Adobe Reader for Pocket PC
I often see threads on Pocket PC forums where users report issues installing Adobe Reader to their WM5.0 Pocket PC. Because of these difficulties, there is a misperception that Adobe Reader for Pocket PCs is not compatible with WM5.0 devices. But I have installed Adobe Reader to both of my WM5.0 devices and the software works fine. I encountered a problem when I installed the software to my first WM5.0 device, but the problem seems to be with the installation wizard and not with the Adobe Reader application.
You can download Adobe Reader for Pocket PC Version 2.0 from Adobe's website. Copy the AdbeRdr20_0ppr_xxx.exe file to your computer, then select it and let the installation wizard prompt you through the reset of the installation.
A quick overview of software installations via ActiveSync connection
Most of the time, when you install an application to your Pocket PC via ActiveSync connection, the installation wizard extracts a .CAB file from the file you downloaded and places this file into a folder on your computer. If your Pocket PC is connected to your computer and ActiveSync is running, the installation wizard transfers the .CAB file to your Pocket PC and the application gets installed. Upon completion of the installation, the .CAB file usually gets deleted from your Pocket PC, but remains on your computer. If your Pocket PC is not connected to your computer or if the installation is interrupted or unsuccessful, you can usually find the .CAB file somewhere on your computer.
Problems installing the application? Just use the CAB file!
If you run into problems installing Adobe Reader to your Pocket PC, you can find the Adobe .CAB file in your computer's \program files\microsoft ActiveSync\Adobe\ directory. Copy the arceARMxx_usr.CAB file found in this folder directly to your Pocket PC either by copying the file directly to a storage card and then inserting the storage card into your Pocket PC or by copying the file to your My Documents sync folder and then syncing the file to your Pocket PC.
Once the .CAB file is on your Pocket PC, navigate to the file, tap it and and an installation wizard will install the application to your Pocket PC. If you need more detailed instructions regarding installing applications to your Pocket PC via .CAB file, see my blog article entitled, "I bought a piece of software, now what do I do with it?"
Tagging and Reflowing PDF files
Most PDF files are optimized to be displayed on a large computer screen. If you use a different PDF viewer on your Pocket PC or if you copy a PDF file directly to your Pocket PC, you'll probably have to scroll from left to right and back again to read each line of the document. An advantage of Adobe Reader for Pocket PC over any other Pocket PC PDF Reader is that it can tag PDF files in such a way that they can be reflowed to fit in a Pocket PC's small screen. If the PDF file has never been tagged, the reflow option in Adobe Reader on the Pocket PC will be grayed out and you won't be able to use it.
When you install Adobe for Pocket PC, the installation wizard adds a file conversion option to ActiveSync that enables ActiveSync to tag PDF files. When tagged PDF files are synced to the Pocket PC, they can be reflowed to fit the Pocket PC screen by tapping an icon on the lower edge of the screen (see the 7th icon from the left in the Adobe Reader screen shown here). The tagging option does not work for all PDF files and may not work perfectly. To enable this feature,
- Open up ActiveSync on your computer,
- Select Tools > Options > Rules tab > Conversion Settings button > Desktop to Device tab
- Locate and select the Adobe PDF file type > Edit button > select the down arrow to the right of the dialogue box and choose Adobe Acrobat Tagged PDF Converter.
- When you sync PDF files to your Pocket PC, ActiveSync will attempt to tag the files.
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Hi Julie,
Thank you for another helpful article!
I am happy that you are back after a long silence and hope that you will continue sharing your knowledge during 2008.
Regards, Constantino.
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Constantino,
Thank you for your kind wishes. I was very busy with my paying job and it was hard to write articles, but things have eased up and I hope to write more consistently.
Julie
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Julie,
I upgraded my PC to Vista and noticed that Activesync will no longer install. Instead we must use what appears to be an inferior product, Windows Mobile Device Center, which doesn't allow the user to tag PDF's anymore. Sheesh. Do you know any to do this with WMDC, or does Microsoft have this "bug" on their radar yet? Since Adobe doesn't seem to be putting out anything new for Pocket PC, it seems we have to wait on Microsoft to correct WMDC...
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Oh, that's bad news. It seems with every update to syncing software some functionality is eliminated.
If you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat, you can tag PDF files there and they will reflow when you copy them directly to your pocket pc. To tag files within Adobe Acrobat 7.0, you'd open up the application, select Advanced > Accessibility > Add Tags to Document. Then you can copy the files directly to an SD card (no need to sync them), insert the card into your pocket pc and turn on the reflow option within Adobe Reader.
If you don't have Adobe Acrobat, you're probably out of luck until Microsoft decides to add the sync option to Windows Mobile Device Center.
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I am trying to install Reader on my HP IPAQ 514 Voice Messenger and I get error says "Installation of arceARMen_usr.PPC_2577.CA was unsuccessful. The installation file is not intended for this device". Any comment about this issue. Thank you.
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The 514 Voice Messenger is not a Pocket PC...it is a smartphone (no touch screen). Unfortunately, Adobe Reader for Pocket PC 2.0 is not compatible with smartphones and can not be installed to smartphones. You'll need to find a different PDF viewer that is designed to run on smartphones
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Whenever I exit Reader on my HTC Touch, the Touch goes through a soft reset. Have you heard any work-arounds for this?
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hmmmm. I haven't heard of that happening before. Does it happen every time you use Adobe Reader? How large are the PDF files you're reading? How are you exiting the application? By tapping the X at the top of the screen or by selecting the Exit option in the software?
Whenever my Pocket PCs soft reset like that, it's usually because program memory is getting maxed out. Adobe Reader does require a lot of memory to run, so closing other open applications before working with Adobe Reader might make a difference.
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It happens every time. The PDF's are smallish (500K-1.2M). It seems to happen no matter which way I exit the program. My Touch has a fair amount of unused memory (60 MB free). I am wondering if this has happened to anyone else?
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I own a iPAQ hx2790b. It is a French unit that runs Windows CE 5.0. I tried installing the French version of Adobe Reader using both the standard method and the CAB file method; it did not work. I installed the English version using the standard method and it worked flawlessly. Just thought I'd let you know. Take care!
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That's very interesting....thanks for sharing!
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Hi Prof Julie, I've just got my new iPAQ 210 and want to know if I can install the adobe pdf reader 2.0, it worked fine in my old iPAQ 4150 but I don't know if it will work in my 210, I´m used to read books in this format and the clear vue pdf that comes with the ipaq 210 does not support the reflow tool, please tell me if I can install this program to my 210, many thanks in advance!
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Adobe Reader should work on the 210. When I tried out the Ipaq 110, I installed Adobe Readee to it and it worked fine.
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I have problem trying to run the installation file with Vista whcih does not have the Activesync. As such I cannot extract the CAB file. Is there anywhere I can simply download the CAB file?
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Hello Ron! I've uploaded the Adobe Reader for Pocket PC 2.0 cab file to Rapidshare and you can download it from there:
Adobe Reader for Pocket PC 2.0 cab file
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I installed Adobe Reader for Pocket PC 2.0 on my Sprint ppc-6700. It installed fine and even placed an icon on my Today screen, but when I try to open a pdf file, it starts to load and then just goes back to the Today screen. It never finishes opening. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!
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This sounds like a memory issue. How much free Program memory is running on your Pocket PC? Have you tried performing a soft reset, and then opening the application?
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I am happy that you are back after a long silence and hope that you will continue sharing your knowledge during 2008 .and i hope much more shinnig
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I'm trying to export form data from reader 2.0 using an iPAQ 2490 w/ WM5 and I get an error saying a plugin is missing. Haven't a clue where to find the plugin...if that is truly the problem
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I've never tried to use those options in Adobe Reader so I really can't much to help you figure it out. If you send me a copy of the file you are using I'll look at it and see if I can figure anything out.
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