: Chrome's built-in PDF viewer won't display our PDF forms On our web site, we have numerous Acrobat PDF forms. When users click on those forms, if they are using Google Chrome, they get this
On our web site, we have numerous Acrobat PDF forms. When users click on those forms, if they are using Google Chrome, they get this message:
Please wait...
If this message is not eventually replaced by the proper contents of
the document, your PDF viewer may not be able to display this type of
document.
You can upgrade to the latest version of Acrobat Reader for Windows,
Mac, or Linux by visiting
www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
I know what the problem is. Chrome has a built-in PDF viewer which doesn't support the necessary features of these PDF forms (created, I think, using Adobe LiveCycle). The user can manually download the file, then use Acrobat Reader to open it (thus bypassing Chrome's PDF viewer).
We regularly get contacted by users complaining that our forms won't open. We then have to explain to them that it's caused by Chrome's built-in PDF viewer and that they need to download the file, etc.
Is there a way we can avoid this problem? I'm thinking either:
a way to change the text of the "Please wait" message to explain to the user that they need to save the PDF and open it outside of Chrome; or
a way we can force Chrome to not use its built-in PDF viewer to display our forms.
Just to clarify, I am not asking "how do I as an end user avoid this problem". I know that the end user can disable the PDF viewer, for example. I'm not the end user, so I have no access to their Chrome browser. All I have access to is our web server and the PDF files we're trying to serve up.
More posts by @Jamie184
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I have this same problem with one specific PDF form made with LiveCycle Designer, while other PDF forms made with the same tool were working. And I've just found the cause and the solution: the troublesome PDF form was made and saved as an "Adobe XML Dynamic form". I've just had to Save as... "Static Adobe PDF Form" and it now is displayed in every modern browser (Firefox 56, Chrome 62, Edge). Firefox does not yet implement filling of PDF forms, but it is displayed with its visual appearance; the other browsers allow filling it, except for the Digital signature box.
Before, all browsers displayed an English message saying something like Please wait.. If this content is not eventually replaced with the actual PDF contents, your viewer may not be able to properly display this PDF content.
Note, however, that if your workflow involves prefilling the form in server side before sending it to the user (for instance, if your website authenticates the user and uses its profile in your database to automatically fill his name, address, email, etc. in the form before sending it to him), you may need to stick to XML Dynamic forms and, therefore, the PDF must be opened with Adobe Reader or a similar application able to deal with XML Dynamic forms.
You need to fix your PDF files to not use these inaccessible features. This is endlessly annoying to end users, and in your power to fix. Potentially you could offer two versions of the file, one to download and open only with Acrobat, and one for the rest of the world.
Basically, you need to force the download of the PDF file.
If you edit the .htaccess file and add this code, all PDF files should be downloaded instead of opened in your site.
<FilesMatch ".(?i:pdf)$">
ForceType application/octet-stream
Header set Content-Disposition attachment
</FilesMatch>
If that's not an option, add a message explaining the user to use "Right click > Save As" in the download link; notice that many sites do this, even sites from HP or Intel, so it's a common practice.
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