Foxit PDF Reader Deployment and Configuration User Guide
- June 4, 2024
- foxit
Table of Contents
PDF Reader Deployment and Configuration
User Guide
Foxit PDF Reader Deployment and Configuration
Introduction
Foxit PDF Reader Deployment and Configuration
Copyright © 2004-2022 Foxit Software Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this document can be reproduced, transferred, distributed or stored
in any format without the prior written permission of Foxit.
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Permission to copy, use, modify, sell and distribute this software is granted
provided this copyright notice appears in all copies. This software is
provided “as is” without express or implied warranty, and with no claim as to
its suitability for any purpose
About the User Manual
Foxit PDF Reader (MSI) is developed on the basis of Foxit PDF Reader (EXE) ,
but it extends the usability and performance of viewing and editing of Foxit
PDF Reader (EXE). This User Manual introduces the deployment and configuration
of Foxit PDF Reader. Please follow the instructions below for details.
About Foxit PDF Reader (MSI)
Foxit PDF Reader (MSI) Overview
Foxit PDF Reader (MSI), hereafter referred to as Foxit PDF Reader is a PDF
document viewer. It launches quickly and is easy to install. Just run “Foxit
PDF Reader Setup.msi” and then follow the installation guides to complete the
installation.
Foxit PDF Reader enables users to edit and secure reliable PDF documents
quickly, easily, and economically. In addition to the basic PDF viewing
functions, Foxit PDF Reader also includes various advanced features, such as
AIP Protection, GPO Control, and XML Control.
Installing Foxit PDF Reader
Windows System Requirements
Foxit PDF Reader runs successfully on the following systems. If your computer
does not meet these requirements, you may not be able to use Foxit PDF Reader.
Operating Systems
- Windows 8
- Windows 10
- Windows 11
- Verified as Citrix Ready® with Citrix XenApp® 7.13
Recommended Minimum Hardware for Better Performance
- 1.3 GHz or faster processor (x86 compatible) or ARM processor, Microsoft SQ1 or 1 better 512 MB RAM (Recommended: 1 GB RAM or greater)
- 1 GB of available hard drive space
- 1024*768 screen resolution
- Supports 4K and other high-resolution displays
How to Install?
-
Double-click the installation file and you will see the Install Wizard pop up. Click Next to continue.
-
In order to install Foxit PDF Reader on your system, you are required to accept the terms and conditions of Foxit’s License Agreement. Please read the Agreement carefully and then check I accept the terms in the License Agreement to continue. If you cannot accept it, please click Cancel to exit the installation.
(Optional) You can select or deselect the Help improve user experience option to turn on or off data collection. The collected data will be used to improve user experiences only. The setting for this option will not affect the following installation process. -
Choose one of the setup types as needed:
A. Typical installs all features by default but requires more disk space.
B. Custom–allows users to choose the features to be installed. -
For a Typical setup, just click Install. For Custom setup, do the following:
A) Click Browse to change the installation directory of the PDF Viewer plug- in.
B) Click Disk Usage to check the disk space available for the selected features.
C) Check the options you want to install and click Next to continue.
D) Select the additional tasks you would like to perform while installing Foxit PDF -
Reader, click Next and then Install to begin the installation.
-
Finally, a message will appear to inform you the successful installation. Click Finish to complete the installation.
Command-line Installation
You can also use the command line to install the application:
msiexec /Option
Public Properties of the Foxit PDF Reader MSI installation package.
Foxit PDF Reader installation properties supplement the standard MSI public
properties to give administrators greater control over the installation of the
application.
For the complete list of standard public properties please refer to:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/aa370905(VS.85).aspx
The Foxit PDF Reader properties are: ————-
ADDLOCAL
The value of the ADDLOCAL property is a comma-delimited
list of features that the installation of Foxit PDF Reader will make available
locally. Foxit PDF Reader installer defines the following features:
FX_PDFVIEWER – Foxit PDF Viewer and its components;
FX_FIREFOXPLUGIN A plugin used for opening PDF files in Internet Explorer.
