Foxit PDF Preview Handler

< Write Silverlight, win XBOX | Home | SharePoint guide for Visual Studio Extensions released >

via Twitter:

Foxit PDF Preview Handler

posted @ Friday, May 09, 2008 10:27 AM | 63 Comments

[As featured in LifeHacker -- welcome LifeHacker visitors!]

You’ve likely reached this page as a result of a search or a referral. This page contains the most current links to download the Foxit PDF Preview Handler for Windows Vista, Office 2007 and Windows XP.

The Foxit PDF Preview Handler is a piece of software written by myself with sponsorship from Foxit Software (providing the license so that we all can enjoy). Special thanks to Ryan Gregg for help with the Windows XP version. These preview handlers are a part of Microsoft Windows Vista in the operating system as well as in Outlook 2007.

For example, in Outlook 2007, if you receive an attachment that is a PDF you can click it and get a preview of that document right within Outlook without having to open the document in another program. It is an extremely helpful feature of Outlook that I love and why I wrote this handler for PDFs. Microsoft did not provide a default one for PDFs as a part of Outlook or Vista. If you install Adobe Acrobat 8.1+ you will get one as well. However, I am not a fan of Acrobat Reader as I think it is a slow application for what I use PDFs for – reading only. For this I prefer Foxit Reader as it is super light-weight and fast.

You can read more about it here.

To download:

If you are using Windows Vista, download Foxit PDF Preview Handler (Alternate Link Vista).
If you are using Windows XP and have Outlook 2007, install Foxit PDF Previewer for XP (Alternate Link XP).

This is free software available for you to use. It is not supported by Foxit Software, but supported by me. If you find issues, please let me know.

Comments

Robert

5/29/2008 6:59 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi Tim,

I installed the Foxit PDF Preview Handler running Vista Ultimate x64 German.

I get the preview in Outlook all right, but shouldn't there also be a preview in the Windows explorer? Still I can't get this to work.

Du you have any suggestions?

Regards,

Robert
timheuer

5/29/2008 7:40 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

@Robert: You have to ensure you have that feature turned on. When viewing folders in Windows Explorer, choose the Organize menu option and there is a sub menu for Layout -- the preview pane option is there.
Robert

5/29/2008 8:53 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tim, thank you.

Meanwhile, I realized that I have to clearify myself.

Preview of pdf-files in Windows Explorer works perfectly. But what I'm still missing are those Explorer icons, showing a preview of the first page of a pdf document.

Do you even have a solution for that?

Robert
timheuer

5/29/2008 8:59 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

@Robert: Thanks for clarifying. The preview handler model has nothing to do with that functionality. I think if you had a PDF client installed it might generate that but to be honest I don't know what controls that.
Robert

5/29/2008 9:05 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Allright, and thanks again. Great program.

Robert
Jeff

7/14/2008 10:13 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi Tim -

Thanks for the Foxit PDF Preview Handler; it's just what I was looking for! (I already use Foxit Reader/Creator/Editor, and I avoid the Adobe Reader-and-Acrobat products.)

In their latest release, Foxit has enabled users to specify that the Bookmark pane should always be hidden. Is it possible to do the same with the preview handler??

Thanks again for the product.

- Jeff
Mike Greenway

7/24/2008 11:14 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tim
This is the best thing sense the wheel!

It allows me to remove some junk software from every one of my machines and it works perfectly.

I'm in your debt

Mike
bullman

10/1/2008 10:40 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

I have win2k3. which version should I install?
timheuer

10/1/2008 10:43 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

bullman: you should install the Windows XP version
Guillaume BOSSOUTROT

10/11/2008 1:41 AM | # Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hello,

I'm french and i speak a little bit english. I send this mail 'cause i'd like to download Foxit PDF Preview Handler for Windows Vista and i don't know how to do. When i want to download it, i can read this page "www.box.net/index.php" and i can't download. Can you answer to this mail and join it the add-on ?
My email is : guillaumebossoutrot37@orange.fr
Thank you for your answer.
Goodbye
timheuer

10/11/2008 9:19 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Guillaume: Sorry for the box.net problems, here are some alternate links
timheuer.com/.../14001.aspx#9409
OLiver

11/13/2008 10:46 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hello Tim, delete / removed yesterday Foxit from my Vista based on some problems but last file-software I can't remove which is named Foxit PDF Preview Handler. I always get error code. Is there a chance to get some support from your site.
Michael

11/18/2008 2:41 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hello! I installed the XP version but no preview in Windows Explorer :( I don't have Outlook 2007.

Can you help me? Thanks in advance.

