Chapter 1. Getting to Know Adobe Acrobat

To start off this large book on Adobe Acrobat, let's first take a look at what Acrobat is and what PDF is, and let's try to get a grasp on some of the many options you have for working with PDF files in Acrobat.

Getting to Know the Viewing Modes

The first time you launch Acrobat X, you immediately notice a big change in the user interface (UI). Of all the changes in this new version over Acrobat 9, the most obvious is the complete rearrangement of tools, panels, and choices for menu options as shown in Figure 1.1. You notice immediately that Acrobat X has newer menus, three buttons in the top-right corner that are to display the Tools, Comment, and Share panels, a single Create task button, and the absence of toolbars. For a more complete description of the various user interface components, see the section "Working in the Acrobat Environment" later in this chapter.

Why this change, you ask? Quite simply, Adobe wants to improve the viewing experience for both the PDF authors and those who read PDF documents. Before I delve into the many features and tasks you can perform in Acrobat, let's take a look at the new UI and the two different modes available for viewing and working on PDF files.

STEPS: Viewing PDF Files

  1. Launch Acrobat X. This step presumes you have ...

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