I'm using Windows 7-32, but asking in both as may not be OS-specific.

I have Acrobat Reader, "Continuous Release | Version 2019.010.20064".
It's currently my default for .pdf files - but let's not have that
argument here for now!

When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:

For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in
the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.
Repeated attempts make it go pale. Then they start working again.

(I just timed it: it was about 30 seconds after opening that things
stopped working, and the sulk lasted about 15. I have the feeling that
the sulk normally starts sooner and lasts longer; yes, I've just tried
several files and it usually does start sooner.)

What I'm curious about, is _what is it actually _doing_? I had at first
thought it was trying to "'phone home" to check for updates (or
something more nefarious) [and failing because of something in my hosts
file]; however, I've now noticed (in Resource Monitor) that it's
actually railing _disc access_ during the freeze.

Not really a problem - I can live with it (and if it becomes too
irritating I can switch to either an earlier version or a non-Adobe
alternative [such as an early Foxit]); I'm just _curious_ as to what
it's actually _doing_. It happens on only 4-8 page .pdf documents, so I
don't _think_ it's pausing to load more of the document.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop at the end.

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

> When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
> For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in the
> scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.

See if turning off accessibility features (I forget where exactly) stops the
behaviour?

I have a customer where they have to open very large PDF files, and acrobat
would spend time "preparing" them, so that if requested, it would know what
order to speak the entire document in, problem being the document was a CAD
drawing which it made no sense to think about speaking out, and they have no
visually impaired users.

I understand the principle of having A11Y features on by default, but when they
waste a lot of time, for no benefit, I turn them off.

On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 at 15:57:50, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote
(my responses usually follow points raised):
>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>
>> When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
>> For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking
>>in the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long
>>time.
>
>See if turning off accessibility features (I forget where exactly)
>stops the behaviour?
[]
>I understand the principle of having A11Y features on by default, but
>when they waste a lot of time, for no benefit, I turn them off.

("A11Y" threw me for a moment!) Interesting thought. I couldn't actually
find a setting to turn them _off_; there was a place where I could
choose between scan only current page, scan entire document, or scan
only current page for large documents; it was set to the third option,
and I changed it to the first. Not sure yet if it's made any difference;
will see.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

They put two and two together and make a dozen, provided they take off their
socks to help them count that far. (From "Walking the Dog", by "Smilodon".)

On 10/19/2021 10:48 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> I'm using Windows 7-32, but asking in both as may not be OS-specific.
>
> I have Acrobat Reader, "Continuous Release | Version 2019.010.20064".
> It's currently my default for .pdf files - but let's not have that
> argument here for now!
>
> When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
>
> For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in
> the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.
> Repeated attempts make it go pale. Then they start working again.

I gave up on updating that program a while ago. I am still using
version 11.0.1 -- going on a decade old, which was the last version
before the cloud integration garbage. It still seems to work fine.

On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 at 11:33:06, Michael Trew <michael.trew@att.net>
wrote (my responses usually follow points raised):
>On 10/19/2021 10:48 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>> I'm using Windows 7-32, but asking in both as may not be OS-specific.
>>
>> I have Acrobat Reader, "Continuous Release | Version 2019.010.20064".
>> It's currently my default for .pdf files - but let's not have that
>> argument here for now!
>>
>> When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
>>
>> For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in
>> the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.
>> Repeated attempts make it go pale. Then they start working again.
>
>
>I gave up on updating that program a while ago. I am still using
>version 11.0.1 -- going on a decade old, which was the last version
>before the cloud integration garbage. It still seems to work fine.

I'm tempted! When helping my blind friend install things on her new W10
machine, we kept getting problems getting more recent versions to work
(I forget what the problems were), and did indeed find she had an old
installer for version 11, which installed perfectly happily on W10.

I don't know what more recent versions (of Acrobat Reader, Foxit, or any
other) add that their significantly older ones don't have; there's
always the thought that they might _invisibly_ not be displaying
something (in the same way my very old Firefox often just doesn't
_display_ captchas, so I can't fill them in and the web page/site then
refuses to go on). Possibly some US government forms? (I'm pretty sure
I've not come across any problems with UK government ones.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Why doesn't DOS ever say "EXCELLENT command or filename!"

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

> ("A11Y" threw me for a moment!)

