25 replies to this topic

[peachy_dar]

hi

 

I"ve never had a problem with adobe in my life, until this week.  I subscribe to newspapers.com and the pittsburgh post gazette archives.  I can create a pdf on newspapers.com, download it and open it.  Just like it's supposed to.  but on the pittsburgh post gazette site, when I create a pdf, it takes much, much longer to create.  I can down load it, but I cannot open it.  In fact the file size is zero.

 

I have tried this on chrome, firefox and IE - all the same problem on my asus laptop.  I go to work, try it there...the same problem.  I come up here to my husbands asus tower, and the same problem occurs.  I have emailed the pittsburgh post gazette archives help  center, they cannot duplicate my situation..funny...I can on any computer I try it on!!

 

I"ve made the archive site a trusted site to see if that is the problem....no luck there.  I sent them pdf files to show them my results of my being able to duplicate the scenario, but I have not heard back from them.  thought I"d give this forum a shot.

 

I have even uninstalled and downloaded the latest version of adobe...same problem.  I have double checked for updates on google chrome, IE and firefox. I am up to date.

 

Anyone have this problem before?  Has it ever been resolved?

 

Any help and insight would be greatly appreciated!!

 

dar

 

 

[Digerati]

Hi Dar,
 
You say Adobe but note Adobe is the company name that makes many products. These include Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Creative Cloud, and more.
 
So to be on the same page, we need to know exactly what program you are referring to.
 
Have you tried any alternative programs, like Foxit Reader?

[peachy_dar]

hi

 

sorry, adobe reader XI

 

I even tried to use the reader that came with this asus laptop, and it has the same problem, creates a zero sized file on that site and can't open it.

 

does this happen to anyone else but me?

 

dar

Edited by peachy_dar, 07 November 2015 - 02:37 PM.

[peachy_dar]

thanks for replying.

 

I have included pics of the error messages I get when I try to open the files from this site.

 

Hope this helps.

 

dar

[Digerati]

Did you try other papers?

Can you open other pdf files?

[peachy_dar]

I can download pdf files from other sites and they have a normal file sizes, and I can open them.

 

I try to download a pdf from pittsburgh post gazette archives, and file size is zero.  I have a friend who is able to use the very same site and he can download the pdf and he has been emailing them to me.  then I can open them.  I really hate to hassle him to do this for me, but it's the only way I can get the data.

 

I just found 2 articles from the 1879 Pittsburgh Post Gazette on a murder.  He just sent them to me and I can open them with no problem.  It's when I download them I cannot open a zero byte size file.....why is this happening??

 

dar

[Digerati]

I have no idea.

Do you really need Adobe Reader "XI"? Can't you use just the standard Adobe Reader, Adobe Reader DC?

If me, I would uninstall your Adobe Reader XI again, then reboot to make sure all hooks are set free. Then download and install the standard reader from my link above. Be sure to pay attention during the install and uncheck the options to install Google Chrome and the Google Toolbar and anything else offered, your don't want and see what happens.

 

Or install one of the alternative pdf readers I mentioned earlier. Note that Foxit offers to install something extra too - but you can easily opt out of that by unchecking the offer.  

 

You can have all of them installed if you want but I only have Foxit Reader on my system and have had no problems opening anything. I tried to open some 1879 articles from the Post Gazette, but it stops me because I don't have a subscription. But I am able to open a page from 1877 in the Omaha Daily Bee.

 

Note the primary reason I no longer use Adobe Reader is because new security vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered Adobe products.

[peachy_dar]

OK- I uninstalled adobe xi, and downloaded and installed adobe dc.  I still cannot download a file on that site!!  File size is zero.  I tried to attach it, but even this site tells me error no file uploaded!!  cuz it's zero bytes.

 

I get the same error.  Below is the file I tried to download and open.  It is my great grandmothers death notice from 1919.

I get an error.  I have tried this on my pc at work, our pc upstairs my hubby uses, and our extra lap top.  all produce the same error and the same file size.  And it doesn't have to be this one below.  It can be any clipping I do on thier site.