Michael
timheuer

11/18/2008 2:45 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Michael: XP doesn't have a Windows Explorer preview option. That feature is only in Vista. And what I mean by that is the Explorer preview capabilities are only in Vista, it has nothing to do with the PDF previewer.
Michael

11/18/2008 3:34 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Sorry! I wrote preview instead of thumbnail view of Windows Explorer :)
timheuer

11/18/2008 3:35 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Michael: Thumbnail viewing also is not a feature of the preview handler functionality, but rather the operating system. Sorry.
Zhang Zhe

12/6/2008 10:54 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hello Tim,

I want to develop a little tool that could replace vista's original txt Preview tool,but I don't know anything about how to embed my program into Explorer.

What's More. If possible, I want to interact with office's Preview tools.

Could you give me some materials related? Or some suggestions on how to get them.
Thank you.

Regards,
Zhang Zhe

mailto:bleastrind@gmail.com
timheuer

12/7/2008 2:20 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Zhang: Take a look at the Office developer center (msdn.microsoft.com/office) for pointers on how to extend the preview handlers, etc.
Zhang Zhe

12/7/2008 10:12 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Thank you very much.
Michael Kenward

1/15/2009 2:54 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Nice one. I own Acrobat 7, and refuse to upgrade because Adobe is even more rapacious than Microsoft in its charging policy. (I can get the whole Office suite for less than the price of an Acrobat upgrade.)

One suggestion, why not add your web address to LicReadme.rtf? I know it is easy to work out, but if you want traffic, the address might help.

Once again, thanks.
GreyBat

1/19/2009 10:41 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tim,

I'm having a problem getting this to work in Windows 7 Beta - 64-bit. I've installed the Foxit PDF Reader, and your Preview Handler for Vista from the link above. Everything installs but I get "This file cannot be previewed because of an error with the following previewer: Foxit PDF Preview Handler" in Outlook 2007. Double clicking the attachment opens it successfully in the Foxit PDF Reader.

I was previously trying to get this to work in Adobe Reader 9 with the same result. I completely uninstalled it and restarted before trying Foxit.

Any ideas? Support sites I've seen seem to suggest your previewer works fine in Windows x64, where Adobe doesn't.
timheuer

1/19/2009 11:19 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

GreyBat this was also reported to me this morning by another user. I'm investigating and will report back here any update/fix.
David

1/28/2009 6:31 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

This works beautifully in Vista (both Windows Explorer and Outlook 2007). Thank you so much!
Tom

1/29/2009 3:05 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tim,

really great! Vista Ultimate 64 + Office 2007 works fine!
no chance for preview with Adobe Acrobat 9.0 before...

One question: Ist there a solution for starting always
directly in the "show hole page" modus?

Thanks a lot
Tom
Carlos

2/10/2009 7:03 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tim,

Works great with Vista Ultimate x64 and Outlook 2007.

However I've moved to Windows 7 Ultimate x64, and is not possible to use the Preview Handler.

Any ideas?

Thanks a lot.

Carlos.
Mark Neal

2/13/2009 9:36 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Just a quick note to feedback a little error in the 'FoxitPdfPreviewHandlerSetup_1_1.msi' installer when you try to repair in Vista 64 SP1 it errors not able to find 'FoxitPdfPreviewHandlerSetup.msi'.

A simple rename of the installer taking out '_1_1' makes it work.

Thanks for this neat Outlook addon
Jeramy

2/14/2009 10:25 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

On a whim (based on XP drivers working in Windows 7 beta) I installed the XP version of the PDF viewer on Windows 7 Beta 64bit and it works fine in Outlook 2007 and in Windows Explorer!
timheuer

2/14/2009 10:31 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Jeramy this should work yes, but will be inefficient instead of using the built-in mechanism from Vista/Win7. I'm still trying to figure out some reasons why the Vista version isn't working in Win7 though.
Jeramy

2/14/2009 10:40 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Naturally if this is not using the the Native functionality then a Proper version would be great but... in initial use the XP plugin is super snappy (fast) and no crashes so far... naturally I'll report if I encounter any problems.

Are there any potential problems you can see from using the XP version on 7 beta?
Cobus

2/18/2009 8:05 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi,

I tried both, Code Preview and Foxit previewer on Win7 64 with Office.2007 but I get message saying that and error occured in the previewer...

I used the Vista version, seeing as Win 7 and vista have same codebase.
timheuer

2/18/2009 8:41 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Cobus I've discovered the same behavior with Win7 as well and am investigating with the team.
Niranjan

2/26/2009 4:03 AM | # Outlook Crash

The previewer's great, but I do have this problem frequently wherein Outlook 2007 (on Win XP Pro SP2) crashes when I delete an email with a PDF attachment which is currently open for preview in the reading pane. Outlook hangs in this situation and I need to restart it. This happens with some attachments and not others, so maybe there's something in these particular PDF files which is causing this behaviour. Anyway, it would be great if you can find a fix for this!
timheuer

2/26/2009 9:00 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Niranjan - this is a known issue unfortunately. The preview handler framework basically is opening the file in-memory. The attempts to act on that file while that lock is in place will cause errors...it is a work item that I have not yet fixed.
Nikas

2/26/2009 10:03 AM | # Memory and resource leak

Hi Tim,

Thanks a lot for this cool project. I really appreciate your managed PreviewHandler for PDF documents.

