Annotations and Commenting

Annots (Annotations and Commenting)

Note: Preferences belonging to this feature reside in multiple hives.

Annotations include most of the items users can add to a document in the form of comments, editing markup, and so on. Many of these preferences are mapped to UI items in Acrobat. Pre 10.x versions of Reader have no Commenting preferences UI since the feature was only enabled in right's-extended documents. However, most of these preferences can be configured at the registry or plist level and used with Reader. For 10.x and later, Reader can also be configured from the UI as commenting is fully supported.

There are three broad categories of annotations:

Markups: Editorial marks on the page such as underscores, circles, polygons, etc.
Markup tools: Each tools has a number of properties that are stored in preferences.
Comments: Comments in popup notes and comment list items.

This preference category contains the following subfeature(s):

2D Measuring
Commenting-Misc Settings
Making Comments
Popup Open Behavior
Stamp Configuration
Viewing Comments

Popup Open Behavior

Controls how and when popups open when a PDF is opened.

Summary table

bautoOpenOther	Automatically adds a popup note when another type of annotation is added.
bHidePopupIfShowSummary	Hide comment popups when comment's list is open.
bHoveringPopups	Automatically open popups on mouse rollover.
btransparencyOK	Specifies whether to use the stroke color as the fill color for highlight annotations.

bautoOpenOther

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots

Not lockable

Automatically adds a popup note when another type of annotation is added.

Details

In other words, a popup note appears when you create a new comment using a drawing tool, the Stamp tool, or the Pencil tool. Possible values include:

0: Don't add a popup note for other annot types.
1: Do add a popup note for other annot types.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Automatically open comment popups for comments other than notes.

bHidePopupIfShowSummary

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

AVGeneral

Not lockable

Hide comment popups when comment's list is open.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Don't hide popups.
1: Do do hide popups.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Hide comment popups when comment's list is open.

bHoveringPopups

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Originals

Not lockable

Automatically open popups on mouse rollover.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Don't open popups on mouse rollover.
1: Don't open popups on mouse rollover.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Automatically open popups on mouse rollover.

btransparencyOK

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0-9.0

Annots

Not lockable

Specifies whether to use the stroke color as the fill color for highlight annotations.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Don't use the stroke color as the fill color.
1: Do use the stroke color as the fill color.

Making Comments

The preferences in this section control the creation of new comments and associated features.

Summary table

balwaysUseIdent	Uses the login names as the comment author name.
bcopyTextToDrawAnnot	Specifies whether to copy the encircled text into drawing comment popups.
bcopyTextToMarkupAnnot	Copies the selected text into highlight, cross-out, and underline comment popups.
benableTextSelection	Specifies whether to enable text selection for annotations such as highlight, strikethrough or underline.
bsideNotes	Creates new popups aligned to the edge of the document.
tauthor	The author name specified by balwaysUseIdent.

balwaysUseIdent

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Uses the login names as the comment author name.

Details

The login name is the name specified in the identity preferences panel. If it is not present, the login-name is used. If it is not present for comments in collaborative documents (shared-review, browser-based review, email based review), the comment author identity is used that the user has set. For Acrobat, the default is true; for Reader, it is false. Possible values include:

0: Do use the login name as the comment author name.
1: Don't use the login name as the comment author name.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Making Comments > Always use Log-in Name for Author name

benableTextSelection

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

Default

Version #

DC Continuous, August 2017

HKCU Path

Annots\cPrefs

HKLM Path

Not lockable

Summary

Specifies whether to enable text selection for annotations such as highlight, strikethrough or underline.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Do enable text selection. When enabled, the cursor changes to ][ mode when the annotation (highlight, strikethrough or underline) is clicked and hovered over for more than 2 seconds. The cursor reverts to the previous mode after a time duration of 3 seconds upon hovering outside the bounding box of the annot.
1: Don't enable text selection. When disabled, the cursor changes to ][ mode only upon selecting Enable Text selection in the context menu. It will then remain in ][ mode for all annotations on the page.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Making Comments > Enable text selection for Highlight, Strikethrough, and Underline.

tauthor

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

null

8.0+

cAnnots\cAnnot

Not lockable

The author name specified by balwaysUseIdent.

