Problems With PDF Files

1. Software: Use the most current version of Acrobat. The free Acrobat Reader reading/printing software is available from Adobe.com at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

2. Download: For best results, download the PDF document to your hard drive before viewing or printing ... do not open the PDF in your Web browser. The most common problems with viewing or printing PDF files is that the Acrobat Reader Web browser plug-in misinterprets the PDF file or there is not enough memory to display and print the file. Right-click on the PDF link to download the PDF file directly to your computer, then view or print it from there.

To download a PDF file to your computer: right-click on the PDF link and select "Save Target As..." (Explorer) or "Save Link As..." (Netscape) from the pop-up menu. When the "Save as" screen appears, select the location on your hard drive where you want to save the PDF file. Enter a filename then click the "Save" button. Once the PDF document has been downloaded to your computer, close your Web browser and open the PDF file from your hard drive. The PDF file should now be able to be viewed and printed using Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

3. Viewing/Printing: The best way to view and print a PDF file is to download it to your computer, then read or print it from your hard drive (see Step 2). Some general printing remedies ...

Print large PDFs 1-10 pages at a time. Large graphics, complex pages, or certain fonts in a PDF file can cause system conflicts.

Shut down the computer and leave it off for 15-30 seconds to clear the memory, then restart it and try printing again. the computer system could be out of memory or system resources.

Use the most current driver for your printer. Using an outdated printer driver can cause many PDF conflicts. Most printer manufacturers post current printer drivers on their Web sites for free download.

Click the "Print as Image" option in the "Print" menu (in Acrobat 6 or higher, click the "Advanced" box in the lower left corner then click the "Print as Image" box near the top).

Deselect the "Download fonts once" check box in the "Print" dialogue box when printing.

4. Contact Adobe: If none of the options above solve your PDF problem, please go to Adobe.com's Acrobat support area for more extensive help. For more information about PDFs and accessibility, please go to access.adobe.com.

5. Contact Us: If you need further assistance with any RMRS PDF file, please contact Suzy Stephens at sstephens[at]fs.fed.us or 801-625-5291. Include publication name or number (ex. RMRS-RP-4), the exact problem, and which version of Acrobat you are using. To order a printed publication, please see our Publication Order page.