PDF iFilter SharePoint

No doubt within about 5 minutes of using WSS or MOSS your users will want to be able to search the contents of a pdf, if its not a prequisite. This post will show you how.

How to add the PDF iFilter to SharePoint 2007.

Before we start, this post shows you how to add the PDF icon to SharePoint which might be of interest.

You will need:

Adobe PDF IFilter 6.0 http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=2611
Note: After this iFiliter is packaged with Adobe Reader http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/.
Admin rights on your indexing server.

Instructions:

1. Copy the Adobe PDF iFilter 6.0 to your SharePoint indexing server.
2. Run the PDF iFilter 6.0 on the server.
3. Enable the pdf extension. Go to Central Administration > SharedServices > Search Settings > File Types >Add File Type.
4. Enter ‘pdf’ as a file extension and save.
5. Perform a full crawl to index you PDF documents.

For troubleshooting check the Microsoft KB for WSS issues.
Ive never had an issue with this on 32bit platforms, usually i forget to enable the the extension if anything doh.

For 64 bit you will have to choose between Adobe 9.0 (free bundled with Adobe reader) and Foxit (paying). Check out this blog post for more details: http://blogs.msdn.com/opal/archive/2008/12/10/pdf-ifilter-battle-foxit-vs-adobe-64bit-version.aspx.

For instructions on how to install Adobe 9.0 64 bit check here http://www.adobe.com/special/acrobat/configuring_pdf_ifilter_for_ms_sharepoint_2007.pdf.

Other iFilters to consider:

• Visio 2003
• OneNote
• Captaris OCR Tiff iFiliter
• Microsoft Filter Pack 2007 – KBs for WSS & SP 2007.
• For others check out iFilterShop.com
• For more look at iFiliter.org (free)
• Citeknet

This post shows you how to add the PDF icon to SharePoint the same steps apply for other icons.

Trouble Shooting

Use Citeknet  iFilter explorer to help with debugging see which extensions are registered to the correct dlls.

Check your event viewer:

DCOM error  event id 10016
The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID {61738644-F196-11D0-9953-00C04FD919C1}

This error means one of your app pools doesnt have the correct permissions. Navigate to:
Start > Administration Tools > component Services > Computer > My Computer > DCOM Config.

Locate IIS WAMREGT Admin Service – Propertises > Customize > Edit.

Add/Edit the App Pool (User) account that caused the error – Allow Local Activation.

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SharePoint for Dummies

SharePoint for Dummies from the for Dummies series offers some great tips on getting started with SharePoint covering all the topics you need.

SharePoint for Dummies

From the Back Cover
Match SharePoint to your specific business needs.

The fun and easy way® to deploy SharePoint in your business today!

Are you stymied by SharePoint? This plain–English guide offers simple instructions and focused coverage of this powerful tool, giving you practical solutions to real–world SharePoint challenges. You′ll install SharePoint, create sites and grant access, manage data and business processes, use sites to improve employee relations and marketing, put interactive reports and forms on a portal, and much more!

• Set up a SharePoint portal
• Manage portal content and Office documents
• Integrate Office 2007 with SharePoint
• Use SharePoint to collaborate
• Create personalized sites
• Monitor and back up your portal

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Part I: Setting Up SharePoint.

Chapter 1: Getting to Know SharePoint.
Chapter 2: Installing SharePoint.
Chapter 3: Creating the Site Hierarchy.

Part II: Exploring SharePoint’s Building Blocks.

Chapter 4: Introducing Sites and Site Content.
Chapter 5: Navigating SharePoint.
Chapter 6: Granting Access to SharePoint.
Chapter 7: Managing Data with SharePoint.
Chapter 8: Managing Business Processes with SharePoint.

Part III: Improving Information Worker Collaboration and Productivity.

Chapter 9: Using SharePoint for Collaboration.
Chapter 10: Communicating with SharePoint.
Chapter 11: Using Portal Sites.
Chapter 12: Configuring Profiles and My Sites.
Chapter 13: Personalizing Sites.
Chapter 14: Searching the Enterprise.

