Foxit Reader 5.0 released

[yowanvista]

Security. Version 5.0 is equipped to open documents created by Foxit’s PhantomPDF™ and protected by Microsoft’s Active Directory® Rights Management Service (AD RMS). This feature improves information security and helps companies meet compliance requirements.

XFA Form Filling. XFA form filling allows users to fill in and complete existing XFA forms electronically.

Productivity Features. Reader 5.0 provides users with productivity enhancements, including previews of PDF attachments in Microsoft Outlook and thumbnails of PDF files in Internet Explorer®. The Fit Visible feature fits the contents of a PDF page to the width of the user’s screen. The Split View capability divides the document pane into two or four panes to make content more easily accessible.

Enhanced User Interface. Version 5.0 incorporates the ribbon user interface technology to make finding menu items quick and easy. Users can choose the newer ribbon mode or the traditional, familiar pull-down menus of previous releases.

Enhanced Customization. With Reader 5.0 users can customize their own shortcut keys and can use skins to customize the look of the reader. Users can also use a new advanced-search tool to easily find bookmarks and commented text.

Foxit Reader - Overview - Foxit Software
Foxit Software

 

[DBone]

Be very careful with this update. Now, there is no way to opt out of installing the ask.com toolbar. Prior to this release, the user could "decline" to install the toolbar, but now Foxit shoves the toolbar down the user's throats. I stopped the install, went back to Filehippo and installed the version prior to this where I could decline the toolbar.

What a bummer Foxit. I guess I'll just have to use Chrome as my default PDF veiwer.............. Bye bye.

 

[pparks1]

Yeah, I'm not happy about the inclusion of the Toolbar either. I've moved away from FoxIt and now use Sumatra PDF reader;
Download Sumatra PDF - a free pdf reader

In the past, if you did install the Toolbar, you can usually uninstall it via Add/Remove programs.

 

[DBone]

I just totally unistalled Foxit and will now use Chrome as my default PDF viewer: How to Use Google Chrome as Your Default PDF Reader (the Easy Way) - How-To Geek

 

[marsmimar]

I prefer Nitro:

Nitro PDF Reader

 

[Dwarf]

I changed from Adobe to Foxit because Adobe's download manager is, quite frankly, a shambles and doesn't always work correctly. Now,I am going to move away from Foxit because of the toolbar. I don't mind products including things like toolbars so long as you can opt whether or not to install them during setup. True, you can disable/uninstall the plugin in your browser and actually uninstall it from Programs and Features, but that is not the point. If I wanted to install it, I would, but seeing as though I don't, then I don't. Being force-installed without having the option to choose is a big turn-off for me, and I suspect many others as well.

Here are some free alternatives, some of which have already been mentioned:

Download Nitro PDF Reader
Download Sumatra PDF - a free pdf reader
http://www.visagesoft.com/downloads/get.php/vspdfreader.exe
http://www.drm-x.com/download/Haihaisoft_PDF_Reader.exe

Having tried all of these, my favourite ATM is the Haihaisoft reader. One of the nice features of this reader is that the icon of the PDF file isn't a generic one, but rather a miniaturised rendition of the first page of the document.

 

[TheReaper]

I prefer Nitro:

Nitro PDF Reader

I use it as well, although it does not zoom perfectly and prints even worse, I like it 'cause it's light on system resources and opens even the biggest PDF in a flash.

 

[Airbot]

I use PDF XChange Viewer.

 

[Joan Archer]

I've not looked at the new version yet but is there any reason why we can't just stick with the old version.

 

[Airbot]

You could, but then you miss out on the Security enhancements and/or fixes.

 

[Dwarf]

Like all programs, the update targets vulnerabilities that have come to light since the previous version was released. In many cases, the performance is also improved. As with all programs, the more popular and well-known it is, the more susceptible it is to vulnerabilities, which is why both Adobe and Foxit release new versions on a regular basis. The others also release updated versions from time to time, but since they are not specifically targeted in the same way as their more well-known cousins, there is less of a need for the updates (although, having said that, you should make a point of periodically checking if there is an update available).

 

[Joan Archer]

I'll have to have a look at the others, John has Adobe Reader on his machine it was installed when he got it and we just didn't bother changing it. I changed to Foxit because of the way Adobe was so bloated and at the time Foxit was a much better option.

 

[murmatron]

At long last it has a thumbnail provider for explorer. It also seems to be including more and more things I don't want.

Personally I use Nitro which unfortunately doesn't do thumbnails, so; out of curiosity I installed Foxit on a snapshotted VM, copied the interestingly named FoxitPDFInfo.dll to my real machine, registered the dll and copied the ShellEx registry sub-key for .pdf from the VM. After a reboot I now have pdf thumbnails in explorer without Foxit.

Edit: Looks like FoxitPDFInfo.dll works as a thumbnail provider for Illustrator .AI files too.

 

[stormy13]

Don't know if or when they will get around to put it up, but for those that still want to use it without the toolbar I found a link to the Foxit FTP (direct download) that has a .msi version that doesn't include the toolbar.

http://cdn01.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/5.x/5.0/enu/FoxitReader501.0523_enu.msi

 

[Dwarf]

Nice find. It's still a good reader, and now that we've located a download without the unnecessary bloatware included, I'm more than happy to return to it.

 

[abu46]

foxit has been my fav. pdf reader since long time (zillion times better than adobe acro shit)
regarding ask.c toolbar, you can easily uninstall it separately

i am facing a problem with this version as i cannot get it to generate thumbnails of the .pdf files
i uninstalled the previous version then installed and again reinstalled it but no good
it is set as my default pdf reader
thumbnail was a major usp for me, can someone help me

 

[murmatron]

i cannot get it to generate thumbnails of the .pdf files

I've seen reports of problems on x64 - at least one on the Foxit forum. I've seen plenty of reports of other applications' thumbnail providers not working on x64, so it wouldn't be the first time.

I'd have thought that 64bit is a significant majority on Windows 7 and folks would pay a bit more attention.

They work fine for me on 32bit, but that doesn't help you very much :\

 

[stormy13]

According to the user manual that feature only works on 32 bit Windows at this time.

 

[abu46]

thnx guys

frankly i cannot imagine that they couldn't get the thumbnails working in a 64bit version which is pretty much mainstream now a days!!

 

[muzika]

i prefer use foxit pdf reader...