Details

Possible values include:

N/A: User specified.

bsideNotes

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Creates new popups aligned to the edge of the document.

Details

Controls popup positioning. Possible values include:

0: Don't align popups at the document edge.
1: Align popups at the document edge.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Making Comments > Create new popups aligned to the edge of the document.

bcopyTextToDrawAnnot

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Specifies whether to copy the encircled text into drawing comment popups.

Details

Adds a popup comment automatically to other markup types so that they can be annotated. Possible values include:

0: Don't copy the encircled text into comments.
1: Do copy the encircled text into comments.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Making Comments > Copy encircled text into Drawing comment popups

bcopyTextToMarkupAnnot

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Copies the selected text into highlight, cross-out, and underline comment popups.

Details

Adds a popup comment automatically to specified markup types so that they can be annotated. Possible values include:

0: Copy selected text.
1: Don't copy selected text.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Making Comments > Copy selected text into Highlight, Cross-Out, and Underline comment popups

Stamp Configuration

Stamps are an annotation feature that enables a quick method of using preconfigured and highly visual comments to indicate that a document has been approved, revised, etc. Choose stamps from the default library or create custom stamps.

Summary table

aAP	The stamp name of a user favorited stamp.
bStampsPaletteInvisible	Specifies whether to show the stamps palette automatically when the commenting toolbar is displayed.
cfavoriteStamps	A list of cabs that stores the stamp name and title of a user's favorite stamps in c0, c1, etc.
tlastUsedStamp	Remembers the last used stamp.
tlastViewedStampCategory	Remembers the last viewed stamp category in the stamps palette.
ttitle	The stamp title of a user favorited stamp.

bStampsPaletteInvisible

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots

Not lockable

Specifies whether to show the stamps palette automatically when the commenting toolbar is displayed.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Show the palette.
1: Don't show the palette.

cfavoriteStamps

Data type

n/a: Cabs are keys that contain subvalues displayed in the right hand registry panel.

null

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

A list of cabs that stores the stamp name and title of a user's favorite stamps in c0, c1, etc.

Details

A stamp can be made favorite by choosing Stamps > Favourites > Add current stamp to favorites. Each cab contains aAP and ttitle. Possible values include:

N/A: User specified

GUI mapping

From the commenting toolbar, select the stamp icon, and then choose Favorites > Add current stamp to favorities

aAP

Data type

atom: String value > REG_SZ

Default

null

Version #

8.0+

HKCU Path

Annots\cPrefs\cfavoriteStamps

HKLM Path

Not lockable

Summary

The stamp name of a user favorited stamp.

Details

Stored in c0, c1, etc. Possible values include:

N/A: User specified.

ttitle

Data type

text: String value > REG_SZ

Default

null

Version #

8.0+

HKCU Path

Annots\cPrefs\cfavoriteStamps

HKLM Path

Not lockable

Summary

The stamp title of a user favorited stamp.

Details

Stored in c0, c1, etc. Possible values include:

N/A: User specified.

tlastUsedStamp

Data type

text: String value > REG_SZ

null

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Remembers the last used stamp.

Details

Possible values include:

N/A: User specified.

tlastViewedStampCategory

null

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Remembers the last viewed stamp category in the stamps palette.

Details

Possible values include:

N/A: User specified.

Viewing Comments

Summary table

bprintCommentPopups	Enables printing of comments and other annotations.
bshowMarkupModifiers	Specifies whether to show markup tool-tips and text indicators.

bshowMarkupModifiers

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots

Not lockable

Specifies whether to show markup tool-tips and text indicators.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Don't show markup tool-tips and text indicators.
1: Show markup tool-tips and text indicators.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Viewing Comments > Enable text indicators and tooltips

bprintCommentPopups

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs\

Not lockable

Enables printing of comments and other annotations.

Details

Notes and popups that are open will be printed when the rest of the document is printed. Possible values include:

0: Don't print comments.
1: Do print comments.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Commenting > Viewing Comments > Print notes and popups

Commenting-Misc Settings

These preferences control commenting behavior related to printing, appearance, etc.

