 8.1 Professional and Standard update (English, French, German and Japanese)

Macintosh: Adobe Acrobat 8.1 Professional update (English, French, German and Japanese)

Adobe Reader 8.1