Portfolios let you collect a set of documents relating to a particular topic for convenient distribution. The program provides this by extending the previous PDF Create support for packages. A portfolio is superior to a package because it can contain sub-folders and documents of differing file types (packages contain only PDF files in a single folder level). Portfolios can be managed by a modern Flash-based user interface.
This interface lets you view the pages not only of PDF files in the portfolio, but additionally pages of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and a wide range of image files. These are displayed in a separate window.
A Portfolio – like a package – has a cover sheet that explains to a recipient what a portfolio is and how it can be used. A portfolio can additionally have a header panel above the file list or file thumbnails with user-defined content (maybe a title, logo or contact information) and/or an introduction page with user-defined text, image, text and image or a Flash format movie (swf). When a recipient opens a portfolio, its cover sheet is displayed, along with its introduction page (if created). These can both be dismissed, but the header always remains visible.
Buttons top left of the PDF Portfolio toolbar let you toggle between Home and List View, open the first selected file or open the introduction page:
Home shows thumbnails of each file or folder in the portfolio.
List view displays a table with one row for each file or folder; there are four default columns (name, description, modified, size) but other columns can be added and re-ordered.
Open the first selected file in the portfolio
Open the portfolio's introduction page. This button becomes active only if an introduction page is defined using the appropriate Edit Portfolio tool (see below).
Toolbar buttons on the right let you save, print or e-mail documents, perform file searches and access options.
Save the current file or the entire portfolio.
Print the current file or the entire portfolio.
Attach the current file to a blank e-mail message.
Search through selected files or the entire portfolio
Access portfolio options. This includes the ability to open the Edit Portfolio window and view the cover sheet. Click Home or List view to remove the Cover sheet display.
To create a new portfolio
Choose File > New > Create Portfolio to display the PDF Portfolio Window with the Edit Portfolio panel. An empty portfolio called "New Portfolio_1" is created. Until you exit the program, the numeric suffix is incremented for each new portfolio whether or not you save any new portfolio under another name, leave it open and create a new one, or close it without saving.
While processing a portfolio in the PDF Portfolio Window, a limited subset of tools are accessible in the title bar.
You can add files, add the whole contents of existing folders, or create new folders that you will fill.
by clicking the corresponding button at the bottom left of the PDF Portfolio Window, or
by dragging and dropping files or existing folders onto PDF Portfolio Window, or
by choosing the corresponding shortcut menu item of the Options tool, or
by choosing the corresponding shortcut menu item from the PDF Portfolio Window.
Tip:
Do not use File > Open; that opens the file in the main program, not in the portfolio.
If you do not see the buttons Add Files, Add Existing Folder and create New folder, choose Edit Portfolio in the options sub-menu.
To open a package or portfolio
Do one of the following:
choose File > Open from the main menu, browse for a location, select an item in the Open dialog box and click Open, or
drag-and-drop a package or portfolio from your file system onto the Power PDF working area.
Portfolios are displayed in the PDF Portfolio Window; packages are displayed in a combined working area where both PDF Portfolio and PDF Professional menu items, tools and processes are accessible.
To edit a portfolio
The Options tool has a drop-down menu that lets you display the Edit Portfolio panel if it is hidden. This can also be done from the shortcut menu of either the PDF Portfolio Window or any item in the portfolio. When the Edit Portfolio panel is displayed, this menu item changes to Finish Editing Portfolio.
These are the Edit Portfolio tools, described below from left to right:
Choose a layout or view to display item thumbnails within a portfolio. (Currently only the Basic Grid view is offered.)
Choose the type of Introduction Page to be added (if any) and prepare its contents. Similarly choose a header type (if any) and define its contents: texts, contact information, logos or images are possible. The chosen content always appears in a separate window above the file list or file/folder thumbnails.
Choose from pre-defined color schemes or specify custom colors for the background, primary and secondary cards, primary and secondary texts. Secondary text coloring is applied, for instance, to text entered as a description. Card color means the thumbnail or list area coloring. Custom color settings are valid only for the currently open portfolio.
Enable or disable displaying columns in List view, add more columns to the default ones (Name, Description, Modified, Size), specify the type of your new column (text, numeric, date), reorder columns, delete a column (except default ones), choose the key column for sorting items and select ascending or descending order for sorting.
Portfolio items can accept descriptions. In Home (thumbnail view), click underneath the file name and type in the description. In List view, enter text in the appropriate cell of the Description column.
Use the File menu or the Save toolbar button to save your portfolio to the location and name you specify in the Save As dialog box. Alternatively, the toolbar lets save your portfolio and send it via electronic mail from your default mailing application.
When editing is done, close the Edit Portfolio panel:
click the exit symbol at the right of the Edit Portfolio toolbar, or
choose Finish Editing Portfolio from the shortcut menu of the PDF Portfolio Window
To open an item
You can open an item within a package or portfolio
by double-clicking its thumbnail in Home (thumbnail) view, or
from the shortcut menu of the selected item in Thumbnail or List view, or
by double-clicking its icon in List view
by selecting it and clicking the Open the first selected file tool in the Portfolio toolbar.
PDF items are displayed, but non-PDF items appear as attachments, with Open and Save buttons.
The navigating tools Previous or Next are displayed in the middle of the PDF Portfolio toolbar when you open a portfolio file, so you can switch to the previous or next item. Tools in the Toolbar Area are also displayed and all relevant menu items are accessible so you can process the open document as desired.
To work with sub-folders
Choose Add Existing Folder to import all files from a folder on your system or drag the folder into the portfolio window.
Choose Create New Folder to place an empty folder which you can then populate.
To add items to sub-folders, select the desired sub-folder and use the Add files button or drag-and-drop files.
To move between sub-folders or return to the top level, select the desired folder in the path list that appears top left of the thumbnail or list display.
To save an item
You may want to save a single item from your portfolio. Do one of the following:
open a non-PDF item, click the Save attachments tool, and then use the Save As dialog box to save it.
open a non-PDF item, click the Open attachment tool, view the file and save it in the usual way.
When non-PDF files are saved and re-opened for the first time, you may have to specify which application to use.