Hosting it in a managed application written by myself I am experiencing a significant memory and resource leak. This is caused by the fact that the class PreviewHandler (taken from the framework provided by Microsoft) does neither implement the IDisposable interface nor have a Finalizer.

If you add the following lines of code this problem should be fixed.

Thanks,
Nikas

public abstract class PreviewHandler : IPreviewHandler, IPreviewHandlerVisuals, IOleWindow, IObjectWithSite, IDisposable // IDisposable added here
{
~PreviewHandler()
{
this.Dispose(false);
}

public void Dispose()
{
this.Dispose(true);
}

protected virtual void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
if (disposing)
{
if (_previewControl != null)
{
try { _previewControl.Dispose(); } catch { }
_previewControl = null;
}
if (_frame != null)
{
Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(_frame);
_frame = null;
}
}
}
Charles

3/10/2009 12:40 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

This is something I had really missed in Outlook before.
Did you resolve the Windows 7 issue in the meantime - would be fantastic!!!

Thanks!
timheuer

3/10/2009 8:35 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Charles I've got confirmed reports of it working on Windows 7 32-bit, but also have confirmed it does not work on Windows 7 64-bit. I'm trying to work through the issues now, but am also trying to get a release of the product I work on out the door :-). I'll update my blog with details when I have them (subscribe to http://feeds.timheuer.com/timheuer)
Soren Olesen

3/10/2009 6:17 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi Tim

I've been using you PDF preview handler for quite some time now, and I really appreciate it, great job.

Just wondering if you've considered creating something similar for Visual Studio Team system. If when you look at a work item with a PDF attachment, you'll have to download the attachment to view it. Having your previewer would be pretty awesome feature.

Just a thought,

Soren
Glenn F. Henriksen

3/17/2009 12:59 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi. I'm running Windows 7 x64 and the preview handler does not work, as you said. If I can help in any way with debugging, drop me an e-mail, I'd be glad to help.
Bmer

3/26/2009 8:14 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

#
2/26/2009 4:03 AM | # Outlook Crash
The previewer's great, but I do have this problem frequently wherein Outlook 2007 (on Win XP Pro SP2) crashes when I delete an email with a PDF attachment which is currently open for preview in the reading pane. Outlook hangs in this situation and I need to restart it. This happens with some attachments and not others, so maybe there's something in these particular PDF files which is causing this behaviour. Anyway, it would be great if you can find a fix for this!

#
Gravatar
timheuer
2/26/2009 9:00 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler
Niranjan - this is a known issue unfortunately. The preview handler framework basically is opening the file in-memory. The attempts to act on that file while that lock is in place will cause errors...it is a work item that I have not yet fixed.

Any luck with this issue. Otherwise very happy!
Gennaro

3/26/2009 9:12 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Great!
Thanks! WIth Vista Business 32bit Italian works great!
Regards
timheuer

3/26/2009 11:15 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Bmer -- no fixes for this.
Victor

3/30/2009 1:28 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 7057 and Foxit PDF Preview Handler doesn't work in windows explorer, either the Vista version or the XP version. So do you have any solution for that?
Thank you!
Regards, Victor
Victor

3/30/2009 5:54 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Sorry, the problem doesn't exist now and the software works very well now. Thank you!
timheuer

3/30/2009 7:30 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Victor, if you did an upgrade while the previewer was installed, yes it won't work -- we discovered a bug in Windows7. It's been fixed, but you have to uninstall the previewer and re-install and it will work. This is only with builds 7048 and higher though.
Rick

3/31/2009 2:40 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hello. I had Adobe Acrobat 8 Standard but could not use the PDF preview in Outlook 2007. I downloaded the Foxit Reader and installed it as the default reader. It opens pdf files, but the pdf preview feature in Outlook 2007 still doesn't work. Any suggestions appreciated.
Rgds,
Rick
timheuer

3/31/2009 3:07 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Rick -- Foxit previewer and the Foxit reader are two different software products. Installing Foxit Reader does not give you the previewer -- you'll need to install the previewer from this site.
jared

4/8/2009 2:18 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

pretty amazing that this is pretty much the only option out there to preview PDF's, is for sure the most popular and yet even with Foxit's name attached to it there is not a single mention of it on their site...what a supreme lack of judgement on their site - if millions of people are searching for this add-in and can't find it on the site that bears its name, they are most likely pissing off people like myself that think they are only trying to push their other software with moneymaking crap like the ASK toolbar...if this previewer was on their site i'd give them props and look at their other products closer...as it is, i only praise you for your hard work and giving us something Microsoft and Adobe both dropped the ball on...

