Using arrow keys to navigate pdf files in Preview

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Level 1

4 points

Using arrow keys to navigate pdf files in Preview

I have been searching apple.com and trying Google without success for a discussion of shortcut keys for Preview.

I started looking because of one particular confusion. On the Macbook Pro keyboard, what is the meaning now of the arrow keys that on Powerbook were labelled Home, PageUp, PageDown, and End. And, does that change at all with the meaning of the "fn key" in system preferences? Or with any of the universal access options?

I'm reading two large multi-bookmark documents (400 and 700 page PDF files). The arrow keys seem to be functioning differently between the two documents and even sometimes working differently within the same document. Unless I'm getting really faked out. Maybe something contextual? I'm really very confused and that interferes with reading and understanding the material.

I am new to both the Intel Macbook Pro and to OS 10.5, having just upgraded finally from 10.3.9 on a Powerbook G4. So there is a lot of stuff that I need to understand by reading about it! If only Preview had industrial strength navigation options or even simple-minded ones that worked consistently with my expectations.

Thanks for any help.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Apr 5, 2009 11:25 AM

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Answer 1

2point5

Level 3

973 points

Apr 6, 2009 2:46 AM in response to Jan Walker

From Preview menu, select "View" and then "PDF display". The view settings for PDF can be changed to Single page, single page continuous, 2 pages or two pages continuous. Try changing the options to find the one that suits you best.

If you set it for single page and then zoom in so that only part of the page is on the screen, the arrow keys will move the display of the current page up and down but will "jump" to the next page once you get close to the top or the bottom of the current page.

Chris

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