This feature requires the FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_EALS – Module which is used for displaying Eastern Asian Languages. Eastern
Asian Languages can’t be displayed properly without it. This feature requires
the FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_SPELLCHECK – Spell check tool which is used for finding any misspelled
words in typewriter or form filler mode and suggesting the correct spellings.
This feature requires the FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
FX_SE – Plugins for Windows Explorer and Windows shell. These extensions allow
PDF thumbnails to be viewed in Windows Explorer, and PDF files to be previewed
in Windows OS and Office 2010 (or a later version). This feature requires the
FX_PDFVIEWER feature to be installed.
INSTALLLOCATION
Specifies the folder where products will be installed.
MAKE DEFAULT
With the default value of “1”, Foxit PDF Reader will be set as default
application for opening PDF files.
VIEW_IN_BROWSER
Default value of “1”, Foxit PDF Reader will be configured to open PDF files
inside browsers.
DESKTOP_SHORTCUT
With the default value of “1”, the installer will place a shortcut for the
installed application on the Desktop.
STARTMENU_SHORTCUT
Default value of “1”, the installer will create a program menu group for the
installed application and its components.
LAUNCHCHECKDEFAULT
The default value of “1”, Foxit PDF Reader will check if it is the default
reader when it’s launched.
CLEAN
Executes with the command /uninstall, removing all of Foxit PDF Reader’s
registry data and related files with the value of “1”. (Note: This is a
command for uninstallation.)
AUTO_UPDATE
Do not download or install updates automatically with the value of “0”;
Automatically download updates, but let users choose when to install them with
the value of “1”; Automatically install updates with the value of “2”.
REMOVENEWVERSION
Forces an installation to overwrite the higher version of Foxit PDF Reader
with the value of “1”.
REMOVEGAREADER
Forces to uninstall Foxit PDF Reader (Desktop Version).
NOTINSTALLUPDATE
Does not install updates by setting the value to “1”. This will prevent Foxit
PDF Reader from being updated from within the software.
INTERNET_DISABLE
Disables all features that require an Internet connection by setting the
value to “1”.
READ_MODE
Opens PDF file in reading Mode by default in web browsers by setting the
value to “1”.
DISABLE_UNINSTALL_SURVEY
Stops the Uninstall Survey after uninstallation by setting the value to “1”.
KEYCODE
Activates the application by key code.
EMBEDDED_PDF_INOFFICE
With the value of “1”, opens embedded PDF files in Microsoft Office with
Foxit PDF Reader if Acrobat and Foxit PDF Editor is not installed.
ADVERTISE
Usually used together with “ADD LOCAL” to advertise the specified features.
Command-line Examples:
-
Silently install the application (no user interaction) to folder “C:
Program FilesFoxit 4 Software”: msiexec /i “Foxit PDF Reader.msi” /quiet INSTALLLOCATION=”C: Program Files Foxit Software “ -
Install Foxit PDF Viewer only: msiexec /i “Foxit PDF Reader.msi” /quiet ADDLOCAL=”FX_PDFVIEWER”
-
Force an installation to overwrite the same or higher version of Foxit PDF Reader:
msiexec /i “Foxit PDF Reader.msi” REMOVENEWVERSION=”1″ -
Remove registry and user data when performing silent uninstallation:
msiexec /x “Foxit PDF Reader.msi” /quiet CLEAN=”1″ -
Activate the application by key code:
msiexec /i “Foxit PDF Reader.msi” KEYCODE=” your key code”
Deployment and Configuration
Using Group Policy
What is Group Policy?
Group Policy (GPO), a feature of the Microsoft Windows NT family of operating
systems, is a set of rules that control the working environment of user
accounts and computer accounts. It offers the centralized management and
configuration of operating systems, applications, and users’ settings in an
Active Directory environment.
Group Policy can configure most system settings, save power by utilizing smart
power settings, give individual users more control over their machines with
administrator privileges, and increase system security.
Group Policy in part controls what users can and cannot do on a certain
program to accomplish the goal of central management of a group of
applications. Users can configure Foxit PDF Reader easily through Group
Policy. Please refer to the instructions below for details.
Personal Computer Setting
Foxit PDF Reader offers two types of group policy templates: .adm and .admx.
