Hi,
You can now download a beta version of our Access solution to Adobe Acrobat
for the Windows platform from our WWW site.
Here is the detailed announcement:
April 22, 1996
Dear Beta Tester for Adobe Acrobat Access:
This letter is to announce the availability of the Beta version of the
Adobe(TM) Acrobat(TM) Access software for Microsoft (R) Windows (TM) 3.1 and
Windows 95 (TM). The Acrobat Access software makes Acrobat documents accessible
to the blind and vision impaired, and is available at no
charge from the Adobe World Wide Web Site.
Acrobat Access Overview
=======================
Acrobat Access is a plug-in to Adobe Acrobat. (A "plug-in" is a
piece of software that works with the standard Acrobat product and
enhances its capability.) Acrobat Access presents an alternative
view of the open PDF document in a separate window called the Access
View that is designed to cooperate with screen reading programs.
Screen readers work well today with one-column text that is
oriented horizontally left to right and top to bottom. The screen
readers programs do not work well with multi-column or vertically
oriented text. The limitations of the screen reading
technology present a special challenge to PDF files which are
usually visually rich documents. PDF documents often have a complex
layout that include multiple columns of text, text on a curve,
vertical text, and sometimes even invisible text.
The Access View of the PDF document is designed to cooperate with
screen reading programs for Windows by presenting the text of the
document so as to improve readability. For example, Acrobat Access
presents multi-column documents as a single
column and "straightens" all non-horizontal text.
Acrobat Access interacts with the primary Acrobat document
display in such a way as to make interaction as seamless as possible,
and will allow the use of all standard Acrobat features,
such as the use of annotations and hypertext links. Additionally,
Access allows the exportation of PDF to HTML 2.0 and
formatted ASCII.
The goal of Acrobat Access is to provide you with a simplified reading
order. This is often a difficult task, especially for multi-column
text files. In order to provide you with a logical reading order,
Acrobat Access includes an Enhanced Reading Order feature which
attempts to infer the reading order of the document
from its layout. The Enhanced Reading Order feature works similarly
to Optical Character Recognition (OCR). While OCR tries to guess
what letters are from spots on a page, the Enhanced Reading Order
attempts to guess what constitutes a paragraph by looking at how
the characters are lined up on the page. Acrobat Access then
tries to guess what paragraphs are related to each
other by a predetermined set of rules about document layout.
The Enhanced Reading Order works well with most business documents
that you encounter on a day-to-day basis, e.g.,. memos, reports
and proposals. Its performance, however, depends on the
characteristics of the PDF document. For example,
documents with many advertisements, which do not follow any
standard layout rules, may result in an incorrect or difficult
to follow reading order. Documents with side bars or images with
captions may also result in an incorrect reading order.
This first version of Acrobat Access has overcome many obstacles
and can be a very valuable to tool for reading PDF files. Although
it has overcome many obstacles, there are still many more to
conquer. Adobe is committed to improving this technology in future
releases. Your input is valuable to this development
process.
For more information on the accessibility of Acrobat documents,
which are also know as "PDF"(TM) or "Portable Document Format"
files, please see the information at the following URL:
http://www.adobe.com/Acrobat/Access-WP.html.
Getting The Adobe Acrobat Access Beta 1 for Microsoft Windows
=============================================================
(You can also find this information at the following URL:
http://www.adobe.com/Acrobat/Access.html)
******************************************************************
This Acrobat Access is a pre release version, does not
represent final product from Adobe, and may contain bugs, errors
and other problems that could cause system failures.
******************************************************************
This section contains the following topics:
* System requirements
* Installing Acrobat Access
* Setting up your Web Browser with Acrobat Amber and Acrobat Access
* Getting Started with Acrobat Access
* How to Report Bugs and Provide Feedback
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
* 386- or 486-based personal computer (486 recommended)
* Microsoft Windows 3.1, Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, Microsoft
Windows 95, or Microsoft Windows NT 3.51
* 4 MB application RAM
* 3 MB hard disk space, plus 2 MB TEMP space available during
installation
* For web integration, any Web Browser that allows you to configure a
helper application by mime type.
