About PDF Portfolios

A PDF Portfolio contains multiple files assembled into an integrated PDF unit. T
he files in a PDF Portfolio can be in a wide range of file types created in diff
erent applications. For example, a PDF Portfolio can include text documents, e-m
ail messages, spreadsheets, CAD drawings, and PowerPoint presentations. The orig
inal files retain their individual identities but are assembled into one PDF Por
tfolio file. You can open, read, edit, and format each component file independen
tly of the other component files in the PDF Portfolio.
Note: Acrobat Standard and Adobe Reader users cannot create PDF Portfolios or edi
t the layout, colors, headers, and so on.
Depending on the circumstances, PDF Portfolios offer several advantages over mer
ging multiple files into a single PDF:
Layouts and themes
Customize your PDF Portfolio with unique layouts and visual themes. Color pa
lettes and backgrounds provide more visual interest.
Adding and deleting
Add or remove files easily, without having to find and select all the pages
that originated in that file.
Previewing
Quickly preview component files without having to open them in their native
applications.
Editing
Change individual files within the PDF Portfolio without affecting the other
files. For example, you can renumber pages in one document without renumbering
other documents in the PDF Portfolio. You can also edit non-PDF files in their n
ative applications from within a PDF Portfolio. Any changes you make are saved t
o the file within the PDF Portfolio.
Distribution
Share a PDF Portfolio with others and be sure that they are getting all the
component parts. Publish a PDF Portfolio on a website for others to view.
Sorting
Sort component files by categories that you can add to, delete, hide, and cu
stomize. Simply click a column name to sort the list.
Reordering
Drag files to change their order. You can then define the new order as the i
nitial sort order the order in which files appear when someone opens the PDF Portf
olio.
Printing
Print all the PDFs in a PDF Portfolio, or selected component PDFs.
Searching
Search one or all files in a PDF Portfolio. You can even search non-PDF comp
onent files.
Incorporating other formats
Add non-PDF files to an existing PDF Portfolio without converting them to PD
F.
Independence from source files
The source files of a PDF Portfolio even existing files you add to the PDF Por

tfolio are not changed when you create a PDF Portfolio. Changes you make to the co
mponent files within a PDF Portfolio do not change the original files from which
you created the PDF Portfolio. You can move a PDF Portfolio anywhere on your co
mputer or network without any risk of losing or disconnecting its components.
Reuse
Include the same file in multiple PDF Portfolios.
Additional resources
For videos on PDF Portfolios, see the following resources:
What is a PDF Portfolio?: www.adobe.com/go/lrvid_021_acrx_en
Working in PDF Portfolios: www.adobe.com/go/lrvid_023_acrx_en
Articles, tutorials, and tips about PDF Portfolios: acrobatusers.com
How to customize your PDF Portfolio: www.adobe.com/go/lrvid_022_acrx_en.
PDF Portfolio gallery: www.acrobatusers.com/gallery/pdf_portfolio_gallery
Filtering form response files: www.acrobatusers.com/tutorials/2008/06/a9vide
o_understanding_form_tracker
Filtering Outlook messages: www.acrobatusers.com/tutorials/archiving-emailspdf-microsoft-outlook
PDF Portfolio window overview
You create and edit PDF Portfolios, and work with component files using various
elements, such as panes, toolbars, and windows.
View full size graphic
PDF Portfolio in Click-Through layout
A.
PDF Portfolio toolbar
B.
Card representing the component file
C.
Component files and folders in the mini-navigator
D.
Layout pane for customizing the appearance
The PDF Portfolio toolbar is located immediately below the menu. Look here f
or PDF Portfolio viewing options, a search tool, and buttons for common tasks, s
uch as printing and saving.
Cards represent each component file in the PDF Portfolio. Click the Show Inf
o View icon on the card to view information about the file on the back of the c
ard.
The mini-navigator is the row of cards across the bottom of the PDF Portfoli
o window in Click-Through, Linear, and Wave layouts. By default, the cards are d
isplayed alphabetically.
The Layout, Details, and Share panes include options for customizing the PDF

