Step 1: Open a PDF File in Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional

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In order to get started, you have to have a PDF file open in Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional. Opening files using Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader is similar to opening files using the majority of personal computer you are currently already familiar with.

Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional, Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Standard, and the Adobe Reader 7.0 are applications from a Adobe Systems which allow you to open, view, and print PDF files. These applications are referred to collectively as user agents for PDF files. In much the same way a browser is a user agent for HTML files, these applications are user agents for the PDF format.

First, it is assumed that you have one of these applications installed on your computer. For the purposes of this tutorial, we will be referring to Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional unless otherwise noted.

Opening PDFs from the Desktop / File Folder

Using a mouse, simply double click on the PDF file you wish to open (PDF files have a distinctive icon and possess the file extension .pdf (See Figure 2 - 2 PDF Files on the Desktop / In a File Folder) ). Users who do not use a mouse would use the Windows convention to Tab to the target folder and select the desired PDF by tabbing, typing the initial letters of the file name or using the up or down arrow keys to navigate the file folder in order to select the desired PDF file.

Figure 2 - 2 PDF Files on the Desktop / In a File Folder

Opening PDFs from Within Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader

Assuming Adobe Acrobat or the Adobe Reader is already running on your computer, from the menu bar File>Open will allow you to browse to the desired PDF file. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + O. The Accelerator Key Combination is Alt + F +O. Any one of these actions brings up the Acrobat Open Dialog. You can either use the mouse to select the desired file or Tab over to the desired file using the appropriate keystrokes. Opening files from within Adobe Acrobat / Reader will limit the display of files to only those that have the PDF file extension (See Figure 2 - 3 The Adobe Acrobat Open Dialog) . If you would like to know what other types of files may be in the selected folder, you would have to select "All Files" from the dropdown list of file types that appears at the bottom of the Open Dialog.

Figure 2 - 3 The Adobe Acrobat Open Dialog