Ditching Adobe DC

[MrTutt]

I've got a 2016 13" MBP running Mojave with every thing up to date. Forever, I have use Adobe Reader and now Reader DC for the few PDFs I use. Recently I downloaded a fill in form from a government agency with appears as an Adobe PDF. I needed to fill in and edit it, so I tried the Preview function, but had problems saving changes (Numbers outside range; cannot save), so I got got PDF Reader Pro Lite, which works fine. I set this app as my preference PDF reader, but the file still default to Adobe. I then deleted Adobe DC and all its stuff, but when I click to open a file (it still has the Adobe icon) it insists agree to the Adobe license and get it back. I can drag the file to PDF Reader and it works fine. How do I banish Adobe forever and ever? How do I get rid of the Adobe icon on PDF files? Shouldn't a file created by Adobe but opened and saved with another app use a different icon? None of this if major league important as my work around works, but it bugs me to enslaved to Adobe. Any ideas. Thanks.
MrTutt

[Randy B. Singer]

There are about four different ways that the Mac identifies a file type. Sometimes it can get tricky getting a file to open in your preferred app.

Whenever I've had a problem such as you are having, I've always solved it using:

RCDefaultApp (free)
Rubicode - RCDefaultApp

[pm-r]

Whenever I've had a problem such as you are having, I've always solved it using:

RCDefaultApp (free)
Rubicode - RCDefaultApp

For the latest versions if needed:
Releases * Lord-Kamina/SwiftDefaultApps * GitHub



- Patrick
======

[chscag]

Unfortunately, some government forms can only be properly filled in by the Adobe Reader. One reason why I still keep that app along with Preview. Here in Texas, the Department of Public Safety (driver licenses among other things) forms can only be filled in by Adobe.

That's why I advise folks not to remove the Adobe Reader unless they are positive it's not needed.

[Randy B. Singer]

Unfortunately, some government forms can only be properly filled in by the Adobe Reader.

For such a case, here is a free app you can use instead of any of Adobe's products. It works perfectly every single time. It will even allow you to fill-in PDF forms that are locked!

Formulate Pro (free)
http://code.google.com/p/formulatepro/

[MrTutt]

Thanks to all for the ideas. Patrick pinned it. The form is one from the Texas DPS. That said, the work around using PDF Reader Pro Lite works well, so I'll just keep using that as the hitch is more annoying rather than critical.

EMS

[chscag]

Like I stated above, The Department of Public Safety (DPS) here in Texas uses forms that will only properly fill in using the Adobe PDF app.

I haven't tried the one that Randy suggested but will keep it in mind the next time I have to fill in an on line form.

[pm-r]

@MrTutt

Thanks to all for the ideas. Patrick pinned it. The form is one from the Texas DPS.

MrTutt, thanks but, it seems that you have got me confused with Charlie (chscag) who actually provided the correct info and deserves the credit.

The subject was rather interesting to me as I didn't realize that a PDF could be so restricted to a certain application with the exception that Randy mentioned.


- Patrick
======

[chscag]

The subject was rather interesting to me as I didn't realize that a PDF could be so restricted to a certain application with the exception that Randy mentioned.

I ran into that some time back with filling out various government forms on line. While Preview will open the form, it does not properly fill in the information without completely disrupting the particular form. Preview is not the problem though, it's the fault of whoever designed those forms to be filled out by Adobe PDF only.

And that occurs with some IRS forms also. I can remember when I was using Windows exclusively I ran into the same problem using PDF apps other than Adobe. So the problem is not limited to the Mac.

[Randy B. Singer]

I ran into that some time back with filling out various government forms on line. ... Preview is not the problem though, it's the fault of whoever designed those forms to be filled out by Adobe PDF only.

California, for attorneys, is what is known as a "form pleading" state. That means that we have to present pleadings for a new case on state approved PDF forms. Unfortunately, while those forms are available online for download, they are very poorly designed. Some fields work, some don't, some aren't even hot.

FORMulate was designed to make it so any PDF could be filled-in on-screen, no matter how badly the PDF was designed. It's really easy to use, but not entirely easy to figure out. So if anyone downloads it and wants a short tutorial, let me know.