Viewing PDF in browsers won't work

[pfurrie]

PDF-XChange Viewer version : 2.0 (build 41.5)
OS: Win XP Home SP3

I went to the following site to pull up a manual for my computer:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/Te ... Id=3687084
(specifically, I clicked on the "Memory Modules - Windows XP" link on this page).

PDF-XChange installed on this machine, and configured to show PDF in browser. Have 3 browsers installed: IE8, Firefox 3.0.8, and Chrome 1.0.154.53. All three browsers try to load PDF in browser, and all three fail. Chrome and Firefox just show a PDF-XChange logo in the center of screen, and IE8 gives PDF-XChange error message saying that this PDF is broken.

However, Adobe Reader 9.1 and Foxit 3.0 both load it fine in the browser. Additionally, if I first download the PDF and then use PDF-XChange to open the PDF-in-question, it opens fine (in other words, not broken). Only using PDF-XChange to open that file in the browser fails.

Ideas?

Pat

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

The PDF from your link opens fine inside both IE8 and Opera 9.64 using the PDF-XChange plugin.

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

2 pfurrie: Did you install using .exe installer or .msi ?

[pfurrie]

2 pfurrie: Did you install using .exe installer or .msi ?

Hmmmm. One of those things I can't check any more as I delete the install file after installation (doesn't everyone?). I would have thought it wouldn't make a difference, but as you are asking, then I'm thinking that it may make a difference. Can you shed some light on that? Why would one be different than the other? Which one *should* I have installed? If one is better, why are both available?

Thanks

Pat

[pfurrie]

The PDF from your link opens fine inside both IE8 and Opera 9.64 using the PDF-XChange plugin.

Is the "plugin" different than installing the regular program?

There is not much I could have done incorrectly in the install, and the computer is very vanilla (brand new computer, with any junk tossed out after purchase). Never had Adobe Reader or Foxit on it prior to PDF-XChange (only installed them later to test the supposedly "broken" PDF). I use PDF-XChange on a couple other computers, and have never seen a "broken" PDF message.

Pat

[pfurrie]

Additional piece of info (from the "for what it's worth" department):

The link in the original post: that is to the support page for the HP 2133 Mini, which is the computer running PDF-XChange which is having an issue. It runs a Via processor... which would be the only thing out-of-the-ordinary I can think of with this setup.

Pat

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

.exe installer is made using InnoSetup, .msi installation created using WiX. Both these installers should make the same job, but we are not gods and can make mistakes.

By the way, looks like not all components are registered on your computer properly (registration I mean registering components into OS, not license key registration).
Please try to run
PDFXCView.exe /RegServer
and check if the problem still exists.

P.S. Please check if you have only one copy of PDFXCView.exe into your system.

[pfurrie]

Ivan,

That did it -- thanks!

Pat

[sfiller]

Please try to run PDFXCView.exe /RegServer and check if the problem still exists [and] check if you have only one copy of PDFXCView.exe into your system.

I am here because I can't view a .pdf on the Web without downloading it in Google Chrome first. From a command window in c:\program files\tracker software\pdf-xchange lite 4\pdf-xchange pdf viewer\pdf-viewer, I ran pdfxcview.exe with the /regserver parameter, but no change, restarted, no change

Also found only the one pdfxcview.exe file on the machine. There's a small pf "pre-file" or "preload" or something with "pdfxcview.exe" in its name

Should I reinstall the software? Is this unusual, not being able to read, e.g. http://www.ci.farmington-hills.mi.us/eg ... 502685.pdf from the Chrome browser? BEFORE POSTING THIS, I TRIED IE8, AND AFTER ASKING DO I WANT TO OPEN OR SAVE, IT HAD NO TROUBLE OPENING THE FILE. NICE JOB.

[Cadillakin]

Please try to run PDFXCView.exe /RegServer and check if the problem still exists [and] check if you have only one copy of PDFXCView.exe into your system.

I am here because I can't view a .pdf on the Web without downloading it in Google Chrome first. From a command window in c:\program files\tracker software\pdf-xchange lite 4\pdf-xchange pdf viewer\pdf-viewer, I ran pdfxcview.exe with the /regserver parameter, but no change, restarted, no change

Also found only the one pdfxcview.exe file on the machine. There's a small pf "pre-file" or "preload" or something with "pdfxcview.exe" in its name

Should I reinstall the software? Is this unusual, not being able to read, e.g. http://www.ci.farmington-hills.mi.us/eg ... 502685.pdf from the Chrome browser? BEFORE POSTING THIS, I TRIED IE8, AND AFTER ASKING DO I WANT TO OPEN OR SAVE, IT HAD NO TROUBLE OPENING THE FILE. NICE JOB.

Normally, when an application is properly associated with a file type, and a plugin is properly installed, you shouldn't get a save/open option when downloading that file type in the browser.. The browser just launches and loads the file without user intervention. That's how plugins are supposed to function. We get consistent behavior from the filetype by associating it with a default application. When downloading, we use the "open with" on the "save dialog" to establish the link between the filetype, browser, and the application... and we check the "do this automatically for files like this". Thereafter, no intervention should be required to open a pdf file within the browser.

What I sometimes do when I have issues with file associations launching properly is to delete the file association and then reinstall the software. I don't know about your particular setup but there is nothing about the xchange viewer and its plugin that should prevent pdf files from loading into all your browsers. I loaded that file you referenced in all 3 of my browsers (IE, Firefox, Chrome) using the xchange viewer.. To be clear, they all loaded as web pages within the browser window..

But something is not working right for you..

So, if the issue were mine, I would first uninstall the chrome browser.. Then I would uninstall the Xchange Viewer. Then, I would go to control panel-folder options - file types. Scroll down to the pdf file association and delete it. Don't worry, it won't hurt anything. Reboot. Install the Chrome browser and then the Xchange viewer. Associate the viewer with the pdf filetype.. by going into the Xchange Viewer preferences, file associations, and check the box, "display pdf in browser", and click on "make default pdf viewer". Then download a pdf file with your Chrome.. If the save dialog comes up, choose "open with". Find the Xchange Viewer, click on it, and choose the "always use this option" box

See if that improves anything..

[tracusr]

as I have the same problem with the plugin de-registering itself after some time, I found one solution - or better say a workaround. Just reinstall the PDF-XChange Viewer on top of itself and during install select "Display in PDF" option. The installer will re-register all components in a clean way. In my case selecting the "Display in PDF" option inside the Viewer doesn't work.

Maybe the Tracker people can check this code...

[sfiller]

I THINK IT WAS A SIMPLE MATTER OF, AS YOU TOOK FOR GRANTED I KNEW BUT DIDN'T, GOING INTO THE VIEWER, EDIT, PREFERENCES, FILE ASSOCIATIONS, AND CHOOSING DISPLAY PDF FILE IN BROWSER. IT'S WORKED ONCE AND I HOPE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK. THANKS. STUART