Sharepoint Integration

System requirements

The following is required:

  • One of the following:

    • SharePoint 2019

      • The server must use NTLM authentication

      • Only Internet Explorer supports this integration

    • SharePoint 2013

    • SharePoint 2010

  • Windows OS and browser versions supported by products.

SharePoint Configuration

The product supports using the ActiveX control PdfFile.OpenDocuments in addition to AdobeAcrobat.OpenDocuments. The rationale is that Microsoft is pushing an update to SharePoint Online and on-premise SharePoint servers which automatically updates DocIcon.xml to associate PDFs with the ActiveX control named PdfFile.OpenDocuments.

If you’ve received this update, you don’t need to change your DocIcon.xml manually as described below. To verify you have latest update or not, open DocIcon.xml in a text-editor and look for PdfFile.OpenDocuments. If it’s there, then no additional configuration is needed. If it’s not there, manually modify the DocIcon.xml file as described below.

Manual configuration

The DocIcon.xml file is present on every front-end Web server in a Microsoft SharePoint deployment. It specifies the icon that displays for different file types. Optionally, it can specify whether an ActiveX control opens the file.

See “Understanding DocIcon.xml Files” on MSDN to understand the functions of DocIcon.xml file.

The DocIcon.xml performs three basic functions:

  • Associates display icons with file types.

  • Assigns an ActiveX control to open the file for viewing or editing.

  • Configures the text that displays in the SharePoint pop-up menus.

Settings in the DocIcon.xml file are global to a SharePoint deployment and impact site definitions on all front-end Web servers. Each filename extension or ProgId can map t o only one editing control, one icon, and one string of display text. This mapping is identical throughout a SharePoint deployment. You can add mapping elements to support additional filename extensions and ProgIds.

The ActiveX control AdobeAcrobat.OpenDocuments is installed on the client computer with Acrobat or Reader. To use that ActiveX control for opening PDFs on a user’s computer, modify the DocIcon.xml file to associate an icon and assign an ActiveX control for PDF files as follows:

  1. Find the DocIcon.xml file:

    • SharePoint 2019: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\16\TEMPLATE\XML

    • SharePoint 2013: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\15\TEMPLATE\XML

    • SharePoint 2010: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\14\TEMPLATE\XML

    • SharePoint 2007: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\XML

  2. Open the DocIcon.xml file for editing.

  3. Search for the <ByExtension> tag. It is a child tag of the root tag <DocIcons>. Create it if it does not exist.

  4. Add a child tag inside <ByExtension>, with the following content:

<Mapping Key="pdf" Value="AdobePDF.png"  OpenControl="AdobeAcrobat.OpenDocuments"/>

  1. Save the DocIcon.xml file.

  2. Download AdobePDF.png from https://www.adobe.com/misc/linking.html#producticons.

  3. Copy the icon to the following folder:

    • SharePoint 2019: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\15\TEMPLATE\Images\

    • SharePoint 2013: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\15\TEMPLATE\Images\

    • SharePoint 2007: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\Images\

    • SharePoint 2010: %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\14\TEMPLATE\Images\

  4. Launch the IIS Manager and either restart IIS or refresh all the sites. IIS manager reads the XML file once when it starts. Any new changes are not read again until a restart.

  5. For Sharepoint 2019 and later, set the ActiveX component in the registry to Acrobat:

    • Path - HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Acrobat\Exe

    • Value - C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\<Acrobat Version>\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe

Allow HTTP methods in IIS 7 or later

SharePoint has its own WebDAV implementation. If the WebDAVModule is running, requests are routed there rather than the SharePoint WebDAV component. Disable the WebDAVModule to route the requests to the WebDAV component.

To disable the webDAVModule:

  1. Choose Start > Administrative Tools > IIS Manager.

  2. In the left pane, expand the tree, and navigate to your site.

  3. In the center pane, double-click Modules.

  4. In the Modules window, If WebDAVModule is present, remove it.

  5. Restart IIS.

Metadata support

Acrobat supports the following SharePoint Metadata types:

SharePoint metadata support

Type

Supported?

Single line of text

Yes

Multiple lines of text

Yes

Choice (menu)

Yes

Number (1, 1.0, 100)

Yes

Currency ($, ¥, €)

Yes

Date and Time

Yes

Lookup (information on the current site)

Yes

Yes/No (check box)

Yes (Boolean)

Person or Group

Yes

Hyperlink or Picture

Yes

Calculated (calculation based on other columns)

Yes

Managed Metadata

Yes

Task Outcome.

Yes

External Data

Untested

Other types not listed

No

Disabling SharePoint integration

2019

With Sharepoint 2019 you can disable the checkout option through the Sharepoint admin console. To do so:

  1. Go to Library Setting > Versioning settings.

  2. Set the Required Check Out option to No

  3. Choose OK.

Earlier versions

10.1 adds support for disabling SharePoint integration via the bDisableSharePointFeatures preference. 1 disables all SharePoint-related functionality such as the check out prompt and SharePoint menu items.

To disable SharePoint integration:

  1. Open the registry.

  2. Go to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\<product name>\<version>\FeatureLockDown.

  3. Create a key called cSharePoint.

  4. Create a DWORD value called bDisableSharePointFeatures.

  5. Set its value to 1.

Troubleshooting

  • Use a supported browser.

  • Enable the “Adobe Acrobat SharePoint OpenDocuments Component” and “Adobe PDF Reader” add-ins in IE.

  • Verify this folder exists on the server: %ProgramFiles%Common FilesMicrosoft Sharedweb server extensions<version>TEMPLATEXML

  • Verify Doclcon.xml exists in the above location.

  • Verify this line is correct: <Mapping Key=”pdf” Value=”icpdf.png” EditText=”Acrobat Reader” OpenControl=”AdobeAcrobat.OpenDocuments” OpenApp=”AcroRd32”/>

  • Determine if the problem affects all users or some users. The former would likely indicate a server issue while the latter points to a client-side issue.

  • Verify you have write permissions to any location the Acrobat product or SharePoint needs to write to.

  • If you can’t edit a PDF, check its security properties via Open File > Properties > Security.

  • If clicking on a PDF document in a SharePoint library shows the error “There was an error opening this document. The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.”, then update SharePoint. See the Microsoft Technet Forum: https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/sharepointgeneral/thread/49aed23c-cf9c-43 39-8c17-ff1df65649a6/.

  • If the “Check Out and Open” PDF files in document libraries menu item is not present, make sure the latest is SharePoint update is not the March cumulative update for SP 2013. Microsoft confirmed a bug in that update. See https://forums.adobe.com/message/6579072#6579072.