intangible02
March 31st, 2009, 07:24 AM
Foxit is a great PDF reader software. However, its update system and personalization for windows vista is quite annoying. I install foxit for everyone on the computer. The problems I encountered are:
1. manual update and auto update are not consistent. If I download an update for an add-on manually and install it using Install updates... option, I can still see the update option if running Check for updates now. Since the add-ons are just files in <Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader>, the auto update should pick the changes.
2. different user accounts cannot pick the same update. For vista, I use two accounts, one with admin role and the other without. If I use the auto update to updates the add-on under user 1, I can still see the update option there under user 2. Again, since foxit uses the files in one central installation location, these kinds of repetition should be avoided.
3. update user rights problem. When I run auto update, the updates can be downloaded but failed to applied. There is a "access denied" message popped up. The FAQ suggests turn on Run as Administrator for the foxit executable. While this works for admin role, for normal user account the Run as Administrator check box is dimmed, so I have to manually assign file permission to my normal user account.
4. The foxit preference setting does not work correctly for my normal user account. I have set the page width etc on user with admin role. Then I login as normal user, after I launch the foxit, it does not display as the preference I set. Even I reset and save the changes under normal user, it does not take effect. For modern applications, the per user setting are usually saved in user profile folder, like local settings, roaming local settings. But I cannot find one for foxit.
As a summary, for vista, usually multiple users are used and all users need foxit. Just one user may use for more time and the other less. But for update, it should be done once. When one user does that, all users are relieved. For customization, each user should get separate profiles. The foxit itself is great, I wish it could be better if the above pitfalls could be fixed.
1. manual update and auto update are not consistent. If I download an update for an add-on manually and install it using Install updates... option, I can still see the update option if running Check for updates now. Since the add-ons are just files in <Program Files\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader>, the auto update should pick the changes.
2. different user accounts cannot pick the same update. For vista, I use two accounts, one with admin role and the other without. If I use the auto update to updates the add-on under user 1, I can still see the update option there under user 2. Again, since foxit uses the files in one central installation location, these kinds of repetition should be avoided.
3. update user rights problem. When I run auto update, the updates can be downloaded but failed to applied. There is a "access denied" message popped up. The FAQ suggests turn on Run as Administrator for the foxit executable. While this works for admin role, for normal user account the Run as Administrator check box is dimmed, so I have to manually assign file permission to my normal user account.
4. The foxit preference setting does not work correctly for my normal user account. I have set the page width etc on user with admin role. Then I login as normal user, after I launch the foxit, it does not display as the preference I set. Even I reset and save the changes under normal user, it does not take effect. For modern applications, the per user setting are usually saved in user profile folder, like local settings, roaming local settings. But I cannot find one for foxit.
As a summary, for vista, usually multiple users are used and all users need foxit. Just one user may use for more time and the other less. But for update, it should be done once. When one user does that, all users are relieved. For customization, each user should get separate profiles. The foxit itself is great, I wish it could be better if the above pitfalls could be fixed.