See also I8N, L10N, G11N

> Interesting thought. I couldn't actually find a
> setting to turn them _off_; there was a place where I could choose between scan
> only current page, scan entire document, or scan only current page for large
> documents; it was set to the third option, and I changed it to the first. Not
> sure yet if it's made any difference; will see.

That was how I first changed it for the customer, which reduced the impact for
multi-page documents, but the "disable it totally" setting is

Edit/Preferences/Accessibility/Other Accessibility Options
and untick Enable Assistive Technology Support.

Who cares.

Use PDF-EXchange Viewer.

On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 at 17:35:36, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote
(my responses usually follow points raised):
>J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>
>> ("A11Y" threw me for a moment!)
>
>See also I8N, L10N, G11N
>
>> Interesting thought. I couldn't actually find a setting to turn them
>>_off_; there was a place where I could choose between scan only
>>current page, scan entire document, or scan only current page for
>>large documents; it was set to the third option, and I changed it to
>>the first. Not sure yet if it's made any difference; will see.
>
>That was how I first changed it for the customer, which reduced the
>impact for multi-page documents, but the "disable it totally" setting is

I don't think it _did_ make a change in the end.
>
>Edit/Preferences/Accessibility/Other Accessibility Options
>and untick Enable Assistive Technology Support.

Thanks! I'll see how it goes. Seems odd there being an
Edit/Accessibility menu route as well as an
Edit/Preferences/Accessibility one.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

People wear anoraks because it's cold outside and it rains, not to annoy the
editors of style magazines. - Ben Elton, Radio Times 18-24 April 1998

On 10/19/2021 8:33 AM, Michael Trew wrote:
> On 10/19/2021 10:48 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>> I'm using Windows 7-32, but asking in both as may not be OS-specific.
>>
>> I have Acrobat Reader, "Continuous Release | Version 2019.010.20064".
>> It's currently my default for .pdf files - but let's not have that
>> argument here for now!
>>
>> When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
>>
>> For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in
>> the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.
>> Repeated attempts make it go pale. Then they start working again.
>
>
> I gave up on updating that program a while ago. I am still using
> version 11.0.1 -- going on a decade old, which was the last version
> before the cloud integration garbage. It still seems to work fine.
>

I agree with avoiding cloud integration. However, I have Adobe Reader
11.0.23.22. It appears to be the last version that did not integrate
with the cloud. I have the installer archived. If you want a copy,
reply in this thread.

--
David E. Ross
"A Message to Those Who Are Not Vaccinated"
See my <http://www.rossde.com/index.html#vaccine>.

On 20/10/2021 00:45, David E. Ross wrote:
> I agree with avoiding cloud integration. However, I have Adobe Reader
> 11.0.23.22. It appears to be the last version that did not integrate
> with the cloud. I have the installer archived. If you want a copy,
> reply in this thread.

I don't think current versions do anything in the cloud unless you use
paid for functions. Just don't pay and it's no different in practice.

--
Brian Gregory (in England).

On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 16:51:35 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

>I don't know what more recent versions (of Acrobat Reader, Foxit, or any
>other) add that their significantly older ones don't have; there's
>always the thought that they might _invisibly_ not be displaying
>something (in the same way my very old Firefox often just doesn't
>_display_ captchas, so I can't fill them in and the web page/site then
>refuses to go on). Possibly some US government forms? (I'm pretty sure
>I've not come across any problems with UK government ones.)

I'm using v 11 something, and it works OK.

Various utilities warn that updates are available, but I'm reluctant
to install mAdobe updates because the process takes forever and they
bmake you jump through lots of hoops, and I haven't yet come across a
pdf file lat Version 11.x won't display.

And yes, I have had problems with those Capcha thingies, which
something called Cloudflare fails to display for a lot of obituary
sites that I use for genealogy.

..
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk

On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 at 09:18:52, Steve Hayes <hayesstw@telkomsa.net>
wrote (my responses usually follow points raised):
>On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 16:51:35 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
><G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>
>>I don't know what more recent versions (of Acrobat Reader, Foxit, or any
>>other) add that their significantly older ones don't have; there's
>>always the thought that they might _invisibly_ not be displaying
[]
>I'm using v 11 something, and it works OK.