Different types are compatible with different operating systems but have the
same settings. The template of the .adm file type is compatible with Windows
XP and later, while .admx is compatible with Server 2008, Server 2012, Windows
8, and later.
Set Template Preference
For the .adm file, follow the steps as below:
- Please click Start > Run or use the shortcut key Windows + R and type gpedit.MSC to open Local Group Policy Editor.
- Right-click the management template and choose Add/Remove Templates in the context menu. In the opened dialogue box, add the group policy template of Foxit PDF Reader (Foxit PDF Reader. adm). The Foxit PDF Reader template will appear in the left navigation pane and you can set its template preferences.
For .admx file, put the .admx file in C:WindowsPolicyDefinitions and do the
setting. The .admx file should be used in combination with a .adml file. And
the .adml file should be put in C: WindowsPolicyDefinitionslanguage. For
example, if in the English OS, the .adml file should be put in C:
WindowsPolicyDefinitionsen_us.
See Set Plugins as an example for other options configured in the same
fashion.
- Choose Foxit PDF Reader 11.0 > Plugins.
- Double-click Remove Plugins to open the dialog box.
- Select Enabled, check the submenus to be removed in the Options, and click OK or Apply. The corresponding submenu items will then be removed from Foxit PDF Reader.
Note: If you select all the submenus in the Options and confirm the configuration, all of the submenus will be removed. If you select Disabled or Not Configured, no changes will be applied to Foxit PDF Reader.
Note: Group Policy setting includes computer configuration and user
configuration. Computer configuration takes precedence over user
configuration. The application will use the computer configuration if both the
computer and the user configure a specific function at the same time. Please
note that if the option Disabled is a valid configuration, the setting will be
shown in the help information. Otherwise, the corresponding registry entry
will be removed as selecting Unconfigured. (The value of the option Disabled
in the Group Policy Template of Foxit PDF Reader is invalid.) Foxit PDF Reader
will retain all your configuration settings when you upgrade it to a new
version.
GPO Deployment (for Server)
Create GPO Management
-
If you already have an Active Directory domain and an organizational unit configured, please skip to the “Apply the Foxit Template” section.
-
Choose Start > Windows Administration Tools (for Windows 10) > open “Active Directory Users and Computers” > right-click your domain > choose New > Organization Unit.
-
In the opened New Object-Organization Unit dialogue box, type the unit name (For this example, we have named the unit “Foxit”) and click OK.
-
Right-click the created organization unit “Foxit” and choose New > User. For this example, we have named the user “tester01”.
-
Click Start > Windows Administrative Tools (for Windows 10) > open the Group Policy Management Console and right-click the created organization unit “Foxit” and choose to Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here…
If you cannot find the Group Policy Management in Administration Tools, please
install the application package GPMC.MSI. You can download the package by
clicking the link http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/download/details.aspx?id=21895.
Note: To deploy Foxit PDF Reader’s installers or plugins through GPO,
please refer to the instructions here.
Apply the Foxit Template
-
Type the GPO name in the New GPO dialogue box and click OK.
-
Right-click the new GPO and choose Edit in the right-click menu to open Group Policy Editor.
-
Right-click the Template Management and choose to Add/Remove Templates to add the Foxit PDF Reader template. Please refer to Set Template Preference.
-
For configuring options, please refer to Example: Set Plugins. 13
GPO Items
The following table shows the deployable options and their functions in GPO to
speed up your working process.
Items in GPO Template
| Folder Path | Item | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Foxit PDF Reader > Ribbon | Hide the selected button items in Ribbon Mode. | |
| Foxit PDF Reader > Plugins | Configure SharePoint server URL | Configure a |
server URL for SharePoint. The changes will be synchronized to the
corresponding settings under File > Open or Save As > Add a place >
SharePoint.
Configure Alfresco server URL| Configure a server URL for Alfresco. The
changes will be synchronized to the corresponding settings under File > Open
or Save As > Add a place > Alfresco.
Remove Specific Plugins| Input the plugin name which needs to be removed.
Only applications with .fpi extensions can be removed from Foxit PDF Reader.