jared
timheuer

4/8/2009 2:33 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Jared -- thanks for the note. This was a collaboration between Foxit and myself. I never asked them for it to be listed at all. And to be fair, Adobe actually has a previewer as well...been included in their installer since Acrobat 8.
Strife

4/8/2009 7:53 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi! I'm currently testing this handler under Vista x64 and so far so good except for one little thing, the program is unable to preview scanned documents that have underwent OCR text recognition using "searchable image" as PDF output style (tried with Acrobat 9), the reader toolbar shows up fine inside the preview panel but all the pages appear "empty". Current workaround consists of using a different output style in the OCR recognition options, either "searchable image (exact)" or "ClearScan".

Regards.
Strife

4/8/2009 8:38 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Follow up from my previous report: another workaround to the above problem is to convert the document to PDF version 1.3 (Acrobat 4.x) at the expense of increased file size (less efficient image compression algorithm). Consider this as a last resort option in case you have lost the original scanned PDF.
Strife

4/8/2009 9:46 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Further follow up: after some more testing, I've found that there's no need to change the OCR recognition output style ("searchable image (exact)" mode doesn't always result in a previewable document anyway) and there's no need to downgrade the PDF file version either.
The root of the problem (as implied in the previous message) resides in the compression algorithm used for monochrome images. Apparently, the FoxIt preview handler doesn't understand the JBIG2 algorithm available in newer Acrobat versions (starting with 5.x), so as long as you select a different compression scheme such as CCITT Group 4 you're good to go (this option is available in the Advanced->PDF Optimizer menu of Acrobat 9).
Strife

4/9/2009 6:00 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Final followup: Well, just noticed that JBIG2 support is available in the form of a "critical add-on" in Foxit Reader, unfortunately I can't figure out a way to implement this feature in your preview handler as they are independent from each other. Is there any possibility to release a new version that does JBIG2 decompression? The add-on in question is available for download here: www.foxitsoftware.com/.../addons.htm#critical
Liran

4/23/2009 8:30 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

thanks tim,

works great on vista finally!!! ;-)

best regards

Liran
Don

4/24/2009 2:56 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi Tim,
I'm working with Win7 EN build 7077, Outlook 2007 Pro SP1 MSO, Foxit Reader 3.0 Build 1506 and TimHeuer.FoxitPdfPreviewHandler.dll version 1.1.0.1, rev. {50B281AC-C551-43BE-912F-A692C7914F89} (latest download I found). The preview doesn't work in this configuration although in an earlier post you wrote:

"It's been fixed, but you have to uninstall the previewer and re-install and it will work. This is only with builds 7048 and higher though."

Regards,
Don
timheuer

4/24/2009 1:45 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Don -- where did you get your build of Windows 7? Since the beta (7000) is the only public build, I'm curious.

Aside from that if you had it on your machine before you installed Win7, it will not work. You need to uninstall/re-install it to register the appropriate settings with Win7. If it isn't working in your Win7 build, I suspect an unsupported build :-).
berna

5/4/2009 7:36 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

I have one word: WOW!

This is an amazing software. I can't imagine someone did not think of this before. It is the piece of software I have encountered in a while.

Thanks a lot for sharing,
Berna
NilsL

5/12/2009 1:16 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Year.... nice. 1 hour later and it worked on my Vista x64 with Adobe Reader 9.1
jitsejan

5/26/2009 1:19 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Nice preview handler. I've got it working on W7 32-bit (RC) now without any problems. I tried Adobe first, but it's too slow and too big. Thanks for this piece of software =)
pgrand

6/10/2009 1:10 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi, thanks very much for the previewer. It is great to have an alternative to Adobe.
I noticed one comment on the thread where outlook crashes if you try and delete a mail that has an pdf attachment open in the previewer. I have experienced another scenario which causes outlook to crash in a similar way. If you have a pdf open in the previewer and click on calendar, it does the same. Not a huge problem but does mean you have to remember to close the preview before navigating away from the e-mail list.
TonyT

6/18/2009 8:33 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Works perfectly.
Thierry

7/1/2009 8:24 AM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tim, great Job! My compliments! now up to a real 64bit application :)
Tof

7/1/2009 2:01 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Hi,
I'm trying to understand why I cannot have the same option as with Acrobat Reader that is able to display thumbnail view in Windows Explorer in Windows XP
What can I do to have the same ability with Foxit Reader ?
Thanks
timheuer

7/1/2009 3:29 PM | # re: Foxit PDF Preview Handler

Tof - this is a previewer for Outlook 2007/Vista, not a thumbnail viewer, so my software here wouldn't do that. I'm honestly not sure what generates that to be honest. Foxit makes a PDF IFilter that may have something to do with that, but I think it is something a little different.