Troubleshooting: Downloading PDFs

Because we use many Adobe products (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.) to produce resources, PDF is the seamless choice for delivery to the web. PDF also ensures that all end-users receive the look intended by the original author, artists, and/or collaborators (including images, original layout, links, etc.).

How to view and/or print PDF document:
In order to view and/or print any PDF document (signified with the ".pdf" extension in the file name), it must first be downloaded completely to your computer. It is also recommended that you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your system. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free directly from Adobe's Web site by clicking the link below:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

To download a PDF resource, first right-click on the link you are wishing to download. From the contextual pop-up menu, choose "Save Target As..." (certain web browsers might phrase this differently such as "Download Linked File As...").

Next, you should receive a "Save As" pop-up asking where you'd like the file to be saved. Be sure to save it in a place you can recall easily such as "My Documents" or on the desktop. Once you click "Save," allow the file to completely download. Depending on your connection speed to the internet, this could take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes to download completely.

During the download process you should see a task bar indicating the progress of the file you are downloading. When the download is complete, your task bar should indicate 100% or "Download complete."

Once your download is complete, launch Adobe Acrobat Reader. With Acrobat Reader open, choose "Open" from the File menu, navigate to where you saved your downloaded file, and choose "Open" or "OK." You should then be able to view and print your recently downloaded file.

Adobe Acrobat Reader Plug-in for Web Browsers:
Many users view PDF documents from within their web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. This is due to a special plug-in that is installed during the Acrobat Reader installation process. In this case, you can simply left-click on a link you wish to download and it loads automatically into your current web browser without having to navigate to a place to save on your local disk or needing to open the file from within Acrobat Reader. While this process works fine, there is little or no indication with some browsers as to how long a particular file may take to download completely. Depending on your connection speed to the internet, this could take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes to download completely. This method of downloading PDFs is recommended only if you have a broadband connection to the internet (DSL, cable, T1, T3, etc.) or don't mind waiting while your browser appears to be doing nothing (while downloading the desired file in the background).

In Review:

1. Right-click the desired link, choose "Save Target As...," and wait for the file to download completely.

2. Be sure the latest free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader is installed on your system (see link above).

3. Open the file from within Adobe Acrobat Reader using "Open" from the File menu.

4. Only left-click on the desired link if you have the Acrobat Reader Plug-in installed with your browser and you have a fast connection to the internet (or don't mind waiting).

Further Assistance:
If you have further problems or questions, please email the web team.