Part IV: Enterprise Applications for SharePoint.

Chapter 15: Exploring Document and Records Management.
Chapter 16: Publishing Web Content.
Chapter 17: Providing Access to Business Intelligence.

Part V: Administering SharePoint.

Chapter 18: Administering and Monitoring SharePoint.
Chapter 19: Backing Up the Server.

Part VI: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 20: Ten SharePoint Resources Worth Checking Out.
Chapter 21: Ten Positive Outcomes from Implementing SharePoint.

How to add SharePoint PDF Icon

How to add the Adobe PDF icon to SharePoint MOSS or WSS.

After implementation someone will ask if you can add the Adobe PDF Icon to SharePoint MOSS or WSS to display next to pdf documents. To achieve this follow the instructions below.

Once you have setup the pdf icon try adding the PDF iFilter to Sharepoint.

Ingredients

• One PDF icon see adobe site for latest http://www.adobe.com/misc/linking.html
• Access to the 12 hive
• Dash of SharePoint experience

Instructions

1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Template\Images
2. Copy in the  PDF icon. “pdficon.gif“.
3. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\Template\xml
4. Locate the Docicon.xml file open with an xml editor.
5. Within the ByExtension tag add a new Mapping tag in alphabetical order with the following properties.

   <Mapping Key="pdf" Value="pdficon.gif" />

6. Save the file. The Value needs to be the same as the icon you saved in images. Your file should look something like this.
   

   Extract from Docicon.xml showing pdf icon properties

7. Restart IIS.
8. Check a document library you should now see a pdf icon next to a pdf document.
   No icon check the steps again and look out for spelling mistakes…

Once you have setup the pdf icon try adding the PDF iFilter to Sharepoint.

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Become a SharePoint Guru overnight*

* Ok maybe not overnight, but the below will give you access to the best content the web has to offer! The rest is up to you!

A lot of people are aware of all the web2.0 sites, most of you are users, but aren’t  aware of how you can harness the power of their content.

RSS Social Feeds

Just a few well placed searches grab the RSS and you have cornered the web. Why stop there? Share this with your co-workers in an RSS viewer within your SharePoint Teams Site!

Check below for sites by category you might be already a user sitting on a goldmine of information and not know it!

Web2.0 sites categorised

See Getting ahead in your niche with RSS and social media for more indepth description.

Spotify changing music forever?

Are Spotify changing how we listen to music forever? My friend Ben (Now there’s a man with his finger on the pulse!) has just introduced me to Spotify a music player with a similar look to iTunes (except its smoother) all the music is stored online. No purchasing! No downloading! Drag and drop interface, just click around artist / track / album it instantly plays a full track not a snippet!

Spotify desktop client

This is everything iTunes wants to be… Damn sexy UI. Slick search facility access to almost every song (its still in beta).

Collaborative playlists love this concept, I like last.fm’s neighbours and ‘listen to own radio’ but this takes it a giant leap further and leaves iTunes eating dirt.

When looking at an artist you have access to the bands other tracks, albums, compilation albums they appear on as well as a biography.

If  iTunes and Last.fm got freaky and had babies this would be the result. I have only used it a few days but i think the concept is awesome and very impressed with the UI sooooo slick.

The only drawback (if you can call it a drawback) is there are adverts on the free version (but i’ve only heard 4 so far tonight), there are 2 other pay accounts available. A day pass and a monthly subscriptions £0.99 & £9.99 respectively. As Ben pointed out “The 99p day one is ideal for parties! No adverts, you can build the party play list in advance, amazing!”.

Correct me if i’m wrong but i think there are apps in the pipeline for the iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile.As soon as this goes portable it will explode!

Its currently access by invite only to the free section but join Mixifier App on Facebook and follow the instructions for a chance to get the priviledge of testing this out! Then get collaborating…

For a consumer this is potentially a great deal, but i’m not sure what sort of impact this will have on the recording industry?! What about royalties? Cant be good, can it?