INSTALLING ACROBAT ACCESS
Acrobat Access is designed to work with the latest version of the Acrobat
Reader software, which is distributed at no charge by Adobe Systems,
code-named "Acrobat Amber", is available for downloading from the Adobe Web
Site.
IMPORTANT: Acrobat Access requires the use the latest release of
Acrobat, code-named "Amber" (also known as Acrobat 3.0). Acrobat
Access is NOT compatible with previous versions of Acrobat, such
as Acrobat 2.0 or 2.1.
Note that there is a version of Amber for Windows 3.1 and Windows for
Workgroups(16-bit) and a version for Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.51(32-bit).
Be sure to download the appropriate one. IMPORTANT: Please ignore any
installation instructions regarding the configuration of the Netscape
Navigator Web browser with Acrobat "Amber". Instead, here are the special
instructions for configuring any web browser for use with Acrobat "Amber"
and the Acrobat Access plug-in that you will find later in this document.
Next, to install Acrobat Access, choose either the instructions for
Microsoft Windows 3.1/Windows for Workgroups OR the instructions for Windows
95/ Windows NT 3.51 below.
Microsoft Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups Instructions:
-------------------------------------------------------------
To install the 16-bit Acrobat Access Plug-in for use only with Microsoft
Windows 3.1 or Microsoft Windows for Workgroups:
* Download the archive file ACCS16B1.EXE to the plug_ins subdirectory
where your Acrobat "Amber" is installed.
Download ACCS16B1.EXE (298314 bytes)
TIP: By default, the Acrobat "Amber" Reader will install into the
c:\acrobat\acroweb directory. The path, therefore, the plug_ins
directory is probably "c:\acrobat\acroweb\plug_ins".
* Execute the ACCS16B1.EXE file by either 1) Selecting it from the file
manager and pressing ENTER or 2) executing it from a MS DOS window
The following files will be placed in the plug_ins directory:
access.txt
(Information on installing and getting started with Access)
access16.api
(An executable dll for Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups)
infer16.api
(Also an executable dll)
feedback.txt
(An ASCII feedback form)
bugform.txt
(An ASCII bug form)
keys.txt
(An ASCII quick reference to Access)
help_a.pdf
(An on-line help file for Access in PDF format)
* The help_a.pdf file needs to be located in the HELP subdirectory where
the Acrobat "Amber" Reader is installed.
1) Go to the subdirectory where the Acrobat "Amber" Reader is
installed, usually "c:\acrobat\acroweb" :
C:
CD \AROBAT\ACROWEB
2) Create a subdirectory there called help if it does not exist:
MKDIR HELP
3) Copy the help_a.pdf file from the plug_ins subdirectory to the
help subdirectory:
COPY PLUG_INS\HELP_A.PDF HELP\HELP_A.PDF
* Installation requires approximately 1.5 MB of free hard disk space
Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 Instructions:
---------------------------------------------------------------
To install the 32-bit Acrobat Access Plug-in for use only with Microsoft
Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows NT 3.51:
* Download the archive file ACCS32B1.EXE to the plug_ins subdirectory
where your Acrobat "Amber" Reader is installed.
Download ACCS32B1.EXE (395357 bytes)
TIP: By default, the Acrobat "Amber" Reader will install into the
c:\acrobat\acrowebdirectory. The path, therefore, to the plug_ins
directory is probably "c:\acrobat\acroweb\plug_ins".
* Execute the ACCS32B1.EXE file by either 1) Selecting it from the
Windows Explorer and pressing ENTER or, 2) Executing it from an MS DOS
window.
The following files will be placed in the plug_ins directory:
access.txt
(Information on installing and getting started with Access)
access32.api
(An executable dll for Windows 95 and Windows NT)
infer32.api
(Also an executable dll)
feedback.txt
(An ASCII feedback form)
bugform.txt
(An ASCII bug form)
keys.txt
(An ASCII quick reference to Access)
help_a.pdf
(An on-line help file for Access in PDF format)
* The help_a.pdf file needs to be located in the HELP subdirectory where
the Acrobat "Amber" Reader is installed.
