IE 8 - Trying to view PDFs using external Acrobat Reader

[davezub]

Running version 4.6.2-467908 and TA'd IE 8 on a clean XP SP3 with FLash and Schockwave (pretty basic) and it works fine. However, when I try to view a PDF file (I have Acrobat Reader X installed) I get a gray screen, acrord32.exe is running in memory and eventually I get a message from reader indicating that there was a problem with reader and I need to exit and try and again.  In the native browser (ie6) it works fine.

I have made sure that the %Internet Cache% is set to merged and from other posts I have set ChildProcessEnvironmentDefault=External.

Any thoughts? I've seen other posts where this is working and I don't want to capture reader with IE.

Thanks.

[TobyFruthParson]

Here's the relevant information from my ThinApp IE8 Package.INI.  Use at your own peril:

QualityReportingEnabled=1
AddPageExecutionPermission=1
ChildProcessEnvironmentExceptions=acrobat.exe;acrord32.exe;mdm.exe;svchost.exe;WINWORD.EXE;EXCEL.EXE;POWERPNT.EXE;OUTLOOK.EXE
ChildProcessEnvironmentDefault=Virtual
AutoStopServices=1
AutoStartServices=0
VirtualizeExternalOutOfProcessCOM=0

[davezub]

Thanks saw this one in a prior post and already tried it with the same results. I'm running build outside of my clean packaging machine. I read one post that they recommend using the actual vm instance I used to build the initial package. 

[TobyFruthParson · Accepted solution]

Theoretically, the build can be run anywhere ThinApp is installed.  All our builds are run on a Windows 2008 server, but the captures are done on XP, Vista, and 7.

As for the list of settings I mentioned, there's two approaches:  internalize everything, with exceptions, or externalize everything.  In the example you provide, you've chosen to externalize everything.  In the syntax I provided, the default is to stay internal, but with exceptions.  This syntax is working in our environment, but your system configuration may be different.  I went this route because I knew I needed PDF viewing to work, and I didn't want to disable Protected Mode in Acrobat.

[davezub]

Toby,

So still could not get it to work so I thought let's break some rules. I installed Acrobat Reader 9.x before the snapshop and made sure it worked. I then installed IE8, flash, and loaded a pdf within the browser, and did the final capture. Works great, however, on my test if Adobe Reader X is installed, TA'd IE8 gives me a memory reference error when exiting. Still a little issue but at least it works now.  Thanks for your help.