Automated shared review

Here is my scenario. I am basically trying to recreate the shared review process offered through Acrobat, but do in a more automated way in a web environment. Plus I want every user involved to only need Acrobat Reader (my company would cover the costs for the additional software).
Below is a more detailed description of what I want to achieve.
1. A user logged into our secure website can upload any normal PDF to our site.
2. Once the PDF is uploaded, the shared review is activated and the webdav repository location is automatically inserted into the PDF so it knows where to put the XML files.
3. Other users within our site could then see a link to the PDF. When they click the link the shared review process begins and the user can use the mark-up tools. When they publish the mark-ups (cloud, arrows, etc) it saves the XML data to the correct webdav folder so the next user can see it.
This all needs to be automatically and done behind the scenes, so the user does not have to do anything but upload the PDF.
There are two parts to this. The first being how to enable the mark-up tools when the PDF is uploaded to the site. I figured out that I need LiveCycle for this. The second part is how do I automatically embed the shared review webdav folder information into the PDF as it is uploaded to my site so the initiator of the PDF does not need to do it manually?
Thanks

Thanks guys. That is a bummer.
We already have the trial version of LiveCycle installed. What is the "online commenting" check box for? When I check the box it does not do anything differently. The help menu is not completely clear on what it is for. It says "Online Commenting: Allows users to upload or download document comments. If you select this feature, Commenting is also automatically selected." That sounds like what I am looking for.
There is also a section in the help menu called "Enabling commenting in a PDF document rendered in a web browser". It talks about FDF files. Could that be possibility?
Is there anyway to programmatically add the webdav information into the PDF (similar to how Acrobat does it) and then use LiveCycle to enable the mark-up tools?
Thanks

Similar Messages

Automating Shared Review for Reader using the Acrobat 9 SDK

I am new to the Acrobat SDK as well as writing plug-ins.
However, I have been tasked with implementing a "Shared Review" in Reader for collaborative proofing. I understand how to do this using the "Send for Shared Review" wizard in Acrobat, however I need to automate this process. The PDFs that will be proofed in a "Shared Review" session using Reader are generated from a hot folder process, so there is no physical end user to run the Acrobat 9 "Send for Shared Review" for every PDF. I need to automate this process.
I was told that the SDK would allow this, but at the same time I have read some posts that claim this can not be done in the SDK and LiveCycle is required.
Can someone confirm that the SDK can enable a PDF for "Shared Review"? If so, how is this done?
If it can not be done, is the only option LiveCycle or can an Acrobat macro be written to simulate the "Send for Shared Review" wizard?
Thanks in advance.

Is it technically feasible? Yes, but it is far from simple.
Is it possible? Probably not.
In order for Reader to load a plug-in, that plug-in must contain a certificate provided to you by Adobe after completing the "RIKLA" process (Reader Integration Key License Agreement). Part of this process is a team at Adobe reviewing the purpose of your plug-in to verify that it does not try to duplicate functionality available in Acrobat. For this reason, I don't think your plug-in would be approved. You should certainly submit a RIKLA application anyways just to make sure (you can do this before you start with any code so you're not wasting effort if it gets declined).
You can find the RIKLA info here:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/reader/ikla.html

Automating work flow with Shared Reviews

Is there a way to manage the work flow with shared reviews? In other words, I have a pdf document I need to send out for review. I have several people on my review team, and I want them to look at in in sequence rather than all at the same time. Person A to make comments first, and then pass it on to person B.
Is there a way to set up reviews so that Person A gets to review the document first, and then when they are done, it notifies person B that the document is ready to be reviewed?
As far as I can tell, the way it is set up currently is a free for all and there is no organization - I would like to avoid doing this manually.

By server information, I mean the server type (webDAV/SharePoint/Network folder/Acrobat.com) on which you initiate the review in A9. What option do you choose during shared review initiation?
What is the error message that you get on opening A9 created files in A10? Can you send me one such testfile at ambooATadobeDOTcom (the one created in Acrobat 9)?