Summary table

bcommentPanelOnImport	Specifies whether to opens the comment list when comments are imported.
bconfirmEBRMerge	Displays an alert on document open asking the user to confirm importing comments into an active review.
bemptyContentToolTip	Displays a tooltip stating the comment being hovered over is empty.
bnoisyAnnots	Enables playing sound when adding and deleting annotations.
bPopupsOpenIffSelected	Specifies whether to open a popup when it is selected.
bprintNotesOpaque	Makes popups opaque regardless of other settings.
bsendFinalApprovalEmail	Specifies whether to send a notification email when the current approval is identified as the final one.
imaxPDFCommentsSize	Sets the comment threshold size for determining whether comments are embedded or sent as FDF files.
lastBBRURL	Specifies whether to remember the last browser based review (BBR) URL used.

bprintNotesOpaque

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Makes popups opaque regardless of other settings.

Details

Prints the popups as opaque without honoring the popup opacity specified by the user in commenting preferences (popup-opacity). Possible values include:

0: Don't make popups opaque.
1: Do make popups opaque.

bnoisyAnnots

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

7.0-8.0

Annots

Not lockable

Enables playing sound when adding and deleting annotations.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Disable sounds on annotation actions.
1: Enable sounds on annotation actions.

bemptyContentToolTip

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots

Not lockable

Displays a tooltip stating the comment being hovered over is empty.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Don't indicate comment is empty.
1: Do indicate comment is empty.

bconfirmEBRMerge

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

9.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Displays an alert on document open asking the user to confirm importing comments into an active review.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Disable confirmation alert on import.
1: Enable confirmation alert on import.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Reviews > Confirm Importing of Comments into Active Reviews from PDF Files

bcommentPanelOnImport

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

9.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Specifies whether to opens the comment list when comments are imported.

Details

Possible values include:

0: Don't open the comment list when comments are imported.
1: Do open the comment list when comments are imported.

GUI mapping

Preferences > Reviews > Open the Comment List When Comments are imported

8.0-9.0

Annots

Not lockable

Specifies whether to remember the last browser based review (BBR) URL used.

Details

It is used to populate the wizard with the last used BBR url. Since BBR is deprecated, this preference may be omitted. Possible values include:

0: Don't remember the last browser based review URL.
1: Don't remember the last browser based review URL.

imaxPDFCommentsSize

Data type

integer: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

Default

3 for Reader and 5 for Acrobat.

9.0+

Annots\cPrefs

Not lockable

Sets the comment threshold size for determining whether comments are embedded or sent as FDF files.

Details

When collaboration involves sending comments with a PDF, comments below the threshold size are embedded in the document. Comments above the threshold size are sent as FDF files. Possible values include:

3: Max size for Reader (Acrobat is 5)

GUI mapping

Preferences > Reviews > Email-based Review Options > Send comments as FDF for files greater than __ MB

bsendFinalApprovalEmail

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots

Not lockable

Specifies whether to send a notification email when the current approval is identified as the final one.

Details

Only valid for an approval workflow. Possible values include:

0: Don't send an email on final approval.
1: Do send an email on final approval.

bPopupsOpenIffSelected

Data type

boolean: DWORD value > REG_DWORD

8.0+

Annots

Not lockable

Specifies whether to open a popup when it is selected.

2D Measuring

Summary table

aarrowBegin	Sets the default measuring start line shape.
aarrowEnd	Sets the default measuring end line shape.

aarrowBegin

Data type

atom: String value > REG_SZ

Default

Closed

Version #

Continuous track Aug, 2020

HKCU Path

Annots

HKLM Path

Not lockable

Summary

Sets the default measuring start line shape.

Details

While the aarrowBegin and aarrowEnd are legacy preferences, the Document Properties dialog and the Preferences > Measuring (2D) dialog used different preferences that conflicted with one another and resulted in the preference dialog settings always getting overridden by document properties. The preferences dialog has now been updated for the Continuous track, and both dialogs use the same preferences. Possible values include: