[X-Newbies] PDF files in a browser

[Al Poulin]

With the Safari Preference set to "Open 'safe' files...," when I press 
on a link, the download is automatic and the top menu changes from 
"Safari" to "Preview."  Is this what happens in your browser?  Or does 
"Safari" remain in your top menu?  And does the Safari window then take 
on the appearance of Adobe Reader?

The plot thickens.  I just made those pages open in Safari.  But I had 
to go to an obscure preference in Adobe Reader 7.0.7 to make that 
happen.  In AR Preferences, I went to the "Internet" Category and 
checked the box for "Display PDF in browser using:  Adobe Reader 
7.0.7."  Then I closed AR, closed Safari, relaunched Safari and then 
went to the web page for the manuals.  After clicking on a manual's 
link, Safari opened the .pdf file without downloading it.  The Safari 
window took on the characteristics of AR, apparently using the Adobe 
Reader plug-in.  The Adobe Reader application itself was not running.

My little story behind this is that after using Safari/Preview for a 
year or so, some .pdf files from the web did not behave.  I downloaded 
Adobe Reader 7.0.5 to work the files.  After that, Preview no longer 
worked with Safari, to my endless frustration.  After a few months, I 
remembered what happened in the old OS 8 and 9 days.  The old Acrobat 
Reader always wanted to take over the computer, becoming the default 
application for .pdf, but it had the courtesy to ask permission to do 
this upon installation.  With the recent versions for OS X, Adobe 
Reader does not ask!!  It just takes over as the default app -- until I 
found that Internet Category preference and unchecked the box for using 
AR.

Note, the setting for AR default does not change unless I close both 
Safari and AR and then relaunch Safari.

Al Poulin

On Nov 13, 2006, at 5:13 PM, J wrote:

> That's strange because those from the pages you list still open in my 
> browser unless I specifically press on the link and download to disk.
>
> On Nov 13, 2006, at 5:08 PM, Al Poulin wrote:
>
>> I guess I misunderstood the OP because, some time ago, I reset my 
>> Panther Safari 1.3.2 Preferences in the General tab to comply with 
>> advise from Apple and security experts.  I unchecked the box for 
>> "Open 'safe' files after downloading.  I always get the .pdf files 
>> downloaded to my Desktop.  Then I double click on the icon.
>>
>> Just now, I checked the box to "Open 'safe' files.  This time, the 
>> .pdf file downloaded and Preview automatically opened it.  I am 
>> talking about a 44 page, 4.5MB technical manual here:
>> http://mendota-gas-fireplaces.com/mendota-manuals.asp
>>
>> I get the same behavior at:
>> http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/
>>
>> I guess I still do not understand the problem.  Now, I am unchecking 
>> that box as advised.
>>
>> Regards to all,
>>
>> Al Poulin