Remove Plugins| Remove selected plugins.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences > Features which require internet connection|
Itself| Specify whether to enable all the features which require an Internet
connection. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences >
General.
Sublime| Specify the features that allow Internet connection. The specified
features will be allowed to access the Internet even though you have disabled
all features which require an Internet connection.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences > File Association| Forbid Checking of Default
PDF Viewer| Hide the ‘Set to Default PDF Reader’ dialog when Foxit PDF Reader
isn’t the default PDF viewer.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences > File Association| Disable default PDF viewer
switching| Enable this option to disable the ability to change the specified
default handler (PDF viewer).
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences > File Association| Default PDF Viewer| Set
Foxit PDF Reader as the default PDF viewer for ‘System PDF Viewer’ and ‘Web
Browser PDF Viewer’.
---|---|---
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| ‘About Foxit Reader’ Dialog| Set the new
contents in ‘About Foxit PDF Reader’ dialog.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Advertisement| Change the settings of
advertisement in right corner of the tab bar.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Application Language| Change the application
language settings. This will change the setting item in Preferences >
Languages.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Change high DPI settings| Enable this option
to change the high DPI settings for Foxit PDF Reader.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Change The Link For User Manual| Enable this
option to change the link of the User Manual to the local link you want.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Disable editing Manage Sites| Enable this
option to disable and lock the end user’s ability to specify the default
behavior for accessing the Internet from PDFs.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Disable Foxit eSign service| Choose “Enabled”
to disable the Foxit eSign service.
Choose “Disabled” to enable Foxit eSign service.
This will change the setting of “Disable Foxit design service” in Preferences
PDF Sign > Foxit in.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Disable Privileged Locations| Enable this option to disable and lock end users’ ability to add files, folders, and hosts as privileged locations.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Disable Security Warning| Enable this option to disable the security
warning when Foxit PDF Reader is
launched by a third-party application
without a valid digital signature.
---|---|---
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Disable the Automatically Update| Enable this option to disable the
Automatically Update.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Do not use QuickTime Player for multimedia items| Enable this option to disable using
QuickTime Player for multimedia items.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Enable creating self-signed digital IDs| Disable this option to forbid the end-user to select ”Create a new Digital ID’ option in Add ID” workflows.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Enable Safe Reading Mode| Change the settings of Safe Reading
Mode.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Filter Comments by the original
author only| Enable this option to filter comments made by the original author only.
Disable this option to fitter comments made by all participants.
This will change the corresponding setting in Comment > Filter window.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| JavaScript Action| Specify whether to allow the running of JavaScript in PDF files. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > JavaScript > Enable JavaScript Actions.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Load trusted certificates from the Foxit server| Specify whether to load the busted
certificates from Foxit server automatically. and how to update the busted certificates. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > Trust Manager > Automatic Foxit Approved Trust List updates.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Lock Read The mode in web browsers| Change the Read Mode setting in web browsers. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > Documents > Open Settings.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Lock the Auto-Complete in Form Filling Forms| Enable this option to lock the Auto-Complete feature and disable the corresponding setting in Preferences >
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Multiple Instances| Enable this option to allow multiple
instances. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > Documents.
---|---|---
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Notification Messages| Enable this option and choose how to deal
with the different notification messages. If
you unchecked all the options, the
notification messages will never be shown. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > General.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Program Name| Change the program’s name. The default is ‘Foxit PDF Reader.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Protected View| Enable this option to turn on protected view in order to protect your computers from being harmed by files originating from potentially unsafe locations. This will change the setting in Preferences > Security > Protected View.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Require password to use signatures| Enable this option to require users to set a password for the signature while creating a new signature. This will change the setting of Require password to use this signature’ in Foxit eSlgn > Create Signature > Options.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Remove ‘Registration’| Forbid the ‘Registration’ dialog and remove Registration’ item from the ‘Help’ tab.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Share the PDF file that caused the crash| Enable this option to always share the PDF file that caused the crash. This will change the corresponding setting of the ‘Share the PDF file that caused this crash’ option in Crash Report.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Show Start Page| Change the settings of the Start Page.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Show TELL ME WHAT YOU
WANT TO DO| Enable this option to show -The tell me searching field in the application window.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Status Bar| Change the settings of the Status Bar.
