Attaching Sound Files to PDFs

The Record Audio Comment tool has two purposes. Using the tool enables you to 1) record (or import) a sound, and 2) attach the sound to a PDF. To record a sound you must have a microphone attached to your computer. In addition to recordings made in Adobe Reader, you can import sound files from your hard disk. The sound is then embedded as an attachment. Audio comments are available only when you're working with files enabled with usage rights.

To record and import sound files, you can use any PDF document enabled with Adobe Reader usage rights. Use the eSupport.pdf file, located at www.peachpit.com/adobereader7, to play an audio comment.

Can other users listen to the audio comments?

Once you add an audio comment, the sound is embedded in the PDF document. If you record or import a sound in Windows, both Windows and Macintosh users can play the sound. Likewise, Windows users can play audio comments added to PDFs on the Macintosh.

To add and play sound files:

1.	Open a file enabled with Adobe Reader usage rights.
2.	Click the Record Audio Comment tool (Figure 13.6). Figure 13.6. The Record Audio Comment tool.
3.	Click on a document page. The Sound Recorder dialog (Windows shown in Figure 13.7) or the Record Sound dialog (Macintosh shown in Figure 13.8) opens. Figure 13.7. In Windows click the red circle to begin recording. Figure 13.8. On the Macintosh click the Record button to begin recording.
4.	Be certain your microphone is attached to your computer and working properly. Click the red circle (Windows) or Record button (Macintosh) to begin recording.
5.	Click OK (Windows) or Stop (Macintosh) to end the recording.
6.	Select the Hand tool and open a context menu on the comment icon. Select Properties (Figure 13.9). Figure 13.9. Select Properties from a context menu opened from the Comment icon.
7.	Click General in the Sound Attachment Properties dialog. This dialog shows you the file size for the recording. Check the file size to be certain it's not too large for your use. File size is only limited by the amount of available hard disk space.
8.	Click Close in the Sound Attachment Properties dialog and save the file.
9.	To play the file, double-click the Comment icon with the Hand tool.

Can I automatically play background sounds in my file?

Adobe Reader doesn't have a sound activation tool or menu command to play audio comment files when a file opens. You can import a sound using the Record Audio Comment tool by clicking the Browse button (Windows) or Choose button (Macintosh). In the resulting Select Sound dialog, navigate your hard drive to locate a sound file. The most common file types are .wav (Windows) and .aiff (Macintosh). Select a file and click the Select button. You can also finesse your file to play a sound like background music: Double-click the sound attachment after importing a sound, and the sound file begins to play. You can navigate pages or view pages in Full Screen mode, and the sound will continue to play as you turn the pages. For more information on using Full Screen mode, see Chapter 4, "Viewing PDF Documents."

If you created a slide show from Picture Tasks as described in Chapter 9, "Working with Picture Tasks," you can play a slide show with background music. After importing a sound file, double-click the Comment icon and click the Full Screen tool at the bottom left of the Status Bar. If transitions were added to the slide show, the slides automatically scroll with transition effects. The sound continues to play to the end of the sound file as the slides change in Full Screen mode.