1) Go to the subdirectory where the Acrobat "Amber" Reader is
installed, usually "c:\acrobat\acroweb" :
C:
CD \AROBAT\ACROWEB
2) Create a subdirectory there called help if it does not exist:
MKDIR HELP
3) Copy the help_a.pdf file from the plug_ins subdirectory to the
help subdirectory:
COPY PLUG_INS\HELP_A.PDF HELP\HELP_A.PDF
* Installation requires approximately 1.5 MB of free hard disk space
SETTING UP YOUR WEB BROWSER WITH ACROBAT "AMBER" AND ACROBAT ACCESS SOFTWARE
If you have a web browser and would like to set up your browser to view PDF
documents, this section provides instructions on how to configure the
browser.
The Acrobat "Amber" Reader has a special feature for viewing PDF files a
page at a time in the Netscape Navigator browser window. Unfortunately,
limitations of the Netscape Application Programming Interface (API) do not
allow us to offer that capability to users of Acrobat Access.
Instead, Acrobat "Amber" Reader will be integrated with your browser as an
external viewer or helper application. Here is a pointer to instructions to
set up your browser.
GETTING STARTED WITH ACROBAT ACCESS
Once you have Acrobat "Amber" Reader and the Acrobat Access plug-in
installed, here are a few pointers to get you started.
* Start the Acrobat "Amber" Reader.
Instructions for Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups:
From the Program Manager, select the "Adobe Acrobat" Program
Group.
Then, select the ""Amber" Acrobat Reader" program item and press
ENTER.
Instructions for Windows 95:
Select the Start button from the Task Bar. From the pop-up menu,
select " Programs", and then "Adobe Acrobat", and finally, select
"Acrobat Amber Reader" and press ENTER.
* To read the Access help file, choose the following menu sequence from
the Acrobat "Amber" menu:
1 ) Help
2) Plug-in Help
3) Acrobat Access
This menu sequence will open the Acrobat Access Help file, which
is a PDF document.
TIP: If you don't see help for Acrobat Access in the Plug-in help
menu, you may have had some installation problems so please try to
reinstall Acrobat Access.
TIP: If you get an error opening the help file, you may not have
copied the help file to the help directory. You can instead open
the file directly from the following directory:
c:\acrobat\acroweb\plug_ins\help_a.pdf.
* Finally, to bring up the Access view of this document, press <CONTROL>+
Q simultaneously. At this point, your screen reading program should be
able to read the Access view of the help file. The help file covers all
of the features of Acrobat Access, including how to set up Acrobat so
that the Access view is the default document view.
MORE TIPS:
* You are only one key stroke away from a quick reference for all of the
Access commands:
<CONTROL> + 9 toggles a quick reference for Access
Since it is a toggle, you can make the quick reference go away by
just press<CONTROL> + 9 again.
* Here is a page on the Adobe Web site that is dedicated to listing most
of the places on the World Wide Web where there are PDF files.
KNOWN PROBLEMS
Enhanced Reading Order does not work well on documents with
non-standard layout, e.g. advertisements or forms.
Exporting to ASCII or HTML is slow and may appear to be hung since no
user feedback is given as to when the file has been completely saved.
HOW TO REPORT BUGS OR TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK
Please report bugs by sending an email address to access-b@adobe.com. Please
include the following information:
* Name
* Company Name
* Address
* Email address
* Phone
* Operating System
* CPU
* Screen Reading Program
* Acrobat Amber Version
* Web Browser
Note that there is a text version of a bug form (bugform.txt) that is
downloaded with the Acrobat Access plug-in. You can use this as a starting
point for submitting bugs if you desire.
Please send your feedback to this email address as well.
Thank you for your participation in the Acrobat Access Beta Program,
Liz McQuarrie
Adobe Acrobat Engineering
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Systems, Incorporated
and may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
(c) 1983-1996 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Thanks,
--Raman
--Best Regards, ____________________________________________________________________________ --raman
Adobe Systems Tel: 1 (415) 962 3945 (B-1 115) Advanced Technology Group Fax: 1 (415) 962 6063 1585 Charleston Road Email: raman@adobe.com Mountain View, CA 94039 -7900 raman@cs.cornell.edu http://www-atg/People/Raman.html (Internal To Adobe) http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/People/raman/raman.html (Cornell)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are my own and in no way should be taken as representative of my employer, Adobe Systems Inc. ____________________________________________________________________________
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