---|---|---
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Trusted Applications| Enable this option and input the name of the trusted application in the list. The listed application will be added in the Trusted Apps in Preferences > Trust Manager settings.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| Use GDI+ Output for all types of
printers| Enable this option to use GDI+ output for PS driver printers (excluding PCL driver printers). This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > Print.
Foxit PDF Reader > Preferences| User Experience Improvement| Change the settings for anonymous data collection. This will change the corresponding setting in Preferences > General.
Foxit PDF Reader > RMS> Preferences| Add protected’ to the name of
encrypted files| Append Iprotectedr to the end of the file name of encrypted files.
Foxit PDF Reader > RMS> Preferences| Encrypt Metadata| Encrypt document metadata. This disables the setting in ‘Preferences > AIP Setting’.
Foxit PDF Reader > RMS> Preferences| Microsoft IRM Protection| Enable this option to choose Microsoft IRM Protection Version for document encryption. If not defined, Microsoft IRM Protection Version 2 (PDF) is used.
Foxit PDF Reader > RMS> Preferences| RMS Interoperability| If you enable this option, all the encrypted PDFs will conform to Microsoft IRM Protection for PDF Specification and hence be able to be decrypted by other RMS Viewers.
Foxit PDF Reader > RMS> Preferences| Save As| Turn on the Save As a feature for AIP-protected files.
Foxit PDF Reader > Admin Console| Admin Console server| Set the default Admin Console server. The end users can use this server URL to connect to their enterprise Admin Console server.
Foxit PDF Reader > Admin Console| Update server| Set the path of the update server.
Using Foxit Customization Wizard
Foxit Customization Wizard (hereafter, “the Wizard”) is a configuration
utility for customizing (configuring) the Foxit PDF Editor or Foxit PDF Reader
installer before large-scale deployment. For example, you can license the
product on a volume scale with the Wizard so that you do not need to register
and personalize each copy of the installation. Foxit PDF Editor or Reader will
retain all your configuration settings when you upgrade it to a new version.
The Wizard allows enterprise IT administrators to do the following:
- Modify an existing MSI package and save all the modifications into a transform file (.mst).
- Directly configure settings from scratch and save all the configurations as an XML (.xml) file.
- Customize settings based on an existing XML (.xml) file.
- Configure which digital ID files are allowed to use.
Get started
Run the Wizard, you will see the following options on the Welcome page:
- MSI
- XML Editor for Foxit PDF Editor
- XML Editor for Foxit PDF Reader
- SignITMgr
Please select one option to begin. Take MSI for example. After you open an MSI installer, you will see the Wizard workspace below.
The workspace is made up of four parts: Title Bar, the top Menu bar, the Navigation bar, and the main work area.
- The Title bar in the top left corner shows the corresponding option you choose on the Welcome page.
- The top Menu bar provides key menu options, like “Open”, “Save”, “Information”, and “About”.
- The left-hand Navigation bar links to the specific configurable options.
- The Main Work Area displays configurable options according to the configuration settings you choose.
For more detailed instructions, please click the icon on the top Menu bar and choose User Guide, which covers all features included in Foxit Customization Wizard.
Contact Us
Feel free to contact us should you need any information or have any problems with our products. We are always here, ready to serve you better.
Office Address: Foxit Software Incorporated
41841 Albrae Street Fremont, CA 94538 USA
Sales: 1-866-680-3668
Support: 1-866-MYFOXIT,
1-866-693-6948, or
1-866-693-6948
Website : www.foxit.com
E-mail:
Sales and Information – sales@foxit.com
Technical Support – Input a trouble ticket online
Marketing Service – marketing@foxit.com
References
- Active Directory - Wikipedia
- Operating system - Wikipedia
- Windows NT - Wikipedia
- Property Reference - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn
- PDF Software & Tools Tailored to Your Business | Foxit
- PDF Software & Tools Tailored to Your Business | Foxit
- Download Group Policy Management Console with Service Pack 1 from Official Microsoft Download Center
- Sign In