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Manage PDF portfolios

Portfolios let you collect a set of documents relating to a particular topic for convenient distribution. 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).

The portfolio 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.

The Portfolio panel has its own toolbar with the following tools from left to right:

Home icon Home shows thumbnails of each file or folder in the portfolio. Right-click a thumbnail to access the following options:

  • Open File: Opens the selected portfolio document. (Alternatively, you can open an item by double-clicking its thumbnail / icon in List view, from the item shortcut menu in either view, or by using the Open File command in the Options drop-down menu.) PDF items are displayed, but non-PDF items appear as attachments, with Open and Save buttons.

  • Save File from Portfolio: Saves only the selected item in the portfolio.

  • Add Files: Browse for files and insert them into your portfolio. The file will be duplicated so your portfolio will remain intact even if the original file is deleted from your file system. (Alternatively, you can select the same command from the shortcut menu of the Portfolio panel or simply drag-and-drop files to the panel.)

  • Add Existing Folder: Browse for folders and insert them into your portfolio. The folder will be duplicated so your portfolio will remain intact even if the original folder is deleted from your file system. (Alternatively, you can select the same command from the shortcut menu of the Portfolio panel or simply drag-and-drop folders to the panel.)

  • Create New Folder: Create a new folder inside your portfolio (but not in your file system).

  • Delete: Remove the selected file or folderfrom your portfolio. This doesnot deletefiles or folders from your file system : only removes them from your portfolio.

  • Sort by: Sorting choices are:

    • Name

    • Description

    • Modified

    • Size

    • Compressed size

    • Created

  • Select All / Deselect All: Mark or unmark all items in the portfolio.

  • Cover Sheet: Select to have the cover sheet displayed.

  • Show Information: Select this to view file or folder properties with the following fields:

    • Name (read-only)

    • Description (read-only)

    • Modified (read-only)

    • Size (read-only)

    • Compressed size (read-only)

    • Creation Date (read-only)

    • Description (editable)

  • Portfolio Properties:

    • Set which property fields are shown for portfolio items.

    • Define how portfolio items are sorted (property to Sort by and Sort order).

    • Set how the Portfolio panel is shown on program startup.

    • Select if the currently selected portfolio item is to be shown first when the portfolio is opened.

List view List view displays a table with one row for each file or folder; there are four default columns (name, description, modified, size). The right-click menu in List view offers all above options and some more:

  • View: Select which columns to show in list view:

    • Name

    • Description

    • Modified

    • Size

    • Compressed size

    • Created

  • Edit Value: Select to edit the Name of the portfolio item or its Description- type your text into the field in the Edit Name/Edit Description windows, respectively.

List view columns can be re-ordered, shown / hidden or created / deleted. (This latter functionality is only available if you select Portfolio Properties from an item's shortcut menu or from the Options drop-down list. Only user-created portfolio properties can be deleted.)

For quick and easy access, many of these functions are also available directly from the Portfolio panel toolbar. These are as follows:

Add files icon Add files: See above under Home view reference.

Add Existing Folder icon Add Existing Folder: See above under Home view reference.

Create New Folder icon Create New Folder: See above under Home view reference.

Options icon Options: This drop-down list offers a set of controls depending on your selection in the Portfolio panel.

  • If you do not have a selection on the panel, the following tools are available: Sort by, Select All, Cover Sheet and Portfolio Properties. On their usage see above under Home view reference.

  • If you have an item or folder selected, you are offered these additional functions : Open Folder, Delete, Deselect All and Show Information. On their usage see above under Home view reference.

Use the arrow tools (Open Previous and Open Next) available at the bottom of the Portfolio panel for quick navigation between the items.

Create a new portfolio

  1. Select File > New > Create PDF Portfolio to display the PDF Portfolio panel.

    An empty portfolio called "New Portfolio_1" is created.

    The numeric suffix is incremented for each new portfolio whether or not you save any new portfolio under another name until you exit the program.

  2. Leave it open and create a new one, or close it without saving.

Open a package or a portfolio

Proceed with one of the following steps:

  • Select File > Open from the main menu, browse for a location, select an item in the Open dialog box and click Open.
  • Drag-and-drop a package or portfolio from your file system onto the Power PDF working area.

Portfolios are displayed in the PDF Portfolio view; packages are displayed in a combined working area where both PDF Portfolio and Power PDF menu items, tools and processes are accessible.

Save an item

You may want to save a single item from your portfolio. Do one of the following:

  1. Select the item in Thumbnail or List view, select Save File from Portfolio in the context menu of the portfolio item, browse to the desired location in the Save As dialog box and specify a name for it.
  2. Select File > Save to save the entire portfolio.
  3. Open a non-PDF item, click the Save attachments tool, and then use the Save dialog box to save it.
  4. 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.

Suppress the cover page when opening a portfolio

A Portfolio: like a package: has a cover sheet that explains to a recipient what a portfolio is and how it can be used. When a recipient opens a portfolio, its cover sheet is displayed by default. Similarly, PDF applications without portfolio support also show the cover page on opening the portfolio.

To change which portfolio item is displayed in the above cases, do the following:

  1. Select the PDF you would like to see open instead of the default cover page and add it to your portfolio (see below on how to add files to a portfolio).
  2. Select the thumbnail of this PDF in the Portfolio panel.
  3. Select Portfolio Properties in the Options drop-down list (or right-click the thumbnail and select the same option).
  4. Select the check box Show current document when opening portfolio.
  5. Click OK in the dialog box.
  6. Save your portfolio.

Print, search or email a portfolio

Once you have a portfolio open, a set of Quick Access Toolbar buttons at the top left offers portfolio-related functionality. You may perform various actions using the toolbar or the context menu of a PDF element in the portfolio, for example:

  • To print the whole portfolio of the current document, select File > Print > Print Entire Portfolio.
  • To perform searches including searching the entire portfolio proceed with the steps below.
    1. Select Home > Search Multiple.

      The Search window appears.

    2. In the Look In list, select The entire PDF Portfolio.
    3. Proceed with the steps detailed in Search.
  • To send the portfolio via email, select File > Share > Email as Document. The Share dialog box appears.
    1. Select Whole Portfolio.
    2. Click OK.

      The default email application launches a blank message window with the attachment.

Work with subfolders

  • To import all files from a folder on your system, click Add Existing Folder (Add Existing Folder icon) or drag the folder into the portfolio window.
  • To place an empty folder which you can then populate, select Create New Folder (Create New Folder icon).
  • To add items to sub-folders, select the desired sub-folder and use the Add files button (Add files icon) 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.