There's always the nagging fear (which I'm sure the creators do only
their best to perpetuate) that it may not display something, but in a
way that is not visible, so you don't _know_ they're not doing it.
>
>Various utilities warn that updates are available, but I'm reluctant
>to install mAdobe updates because the process takes forever and they
>bmake you jump through lots of hoops, and I haven't yet come across a
>pdf file lat Version 11.x won't display.

See above )-:.
>
>And yes, I have had problems with those Capcha thingies, which
>something called Cloudflare fails to display for a lot of obituary
>sites that I use for genealogy.
>
(Ah, another fellow genealogist; we seem to be everywhere!)
>
>
>.
? --
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Lucy Worsley takes tea in Jane Austen's Regency Bath. - TV "Choices" listing,
RT 2017-5-27

On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 at 03:52:40, Brian Gregory
<void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> wrote (my responses usually
follow points raised):
>On 20/10/2021 00:45, David E. Ross wrote:
>> I agree with avoiding cloud integration. However, I have Adobe Reader
>> 11.0.23.22. It appears to be the last version that did not integrate
>> with the cloud. I have the installer archived. If you want a copy,
>> reply in this thread.

Yes please - I thought I'd have such installers, but I can't find them.
(What sort of filenames should I be looking for?)
>
>I don't think current versions do anything in the cloud unless you use
>paid for functions. Just don't pay and it's no different in practice.
>
Is it possible to stop them _trying_ to "call home"?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Lucy Worsley takes tea in Jane Austen's Regency Bath. - TV "Choices" listing,
RT 2017-5-27

On 20/10/2021 14:13, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 at 03:52:40, Brian Gregory
> <void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> wrote (my responses usually
> follow points raised):
>> I don't think current versions do anything in the cloud unless you use
>> paid for functions. Just don't pay and it's no different in practice.
>>
> Is it possible to stop them _trying_ to "call home"?

I haven't attempted to analyse exactly what it silently tries to do but
I can see there isn't anything more than fairly small amounts of data
being sent and received as would be consistent with it checking for
updates, which I don't want to stop it doing.

--
Brian Gregory (in England).

On 10/20/2021 6:13 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2021 at 03:52:40, Brian Gregory
> <void-invalid-dead-dontuse@email.invalid> wrote (my responses usually
> follow points raised):
>> On 20/10/2021 00:45, David E. Ross wrote:
>>> I agree with avoiding cloud integration. However, I have Adobe Reader
>>> 11.0.23.22. It appears to be the last version that did not integrate
>>> with the cloud. I have the installer archived. If you want a copy,
>>> reply in this thread.
>
> Yes please - I thought I'd have such installers, but I can't find them.
> (What sort of filenames should I be looking for?)

[snipped]

This will be complicated. It has been a long time -- 3 years -- since I
installed 11.0.23.22. That was simple. I merely updated 11.0.22.
However, all I have are (1) the installer for 11.0.10.32 and (2) a set
of 13 updaters that sequentially lead to 11.0.23.22.

I have zipped all the files into file reader.zip, which is 441 MB. It
is at <http://www.rossde.com/test/reader.zip>. Although I have a good
broadband connection, FTP uploaded the file to my Web site at only 3.3
Mbps, taking more than 21 minutes. I have to assume downloading via
broadband will be quicker.

If you download the file, then unzip it and sort the contents
chronologically. The file names indicate the version (sometimes
omitting periods in the version numbers). Check to see if you have one
of those Adobe Reader versions. If so, start updating with the next
version, progressing through the renmaining updates to 11.0.23.22.
Otherwise, you will have to install 11.0.10.32 and then progress through
all of the updates.

I do not remember why I used the registry update file [disable Fill and
Sign pane Reader 11.reg]. However, I just now checked and see that I
did indeed used it.

Please let me know in this thread when you either download the
reader.zip file or else decide not to bother. I will then remove it
from my ISP's Web server.

--
David E. Ross
"A Message to Those Who Are Not Vaccinated"
See my <http://www.rossde.com/index.html#vaccine>.

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote

| I don't know what more recent versions (of Acrobat Reader, Foxit, or any
| other) add that their significantly older ones don't have; there's
| always the thought that they might _invisibly_ not be displaying
| something (in the same way my very old Firefox often just doesn't
| _display_ captchas, so I can't fill them in and the web page/site then
| refuses to go on). Possibly some US government forms? (I'm pretty sure
| I've not come across any problems with UK government ones.)

I'm not aware of any notable updates that have been done
for many years. The spec is semi-open-source now, I think.
It seems that the way they make it valuable is by convincing
reader developers not to add "premium" functionality like editing.

I do my US income tax fillable forms with PDF XChange Viewer
from 2014. It works fine. It's not like DOC/DOCX where MS are
constantly breaking it so you have to buy the new version.

That cloud comment from Steve might be a clue, though.
Maybe check your Internet activity when you open Acrobat
Reader and see if it goes online. It might ver well be opening
quick to look snappy but then spending time calling home to
check for updates, etc.

On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 15:48:30 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:

>I'm using Windows 7-32, but asking in both as may not be OS-specific.
>
>I have Acrobat Reader, "Continuous Release | Version 2019.010.20064".
>It's currently my default for .pdf files - but let's not have that
>argument here for now!
>
>When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
>
>For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in
>the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.
>Repeated attempts make it go pale. Then they start working again.
>
>(I just timed it: it was about 30 seconds after opening that things
>stopped working, and the sulk lasted about 15. I have the feeling that
>the sulk normally starts sooner and lasts longer; yes, I've just tried
>several files and it usually does start sooner.)
>
>What I'm curious about, is _what is it actually _doing_? I had at first
>thought it was trying to "'phone home" to check for updates (or
>something more nefarious) [and failing because of something in my hosts
>file]; however, I've now noticed (in Resource Monitor) that it's
>actually railing _disc access_ during the freeze.
>
>Not really a problem - I can live with it (and if it becomes too
>irritating I can switch to either an earlier version or a non-Adobe
>alternative [such as an early Foxit]); I'm just _curious_ as to what
>it's actually _doing_. It happens on only 4-8 page .pdf documents, so I
>don't _think_ it's pausing to load more of the document.

My Adobe PDF keeps a list of all the files I have open. As the list
grows, files get slower and slower to load. I once had to open and
print several hundres PDF files and I found it necessary to clean out
the cach (or whatever it is) every so often. It is possible to do this
without having to open them all. This behaviour may be related to your
problem.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

On Mon, 25 Oct 2021 at 22:01:03, Eric Stevens <eric.stevens@sum.co.nz>
wrote (my responses usually follow points raised):
>On Tue, 19 Oct 2021 15:48:30 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
><G6JPG@255soft.uk> wrote:
>
>>I'm using Windows 7-32, but asking in both as may not be OS-specific.
>>
>>I have Acrobat Reader, "Continuous Release | Version 2019.010.20064".
>>It's currently my default for .pdf files - but let's not have that
>>argument here for now!
>>
>>When I view a .pdf file, I get a strange behaviour:
>>
>>For a short time after opening the file, PgUp/Dn keys - or clicking in
>>the scroll bar - work; then they stop, for an irritatingly long time.
>>Repeated attempts make it go pale. Then they start working again.
>>
>>(I just timed it: it was about 30 seconds after opening that things
>>stopped working, and the sulk lasted about 15. I have the feeling that
>>the sulk normally starts sooner and lasts longer; yes, I've just tried
>>several files and it usually does start sooner.)
>>
>>What I'm curious about, is _what is it actually _doing_? I had at first
>>thought it was trying to "'phone home" to check for updates (or
>>something more nefarious) [and failing because of something in my hosts
>>file]; however, I've now noticed (in Resource Monitor) that it's
>>actually railing _disc access_ during the freeze.
>>
>>Not really a problem - I can live with it (and if it becomes too
>>irritating I can switch to either an earlier version or a non-Adobe
>>alternative [such as an early Foxit]); I'm just _curious_ as to what
>>it's actually _doing_. It happens on only 4-8 page .pdf documents, so I
>>don't _think_ it's pausing to load more of the document.
>
>My Adobe PDF keeps a list of all the files I have open. As the list
>grows, files get slower and slower to load. I once had to open and
>print several hundres PDF files and I found it necessary to clean out
>the cach (or whatever it is) every so often. It is possible to do this
>without having to open them all. This behaviour may be related to your
>problem.

Thanks for the suggestion! I don't _think_ that's likely to be it, as
(a) I rarely open more than one at a time (i. e. I close Acrobat rather
than just the tab in it), and (b) it - the pause - happens even on files
with just two or four pages (of mostly text), not just huge ones.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Never raise your hand to your children. It leaves your mid-section unprotected