FIGURE A

The desktop conduit prepares the PDFs for handheld viewing. Click picture for a larger image.

This prepares the PDFs for handheld viewing and transfers them to your Palm handheld when you perform a HotSync operation.

There's a reason this window looks a lot like the Palm OS install window. It serves essentially the same purpose. Just like the Palm OS install application, you can drag and drop the files you'd like to install onto the open window, and they'll be added to the list. Once you have dragged a PDF to the install window, the desktop conduit begins to convert the file for viewing on your Palm handheld. You'll then be asked how you'd like to handle any images that might be present in the PDF, as shown in Figure B.

FIGURE B

Images can chew up a lot of RAM, so it's no wonder you're asked this question. Click picture for a larger image.

Additionally, if your PDF wasn't created using Acrobat 5 (and in this case, the file wasn't) you'll be warned of potential problems. Selecting the More Info button will explain how you can avoid these problems in the future, as shown in Figure C.

FIGURE C

Non-tagged PDF files may not turn out as you'd like them to, but you can do something about it. Click picture for a larger image.

Since non-tagged files may get scrambled in the conversion process, Adobe wants to warn you about this up front. Of course, most of the non-tagged files I experimented with turned out just fine. The one notable exception was the Society for Technical Communication's Year 2000 Salary Survey. Of course, one look at the table-intensive file (which you can find at http://www.stc.org/PDF_Files/00Survey.pdf), and it's fairly obvious why the results were so poor. However, in theory, were this file to be recreated using Acrobat 5, the layout would no longer be a problem.

Next you'll see the Add PDF to transfer list window pictured in Figure D.

FIGURE D

If you've ever created a PDF using Acrobat PDF Maker, this window will look quite familiar. Click picture for a larger image.

If you'd like to install any additional PDFs, you can add as many more as you have RAM for on your Palm handheld. Then click Exit, place your handheld in the HotSync cradle, and press the HotSync button. At some point during the HotSync process you'll see the window shown in Figure E.

FIGURE E

As the files are installed, you'll be able to track the progress. Click picture for a larger image.

Once you've installed a file (or more) on your Palm handheld, it's time to fire up the handheld program, as shown in Figure F.

FIGURE F

Here it is, complete with a splash screen, just like a desktop application.

When you first you run Acrobat Reader for Palm OS, you'll go directly to the document list, which shows every PDF file installed on your Palm handheld. Not only can you open your PDFs from this screen, but this is also where you go if you want to beam or delete a file. Simply check one or more document titles and tap the appropriate button. You can also tap the All checkbox to quickly select the whole shooting match.

Acrobat Reader for Palm OS also offers a number of helpful navigation tools for you, once you've opened a file, as seen in Figure G.