Using Shared Review via Network Folder on Windows server and PC and Mac users commenting

We are having initiation and connection problems on the Macs (running OS 10.6.4 Snow Leopard) with Shared Reviews (from Acrobat 9) that are stored on a Windows 2008 Server connecting via SMB. I would be very interested to hear from anyone who is successfully:
1) Initiating Shared Reviews from a Macintosh via "Automatically collect comments on my own internal server" and navigating to a folder (with full read/write permissions for all) on a Windows server. We cannot get Acrobat (via the automated SR set-up wizard) to verify the network folder location on the Macs so that a Mac user can initiate a Shared Review. On Windows (using Parallels or logging in to a PC directly), the same users have no problem initiating and accessing Shared Reviews.
2) Accessing Shared Reviews on a network folder (set up on a Windows 2008 server) via a Mac running OSX 10.6.4 and Acrobat 9. All users have read/write access to the folder and can navigate to it via the server. They can save documents to the network folder and open other documents there as well. When they open a Shared Review-enabled PDF for commenting, they get the error message that Acrobat cannot connect to the server. Retry results in the same error message.
We use Shared Reviews extensively and have no problems with PC users accessing the files and Mac users accessing them via Windows (Parallels or on a PC). This is very frustrating so I would really appreciate any ideas, especially if anyone is actually doing Shared Reviews this way.
Thanks.

Unfortunately, this is NOT fixed based on the testing I have done.
1) I am still unable to connect to the network folder on a Windows server from the Mac to initiate a Shared Review In Acrobat version 9.4.6. Same error message as previous Unable to locate server. See screenshot:
2) One of the Mac users (also upgraded to Acrobat 9.4.6) who was invited to participate in a Shared Review (initiated using Parallels/Windows) was initially able to open the file and Publish comments. However, after she did and closed the file, she was unable to reopen the same file, connect to the server and add comments. And no other Mac user could access the file after she added her first comments. We all got the error message "Unable to connect etc" See screenshot.
3) I opened the same file in Parallels/Windows with no problem. However, the Mac user's comments were not there. I could add comments and publish in Windows.
4) When I tried to access the Tracker from my Mac (review was initiated via Parallels), I got the error message File not Found when I tried to access the test review via my Mac (see screenshot).
Could you give me more information about the fix? I would also be happy to talk to you or send more details if that would help.
Our set up has not changed from the original information I sent (there may have been some Mac updates -- we are all on OS 10.6.8 but still Snow Leopard). Server has not changed.

How can I see shared review comments in a PDF when connected to a SharePoint server over a VPN?

I am using Acrobat Pro XI on Windows 7.
When I issue a shared review, hosted on our work SharePoint server, I always encounter problems when accessing my work network from home, over a VPN. My comments do not get published, and I cannot see comments that reviewers have published.
I issue the review PDF as an attachment when I open the review, and all reviewers save a local copy of this file. When I open the PDF, the "Welcome back to shared review..." screen is never updated with the number of comments. The server status always seems to show green, but the comment reporting mechanisms do not behave as they do at work. When I click Publish comments, I am usually asked if I wish to take ownership of unpublished comments by other reviewers (to which I click No). When I return to the office, everything seems to "just work" again. But this is hugely inconvenient if I am out of office for days on end.
I had this problem with my previous version of Acrobat, and no satisfactory solution was ever reached. I am most dismayed to find it is still present in version XI.
Please can anyone advise?

I don't know if you solved this issue yet. But we have the same issue in the pass, and clean the log files under "\Synchronizer\resources\" folder seems to be a solution. Here is the thread talking about it.
https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1426298?start=0&tstart=0

Unable to see other writer's checked check boxes in comments of shared review

I'm using Acrobat 3D Version 8 in a Windows XP environment. We are using SharePoint for shared reviews.
We are able to see developer's comments, and we can respond back to the comments with a reply. However, when we use the checkbox to indicate that a comment has been addressed, each writer can only see the checkmarks that she makes. We cannot see checkmarks made by other writers.
We have tried selecting the check box, and we have also used the check box icon to select the check box. We then publish and the the action is accepted as a comment and is published. But we are unable to see each other's check boxes.
Why?
Thanks!

Solved on my own.
Simply close BEx Analyzer and restart it again. If still it doesn't work then restart your computer and then run BEx Analyzer again, it will definitely work.
TR.

Shared review using Sharepoint 2010 Foundation

Brief description *
Sharepoint for Shared review
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible *
Shared review using server acrobat.com works fine. However, when using Sharepoint as server the testing fails and it is not possible to finnish the set up of the shared review.
This is pictured in(bild1.jpg.) As the return code is Status: undefined it is not possible to proceed.
However, when looking into the sharepoint site a file called com.adobe.acrobat.sharepoint has been created as shown in attachment2 (bild2.jpg)
When this file is opened it contains the following text written by acrobat; Testing Writeablility
It seems like the test has been done sucessfully but that Acrobat is not able to read/understand that.
My Acrobat 9 is swedish version but the 'Testing Writeablility' is in english regardless of if I create a Sharepoint site in swedish or english.
Please help me out.
regards Anders K
bild1
bild2

The login names of the sharepoint server is not controlled by my organisation. Sharepoint is hosted.
At the time initiating the review when Sharepoint is presenting possible locations (shared documents libraries) for the review then I need to login
using credentials very much diffrent from the windows credentials.
They are of course also diffrent from the identity that Acrobat itself is carrying from the acrobat.com?
This situation is the same for for the reviewers that has no problem.
regards
PS do you have a suspicion that windows credentials or Acrobat credentials are thrown automatically at Sharepoint although I have logged in
at the time of finding possible review location.

Mac using Acrobat Pro v9 can't connect to shared review hosted on Sharepoint server.

A person at our company has a Mac with Acrobat Pro v9 and can't connect to our shared review hosted on a Sharepoint server. The shared review is initiated from a PC using Acrobat Pro X.
They can access/login to the Sharepoint server via Safari on the same computer both inside the company and from outside.
They used to have it working just fine for months, then suddenly (recently) it stopped working and it just keeps saying that it can't connect.
When trying to connect, Acrobat doesn't ask for credentials. I've tried hunting down where those credentials are stored to try and delete them to force it to ask again, but no luck there either.
I also have a Mac (but I'm running Acrobat Pro XI and now DC) and I can access the same shared review that doesn't work for them. And I can't seem to break it for me (as an effort to figure out their problem).
Any helpful guidance on how to get things back on track would be greatly appreciated. My head hurts from beating it against my desk. :-|
Thanks!

Several of us encountered the same issue running MAC OS X on Acrobat Pro XI. I'm tagging your question to see if someone provides a solution.

Can there be more than one initiator in a shared review?

We use Acrobat X Pro to do shared reviews of pdf documents. At times, the initiator will be out of the office when someone needs to take action on the document and it would make it more convenient if there was more than one person with access. Is it possible to assign two people as the "initiator" of the documents so that there will always be one available?

No, sorry.
If you're using email or own-server-hosted reviews there's nothing (technically) to stop another person signing on using the initiator's identity provided they know the password. If you're using Acrobat.com to host the reviews, and so the participants are using Adobe IDs, then in a legal sense you can't because the terms of use for an AdobeID do not allow shared access.

Shared Review comment server setup issues

I've been having some issues setting up a comment server/repository for Shared Reviews in Acrobat 8 (for our all-Mac network). I've done extensive research on how to set up a Network Folder and a WebDAV folder (since those are the only two supported methods in Acrobat 8).
- For the Network Folder setup, I created a folder on one of the machines on our network and shared it using SMB. When specifying that location (using smb://IPAddress/Folder/), Acrobat either 1) brings up a login screen, into which I enter the proper credentials, and after pressing OK, it says the connection could not be made, or 2) it verifies the shared folder location, but when I make comments and then choose Publish Comments, a red box appears saying something to the effect of "cannot access IPAddress, will keep trying."
- I also tried using WebDAV. Solutions I found online mostly consisted of using the Terminal to access system files and entering numerous lines of code. I pretty much had to learn about WebDAV from scratch today in order to get the Shared Reviews process set up, but I feel like there is something I'm missing regording its implementation.
I suppose this post can be boiled down to three questions:
1) What is the best way to set up a Shared Review system, and how can it be done in the simplest manner possible?
2) What am I missing from my knowledge of Network Folders and WebDAV folders in this regard?
3) Would functionality be benefited by simply upgrading to Acrobat X?
Thank you all in advance for your responses and help. If there is any more information required in order to provide a solution, please let me know.

The roundcube db schema needs to setup manually. See /usr/share/webapps/roundcube/INSTALL
Also, from your /etc/webapps/postfixadmin/config.inc.php:
$CONF['domain_path'] = 'NO';
$CONF['domain_in_mailbox'] = 'YES';
$CONF['maildir_name_hook'] = 'NO';
..which results in /var/mail/vmail/[email protected]
From your dovecot.conf
mail_home = /var/mail/vmail/%d/%u
...which results in /var/mail/vmail/domain.com/user
That doesn't fit together.

How can I get Tracker to find a shared review PDF initiated in another domain?

I initiated a shared review for a PDF and stored it on a network server in domain X. Subseqauently, the server was moved into a different domain, call it Y.
Now, Acrobat Tracker can't find the PDF ... and reviewers can no longer access the PDF.
How can I get Tracker to find the PDF in the new domain Y?

No, this is not possible. You need to initiate the review again. This is because the review server information is embedded inside the PDF and when you change the review server, the JavaScript embedded in PDF still refers to the old server. So Tracker is unable to locate the review PDF.
If the old review has comments by other reviewers, you can save it as an archive and initiate review on new server on this new PDF. This way all the review comments can be retained in the PDF but they will be published "on behalf of" the initiator now.
Hope that helps.

How can I place my initials when in a document shared review?

When in a document shared review envitronemnt, the Sign Document menu is grayed out, I want to be able to place my initials in
a document, what are my options?

The contents of the folder-level JavaScript file can simply be:
// Create and set the value of the identity.initials property
identity.initials = "GWJ";
You can then retrieve the value in your dynamic stamp JavaScript to the the value of a field, something like:
// Code in calculation of a text field in a dynamic stamp
event.value = identity.initials;

Can no longer access Acrobat shared review server

Hello. We are using Acrobat 8, and yesterday I discovered that I can recreate a lost shared-review PDF by generating a new PDF, and then copying the comment-repository XML files from the original review PDF to the folder belonging to the new review PDF. That was great, but I wanted other staff members to not fiddle with the XML files, so I set that folder (named "meta") to read-only. It was previously shared and set to full-access for everybody.
Today, I found that nobody had access to their shared reviews anymore, so I hastily reset the access to the "meta" folder back to full-access, and I re-shared the "meta" folder for everybody. It isn't helping. No-one can access their shared reviews.
Note: immediately after I recreated that lost PDF, one of the reviewers added several comments and uploaded them to the server, so I know everything was working fine then. I set the "meta" folder to read-only sometime later, and I think that's what caused the problem.
Any ideas?
I've just now tried posting a new shared-review PDF, but this time I created a new shared-review folder location, pointing to the exact same actual network folder. The only thing different between the two connections is the descriptive names attached to the connections, which appear in the drop-down list of locations. The original connection's descriptive name is "Acrobat Server" (named by one of my colleagues) and the new one I left unchanged from the default descriptive name "My Network Folder". This new shared-review PDF works fine, so I know that access to the "meta" folder is fine, but how can I fix the older review PDFs?
A workaround for my problem is therefore to re-post all the currently active shared-review PDFs, using the "My Network Folder" connection, and then copy the XML files to the new PDF. I just tried it, and it works, but that's only a practical workaround to fix the 10 to 15 recently posted review PDFs, and it'll only work if people still have the original PDFs they posted. All the older review PDFs will still be read-only.
Also, does anyone know how to remove a folder location so that only the one that works appears in the drop-down list?
Updates:
1) The above workaround only works for me. Other reviewers still cannot access the new PDF. So I don't have a valid workaround after all.
2) One more thing: if I try to post a new PDF using the old location "Acrobat Server", it fails at the step where it tries to create the XML file and folder.
3) Earlier, I also tried creating a new shared-review folder location in another directory, and I noticed that the metadata folder was not shared. So maybe I don't need to share the "meta" folder after all, and maybe something changed in our corporate network overnight?

