Print "Preview" uses Acrobat instead of Preview
b Question:
Somehow I've made Acrobat my default "print preview" mode, instead of Preview. How do I change this back to Preview?
b Answer:
1) Select a PDF document in the Finder*
2) Choose "Get Info" from the File menu.
3) Click the "Open with:" triangle and remap the document to open in Preview instead of Acrobat.
4) Then click the "Change All..." to apply this to all documents.
*The key to this step is finding the right PDF file. What I mean by this is that you can have several "types" of PDF files in OS X depending on how the Creator Code and File Type metadata is set.
Take a look at this comparison of the following 4 different "types" of PDF's:
b 1) PDF with: Creator Code={unknown} File Type="PDF " & extension=".pdf" (Screen Shot)
b 2) PDF with: Creator Code={none} File Type="PDF " & extension=".pdf" (PDF downloaded with Internet Explorer)
b 3) PDF with: Creator Code="CARO" File Type="PDF " & extension=".pdf" (PDF created thru Print Center (early Jaguar))
b 4) PDF with: Creator Code={none} File Type={none} & extension=".pdf" (PDF created thru Print Center (later Jaguar, Panther), thru "Print Preview", downloaded with Safari)
As you can see, these are actually 4 completely different PDF files as far as OS X is concerned. Take away the ".pdf" filename extension from any one of those files and you'd have yet another PDF file.
Since OS X regards each of these combinations as unique instances, they each have their own mapping to a particular application. The key to making the "Preview" button in the Print Dialog box result in the PDF file being opened in Preview.app is to change the mapping for the exact type of PDF file that the "Preview" function produces.
NOTE: The following information applies only to earlier versions of Mac OS X 10.2.x (Jaguar):
When you click the "Preview" button, a temporary PDF file is created inside the invisible /private/tmp/ directory. As you can see from the images above, the "type" of that temporary PDF file is #4. This file has no Creator Code or File Type set, only the filename extension ".pdf". This "type" of PDF is uncommon, as most PDF's you'll encounter are one of the first 3 types shown. Because of that, and because the invisible /private/tmp/ directory is not the easiest place to gain access to, I've created a sample PDF file that you can use to change the mapping rather easily.
Download samplepdf.sit (.sit archive, 2KB) and unstuff it using Stuffit Expander. Inside the "sample pdf" folder, click on the sample.pdf file and choose Get Info from the File menu. Click the "Open with:" triangle and remap the document to open in Preview instead of Acrobat. Then click the "Change All..." to apply this mapping to all documents that have no Creator Code or File Type set, only the filename extension ".pdf".
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In later versions of Mac OS X 10.2.x (Jaguar), Apple changed the characteristics of PDF files created through the Print Center from those of #3 above to be those of #4. This was likely in an attempt to make the #4 type of PDF files more plentiful, thereby making the ability to remap these files easier as well as creating a more consistent user experience. Also, since the introduction of Safari, many users have switched to it from Internet Explorer (which set its own type and creator codes for downloaded files). Safari will download files as they are on the internet server with only the filename extension.
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NOTE: The program used in the images pictured above is a shareware program called XRay and is available here.
Hope this helps....
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