New features in Exchange allow you to navigate smoothly through the document. It can also create bookmarks, both internal and external links to other
PDF files, which can be marked to other connected articles. Pages can also be easily inserted, deleted or rotated. Exchange has other tools including the ability to attach 'notes' or video clips.
Acrobat has numerous plug-ins amongst which the Capture feature is the most powerful. In addition to simple
OCR processing, it can display text as graphic images. These images can be replaced with text by using the Touch-up plug-in. These excellent OCR features place Acrobat far ahead of its rivals.
The success of the Acrobat software can be partly judged by the number of other companies that have made additional plug-ins. Amongst these are Software Partners who have made the Aerial and
Re:Mark plug-ins. Aerial inserts navigation tools, called 'Paper Clips', that have the feel of browser bookmarks which can point to any page in the file. Other tools can change the PDF file into Rich Text Format that
can then be seen in any word processor. Re:Mark allows you to attach any file to the PDF file and then draw sketches or comments onto the files.
Acrobat Reader now supports the Netscape Navigator API and Microsoft Internet Exchange ActiveX. This release has improved its
download capabilities as now one page at a time can be viewed. Previous release demanded that the entire document download first. This has been achieved with new compression techniques aimed at reducing the
notorious large file size of PDF's. Compared with Corel WordPerfect's Envoy, PDF files are still very slow to display and run searches in, though the outdo the competition with their cross-platform support.
This release will please those who are already using Acrobat. Despite the awkward feel of the package, the range of features that it offers compensates especially when publishing documents over the Internet.
And as the price of Acrobat has come down to $295 this will appeal to departments considering moving into cross platform documentation.
Recommended System Requirements:
Pentium processor-based personal computer
Windows 95 or Windows NT
16 MB of RAM (24 MB for Windows NT)
CD-ROM drive 40 MB of available hard-disk space
Macintosh with a 68020 or greater processor, or Power Macintosh
3.5 MB of RAM (5 MB for Power Macintosh) available to Acrobat Reader
4 MB of RAM (6 MB for Power Macintosh) available to Acrobat Exchange
6 MB of RAM (8 MB for Power Macintosh) available to Distiller
16 MB of RAM available to Acrobat Capture Plug-in (Acrobat Capture Plug-in available only for Power Macintosh)
Apple System Software version 7.0 or later CD-ROM drive (1.44 MB floppy disks available on request)
