Add advanced features to your Adobe Acrobat Portfolio.
Adobe Acrobat 9 introduced the concept of a PDF Portfolio. This provides the ability to use PDF as a container for any type of content (other PDF documents, Word, PowerPoint, Video etc) and access this information through a styled user interface that can be customised within Acrobat or externally.
See final note in this tutorial for users with Acrobat/Reader versions earlier than 9
PDF Portfolio Example
This screen shot shows a PDF portfolio using the Revolve layout. Clicking on any of the visible items or the arrows on the left or right side will bring the items to the front.
Double clicking on an item will open it in either Adobe Acrobat/Reader or will bring up a dialog asking if the file can be opened in an external viewer e.g. if a Word document was to be part of a Portfolio a message would appear that would allow the document to be opened in Word (if that application was installed).
Setting a Portfolio Header
The presentation of a Portfolio can be customised through the addition of a Header.
This will appear above the file and folder content. The Header can be selected from the panel on the right hand side of Acrobat when in Portfolio edit mode.
Different types of Header allow the content to be styled based on requirements.
Setting a Portfolio Welcome Page
The presentation of a Portfolio can be customised through the addition of a Welcome Page.
This will appear when the Portfolio is opened and can act as an introduction to the content and how to use it. The Welcome Page can be selected from the panel on the right hand side of Acrobat when in Portfolio edit mode.
Different types of Welcome Page allow the page to be customised based on requirements.
Sorting the Content
When files/folders are added to a Portfolio they tend to be added in the order that they are stored in the file system.
Using the Specify File Details option, content can be sorted based on item information such as Name, Size or Description.
1. In addition extra columns can be added and used to sort the contents based on custom data entered.
Adding Content Descriptions
Descriptive text can be added to the Descriptions section at the base of each of the item icons.
The filename can also be edited to better describe the file. Please note – ensure that the file extension is maintained otherwise the file will not open with the correct viewer.
As files in a Portfolio are copies of the files from the operating system the original filenames will not change if edited within the Portfolio.
Setting Colour information
A preset colour scheme or custom colour scheme can be applied to the Portfolio.
Previewing the PDF
The portfolio view:
1. Navigation arrows
2. Navigation icons
3. Navigation breadcrumbs
4. Navigation Home icon
5. Search
The Portfolio Gallery
Additional Portfolio examples can be found at:
Portfolios for Acrobat versions < 9
If a Portfolio is opened in a version of Acrobat/Reader prior to version 9 – all of the files will still be available from the Attachments panel in Acrobat but will NOT display using the interactive Portfolio view.
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