Manual crashes Adobe Acrobat

[Typhonus2]

The PDF version of the manual opens in Acrobat, but after a few pages of moving about the application crashes completely and consistently. To reproduce, open on the latest version of Acrobat, search for a word or two, and scroll a bit.

[609_Relentov]

Same here.  I searched for "Weapons & Stores" (since the TOC link doesn't work, tries to take me to a file), then scrolled down a few pages and Acrobat closed.

[dandebo]

Yep same here, And all the headings say it wants to open webpage links. its useless at the moment.

[dandebo]

Actually, I don't understand how can you mess up a PDF so badly 

[Zabuzard]

The PDF is created via the Chrome "Print to PDF" API. These bugs have open GH issues on their repository. Its known issues and not much we can do about it as of today.

Our manual is and will be primarily a website. The PDF is more like a second class feature because, even in that form, it is useful to a lot of people - better than no PDF like in the Tomcat, so to say.

For details, please see: https://github.com/Heatblur-Simulations/f-4e-manual/issues
 

Ill check what the reason for the Adobe PDF crash is.

Edited May 23, 2024 by Zabuzard

[Typhonus2]

Obviously, the website has the material needed to produce an actual PDF manual in short order. The world of complex games and sims has at this point moved from:

 

1. Providing large paper manuals as part of a physical purchase

2. Providing digital PDF manuals which you could choose to print out

3. Providing fairly inadequate PDF manuals which are then supplemented by quality products (e.g. Chuck's Guides) produced by fans

4. Producing just a website that gets updated ad hoc and counting on people learning the product by fan-produced videos on YouTube

 

This seems a mistake. I want to read a ten-step description of what to do, not watch a 40-minute, merch-boosting video given over to ads and personality. And I want to read it while eating dinner or sitting on the sofa...not in the cockpit. I'd like it to be easily searchable, with a decent index and table of contents, and well illustrated. Honestly, in most cases, Chuck's Guides basically show the way. And I don't want to worry if I have a great internet connection or if a website is down while I'm doing it.

My vote is a firm return to step 2 of the above list.

[Sydy]

Same here. PDF only works fine on iPad using Goodreader.

[Karon]

I had similar issues with my F-14 RIO Manual and Adobe. I moved to Foxit and never looked back.

[BJ55]

If you want to stay safe use SumatraPDF, it don't execute js, plus both internet access and link protocols can be disabled with a .ini . No crashes so far reading the F-4 manual.

[imacken]

8 hours ago, Karon said:

I had similar issues with my F-14 RIO Manual and Adobe. I moved to Foxit and never looked back.

Yep, same here. It was a great day when I moved to Foxit and dumped another Adobe product.

[shahin_sky]

On 5/23/2024 at 8:56 PM, Typhonus2 said:

Obviously, the website has the material needed to produce an actual PDF manual in short order. The world of complex games and sims has at this point moved from:

 

1. Providing large paper manuals as part of a physical purchase

2. Providing digital PDF manuals which you could choose to print out

3. Providing fairly inadequate PDF manuals which are then supplemented by quality products (e.g. Chuck's Guides) produced by fans

4. Producing just a website that gets updated ad hoc and counting on people learning the product by fan-produced videos on YouTube

 

This seems a mistake. I want to read a ten-step description of what to do, not watch a 40-minute, merch-boosting video given over to ads and personality. And I want to read it while eating dinner or sitting on the sofa...not in the cockpit. I'd like it to be easily searchable, with a decent index and table of contents, and well illustrated. Honestly, in most cases, Chuck's Guides basically show the way. And I don't want to worry if I have a great internet connection or if a website is down while I'm doing it.

My vote is a firm return to step 2 of the above list.

Hello
As our friends said, I personally like to take a look at a simple and complete    PDF guide whenever I have a chance, even while having dinner. Unfortunately, the F-4 guide has many problems, despite my settings in Acrobat Radar, all my guides and personal books after closing Acrobat\ and reopening are opened from the same page, except for the F4 manual , and the links do not work, even the selection of chapters does not work, at least for me.
 I hoped that after so many delays, the taste of enthusiasts and buyers would be taken into consideration
Not just following the policies of the manufacturing company, I think in this situation, our only savior is -------  Master Chuck --------

[Zabuzard]

Hello
As our friends said, I personally like to take a look at a simple and complete    PDF guide whenever I have a chance, even while having dinner. Unfortunately, the F-4 guide has many problems, despite my settings in Acrobat Radar, all my guides and personal books after closing Acrobat\ and reopening are opened from the same page, except for the F4 manual , and the links do not work, even the selection of chapters does not work, at least for me.
 I hoped that after so many delays, the taste of enthusiasts and buyers would be taken into consideration
Not just following the policies of the manufacturing company, I think in this situation, our only savior is -------  Master Chuck --------

Thank you. What you mention are known issues indeed, but hard to fix with our current method.

Our manual is primarily a website and best consumed as website. Unlike in the Tomcat, it was possible for us to provide a half-working PDF generated out of the website this time, so we thought its still better to offer that PDF than no PDF at all.
If you want a good experience, you should ideally read the website version.

The mentioned issues with the PDF version will have to stay for technical reasons until addressed by the authors of the Chrome-Print-Api (as explained and linked on our GitHub).

[r4y30n]

Hello
As our friends said, I personally like to take a look at a simple and complete    PDF guide whenever I have a chance, even while having dinner.

If you’re on a phone or tablet is it not quicker to pull up the web version in the first place? I took a look at the pdf on day one, as well, and, Adobe crashes aside, the web version really does work a lot better on any platform, particularly when you’re trying to find something specific.