Thank you for your answer.
I have narrowed my problem down to a connectivity problem with the comment server. We have Acrobat 8 installed on a machine named "acrobat". On the acrobat machine, the shared-review PDFs are stored in a folder named "documents". Each member of our team has a subfolder within the documents folder. i.e. this structure:
documents
     john
     jane
     david
     amy
The comment server XML files are stored in a folder named "meta", at the same level as the above name folders:
documents
     john
     jane
     david
     amy
     meta
When we send documentation out for review, we send reviewers a link something like "\\acrobat\john\123_review.pdf". Reviewers are able to open the PDF, but they get an error message saying "Adobe Reader cannot connect to the Review Server: acrobat".
I believe that the message means that Reader is not able to find the comment server in the "meta" folder. But the meta folder is definitely there, and is write-accessible for everyone. Any user on our network is able to manually open the meta folder, create a new file inside the folder, edit and save that file, delete the file, etc.
These pdfs that no longer work, always used to work. I had changed permissions on the meta folder, but after people reported connectivity problems, I changed the permissions back to full control for all users, and even added more users with full control, but people still can't connect. What I need is to find out where these PDFs are looking for the comment server. It looks like they're looking in the correct place: the acrobat machine, but maybe inside the PDFs, the comment server location is stored in a certain way.
Another thing: when anybody tries to initiate a shared review, the process fails at the point where Acrobat 8 tries to create a comment server folder. The person who set up Acrobat 8 for us also defined the shared-review location for us (a drop-down box containing all locations appears in the first or second screen of the dialog box when you initiate a shared review. Only one location appears for us: the location defined by that person, and it's named "acrobat server"). But I don't know how to find out what that shared-review location is. Acrobat 8 lets you remove a location, but doesn't let you edit it. If I could see what the location is, I could see if the path is somehow defined irregularly. e.g. without the fully qualified domain name or something like that.
I subsequently added another location, "my network folder", and pointed it to the same meta folder. The "my network folder" location works for me. I can post a shared review, and it connects to the comment server properly. But this works only for me: when other users open that same shared review pdf, they get the "cannot connect" error message above. Again, if I could see explicitly how "my network folder" is saved in Acrobat, and also see how the PDF file has stored that location, I could see if there's a mismatch.

How do I Automatically Send a PDF for Shared Review?

Hello,
I am trying to automate sending documents for shared review. Basically, all my users post PDFs to the same location and so they perform all the same actions. I would like to make it easier on them and automatically trigger all the actions. Currently, I am using Acrobat.dll in a C# program, but I am not adamant about using this particular technology. All I could get was:
Acrobat.AcroAppClass acro = new Acrobat.AcroAppClass();
acro.MenuItemExecute("SendForSharedReview");
This opens the shared review wizard, and I can send keystrokes to the wizard dialog box, but I am hoping there is a more elegant method of doing it. Is there an API that I should be using or some other method to automatically trigger a shered review on a selected document?
Thanks,
Pawel

It took a while to figure out, but I confirmed it with Adobe staff. The answer is no; sending multiple documents for shared review is not possible with LiveCycle or with any other Adobe software.
The only thing to do would be automate with some kind of clicker application or AutoIt, but that is far from ideal.

What is a Resonable Shared Review File Size?

I have a user group that is having some problems with their shared reviews. They are snding thier documents out on a WedDav server and the files are about 50 to 100 mg. Doe to the file size some of the reviews are experiening download times of up to 30 minutes and when they try to oprn the review in Reader or Acroabt they get a error massage that the file is too large. Is there a internal issue here or should a start exploring on how to break these files up into multiple reviews. If the later what is a reasonable file size?

2GB is the maximum size limit.
Anything over 20mb requires download via Wi-Fi or docked connection.
See: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2808

Automated shared review

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