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Using PDF hunts with Mac OS X by Cindy O'Hora

I received an email that a teacher was having trouble using the pdf hunts with Macintosh OS X. I did some investigating and troubleshooting. The following is what I worked out.

I believe what is happening is that when you click on one of the pdf hunts - a file is downloaded into the Mac rather than being opened in/by a browser pdf plugin.

When you double click on this downloaded pdf file, it is opened by default, by an application called Preview. Unfortunately, Preview disables the links.

Plan A

You should have a version of Acrobat Reader in your Applications folder.

1. Drag the downloaded hunt pdf file to it. It will open in Acrobat and the links are active.

2. To make this easier for your students:

Drag ...drop the Acrobat icon to the Dock at the bottom of the Desktop.

Now the kids just drag the pdf file to the Acrobat icon in the dock to launch it.

Clicking on a link will launch your default browser.

The students will then work between the two open windows to do the hunt.

 

Plan B

As an alternative you can tell IE to use the Acrobat plug in to open pdf docs.

1. Go to Preferences..

2. File Helper Choose Portable Doc Format on the right

3. Handling - See bottom of window menu for choices - Select - View with plug in

Configure Internet Explorer or AOL to display PDF files

 

Plan C - Configure Netscape Navigator to display PDF files (Acrobat 6.0 and Adobe Reader 6.0 on Mac OS X)

Viewing PDFs Online with a Mac OS X Browser

 

Why don't I just offer them all in html like I used to? Read my copyright page.


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©2003 Cindy O'Hora. All rights reserved. Updated 5/2005 Posted 10/26/2003 by Cindy O'Hora