Portfolio, viewing file details at a glance, and sharing the PDF Portfolio with
others. In Details view, you can also change the sort order and open a file in
its native application (if installed on your computer).
Layout (Preview mode) shows the PDF Portfolio in any of several views, depen
ding on the design or type of file or layout specified by the author. If the Lay
out pane on the right is open, click the Preview button in the toolbar to switch
from Edit to Preview mode. For information about each type of preview, see Prev
iew modes.
Files mode shows the file details in a list. You can click a column name to
sort by ascending and descending order. To return to the original view, click th
e Layout button.
A PDF Portfolio is accessible when it opens in Files mode. This mode provide
s a better reading experience for people with disabilities such as mobility impair
ments, blindness, and low vision. To open all PDF Portfolios in Files mode, open
the Preferences dialog box by choosing Edit > Preferences (Windows). In Acrobat
Pro only, choose Acrobat > Preferences (Mac OS). Under Categories, select Acces
sibility, and then select Show Portfolios In Files Mode.
Edit mode opens the Layout pane, which allows you to customize the appearanc
e of the PDF Portfolio and add or delete content. In addition, you can modify th
e file information, reorder files, convert files to PDF, reduce file size, and s
how, hide, and sort columns. If the Layout pane isn t visible, click the Edit butt
on in the toolbar to switch from Preview to Edit mode.
Scroll through component files
Depending on the layout, you can scroll through component files in various ways.
Some layouts include a mini-navigator, scroll bar, or Next and Previous butto
ns.
Preview modes
You can preview the component files in several different ways. In Preview mode,
you can preview images and pages, play video and SWF files, and view information
about a file. You can extract (move) a file to your computer. You can also open
a file in its native application (if installed on your computer). To return to
the original view, click the Layout button. The Share pane is available with opt
ions for sharing the PDF Portfolio with others.
View full size graphic
Viewing a PDF Portfolio in different Preview modes
A.
Mini-navigator preview
B.
Card preview
C.
Full preview
D.
Platform preview
Mini-navigator preview
The row of cards across the bottom of the PDF Portfolio window. By default,
the cards (component files) appear alphabetically. To hide or show the mini-na
vigator, click the double arrow below the card. In Preview mode, the mini-naviga
tor appears in Click-Through layout only. In Edit mode, the mini-navigator appea

rs in Wave and Linear layouts.

Card preview
A visual representation of each component file (piece of content) added to a
PDF Portfolio. A thumbnail image, where possible, appears on the card. Metadata
, or details about the file, are available on the back of the thumbnail image. C
lick the Information icon on the card to view file details. Click the close but
ton to return to the thumbnail image. Cards also indicate whether a component fi
le is open in another application or being edited.
Full preview
A larger visual representation of the file, with other content visible behin
d the preview. These file types open in Full preview when you double-click the c
ard: PDFs with no security added, Word documents, and images. FLV files open in
Full preview when you double-click the card in the mini-navigator. Move the poin
ter over the bottom of the file in Full preview to see a semi-transparent floati
ng toolbar with buttons to interact with the file. To return to the original vie
w, click the close button in the upper-right corner of the preview.
Platform preview
A full-size preview within the PDF Portfolio window. The navigation pane app
ears so you have access to page thumbnails, bookmarks, signatures, and layers. T
hese file types open in Platform preview when you double-click the card: SWF fil
es and HTML files. To open other file types in Platform preview, such as e-mail
portfolios, form response files, and secured PDFs, choose View > Portfolio > Pre
view File. To close Platform preview, click the close button in the upper-left c
orner or press Esc.
Switch between Preview mode and Edit mode
The button to switch between Preview and Edit modes is a toggle button in the PD
F Portfolio toolbar.
Layouts
Layouts provide one way to unify a wide range of content in a PDF Portfolio. Whe
n you create a PDF Portfolio, you can choose from various layouts included with
Acrobat. If available, you can import and use a custom layout from a developer o
r designer.
For best performance, use the Click-Through or Linear layout when you have more
than 15 component files. Grid, Freeform, and Wave layouts take longer to load be
cause they generate all thumbnails before displaying the first card.
Acrobat includes the following layouts:
Click-Through
Allows you to click through a series of files. You can reorder files, naviga
te through the files linearly, or find files in the mini-navigator at the bottom
of the window.
Freeform
Arranges files in a scattered placement of thumbnails. You can rearrange the
order and configuration of files.
Grid
Arranges files in an orderly grid that can scale to accommodate numerous fil
es.
Linear
Arranges files in a linear path and guides the user through each file in the
sequence. Descriptive text appears to the left of the card.

Wave
Arranges files in a spinning path that fans out off the screen.
PDF Portfolios created in Acrobat 9
PDF Portfolios created in Acrobat 9 can be opened in Acrobat X and Reader X. How
ever, layouts, color schemes, and other PDF Portfolio elements differ significan
tly between Acrobat 9 and Acrobat X. When you open an Acrobat 9 PDF Portfolio in
Acrobat X, the Acrobat 9 design appears as expected. Minor editing is allowed,
such as adding or deleting files, and editing filenames or descriptions. You can
save these changes in Acrobat 9 format. For extensive edits, you can convert th
e PDF Portfolio to Acrobat X, if you re using Acrobat X Pro. The layout and colors
convert to Click-Through layout with the Clean visual theme. Welcome pages, hea
ders, and color palettes are removed. You can redo headers in Acrobat X, but Wel
come pages are not supported.
In Acrobat X, open a PDF Portfolio created in Acrobat 9.
The PDF Portfolio opens in Preview mode.
Do any of the following:
To edit filenames in Layout view, click the filename and type. You canno
t edit descriptions.
To add files, drag them in Layout view.
To delete files, select them in Layout view and press the Delete key.
To save the changes in Acrobat 9 format, choose File > Save Portfolio, o
r File > Save As > PDF Portfolio.
To convert the PDF Portfolio to Acrobat X, click the Edit button. Then c
lick Convert Now in the dialog box.