 

https://archives.post-gazette.com/clip/3581211/jane_swan_wylie_death_notice/ 

 

dar

[Digerati]

Okay - not sure it will make you feel any better but I am not able to either. Or rather I can download it, save it to my computer but then when I try to open it, I get a Format error: Not a PDF or Corrupted error notice.

 

And that's with Foxit Reader.

 

However, when I get to the screen where your Great Grandmother's obit is highlighted, instead of clicking the Download button, I can right click on the image and select "Save picture as..." then save it to my computer as a jpg file. And then I can open it with my standard image viewer.

Edited by Digerati, 08 November 2015 - 04:00 PM.
fixed typo

[peachy_dar]

Ahhh..that is what I have been doing, right clicking and save image as.  However, when you do genealogy, you need to "cite your source" which means you need the name of paper, the date it is published, page number etc.  When the file is downloaded as a pdf. all that information is in the header when you open the file.  When you download the image, you have to manually type that into the genealogy software.  You can see where this is going.  It's much easier to have the pdf contain the data I need with as little typing as possible. 

 

I"m glad you were able to duplicate my problem. I have contacted the support people for the PPG archives and they tell me they cannot duplicate this.  It's driving me nuts since I can go it on newspapers.com but no on the ppg archive site!!!!  So annoying! Some of the articles I have clipped are rather long and/or wide.  it would be easier to just have it as a pdf.

 

I have not been able to get it resolved.....so sad...

 

It seems to me the problem is on their site on the download.  Cuz adobe works everywhere else. But there must be a fix. I can't be the only one!!!

 

dar

[Digerati]

Well, the image on the site is not a pdf file. That seems to be the issue. These newspapers articles you see (at least of the really old articles) are photos or scanned images, not pdf files.  

 

I bet they are not able to duplicate your problem because they are just assuming you are downloading as jpg files.

 

You definitely not the only one. Perhaps you can contact a genealogy site forum and ask how they do it. I suspect they end up having to download it as an image too.  

[paws]

Just to add in my two pennyworth to Bill's most excellent advice:

On the link you posted there are no pdf's, they are images (not 'pdf) as Bill said.

 

When I click on your link and the page opens in my browser , I get the source clearly shown as:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
9 Apr 1919, Wed • Page 15

 

I just copied the source data by highlighting it (and pressing Ctrl+c) and copied it into the post here, (using Ctrl+v)

 

Maybe this will help? as its only two clicks!

 

The reason why the files you download are zero file size is because they are not in .pdf  format, so no pdf reader either Adobe or Foxit etc., is going to read them.

 

I can of course only speak for the pages in your link, maybe there are other .pdf files on other pages on the site concerned?

 

Post back if you need further elaboration

 

Regards

paws

[peachy_dar]

Morning!

 

I have  friends who across town, who access the same images and are able to download the image as pdf files, and they email the pdf to me and then I can open it.  I do know the image online is not a pdf.  When you click download, their site creates the pdf file to download.   Others are able to download the same image as a pdf on this site, and I cannot.  I can do it on thier other site: newspapers.com - over there it works.

 

I wasn't sure if the problem is somehow connected to my laptop or not.

 

I know I can copy and paste the information without typing it.  I want to be able to download the pdf with the image and the source information as one document.  That way I'd have them all together in one document.  The logo from the website where the information was found is there, etc.

 

dar

[paws]

Ok all understood,

if its any consolation I can't down download the image on the site you linked to as a pdf either...   so its not pointing towards a fault on your computer..... however I'm not logged in as a subscriber to the site and maybe this makes a difference... I think it might be wise to go back to the site and ask them if you should be able to download an image as a pdf merely by clicking on it, tell them you can down load as an image but not as a.pdf

Regards

paws

[peachy_dar]

Thanks for your help.  Good to know it's not my laptop...I was beginning to wonder.  I had a feeling it was thier site...but then..if others can download images as pdf's....why can't I?  How can they??

 

i wrote to them last night.....I have not heard back yet..hopefully they are working on the problem.

 

dar