Acrobat Reader
Viewing and downloading
Navigating PDF files
Using Internet links
If display freezes
Printing PDF files
CD-ROM versions
Contact Eos
Why use PDF (Portable Document Format) files? The most important reason is to allow users in any country using different paper sizes and different computer operating systems to download files in their original format.
Some Eos reports are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. If you do not have Acrobat Reader you can download a free copy from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
PDF documents can be read with different types of operating system (e.g. PC and Mac)
provided you have an Acrobat Viewer (free download see above).PDF files can be viewed online or downloaded for viewing later. Bookmarks and Internet links in Acrobat enable easy and quick ways for researchers to scan PDF reports and Internet sources.
Eos PDF documents have been formatted so that they can be downloaded, printed and used on-line. You may find it useful to print a copy first and then to view it online as well to visit the web links. The links give you access to all the quoted sources if a specific subject is of interest to you. For example the links in DU weapons 2001-2002 give access to several thousand pages of data from original sources.
When viewing online e.g. when downloading from this page use the Back arrow on your browser to get out of the Acrobat display back to the website.
PDF files have several features which make it easier and faster to "navigate" files. Forward and back arrows skip through the document a page at a time. Bigger arrows go back or forward to your last viewing point as in a web browser. This is useful to use links from the Index page to sections within the file and back to the Index.
If you have the latest version of Acrobat Reader a tab on the left called "Bookmarks" also works as a fast index to sections. The binoculars symbol allows to you to search for key words. The cursor looks like a hand but changes to a pointing finger over bookmark or Internet links (e.g. in the index to each section) or on weblinks.
PDF files are better than Word documents for viewing Internet links. Click a link (text in blue with underline) and connect online. Links may be slow to open - from a few seconds up to a minute. When you click a new link the previous link will be displayed until the new link is opened up. Be patient. This report uses several links to the same websites. If you stay on line the link is remembered and the next contact can be very fast.
If a link doesn't work try the Refresh button on your browser. Sometimes websites are temporarily off-line. Try them again the next day. Some links may have been changed since reports were written. Some newspaper websites have put news reports into pay-for-view archives.
Some military and manufacturers sites have been made unavailable for security reasons. This may give clue to the importance of the information quoted.
Some links need further searching e.g. for the Armor Magazine report you need to search for a back issue or use Google to search for documents within the site. For Belgrade news choose the British flag for English version and then search the news archive as explained in the text.
If the Acrobat screen freezes when trying to find an Internet link exit by pressing Control + Alt + Delete. This may happen if your computer has too many systems running or has too many temporary files. Try Shut down and restart to clear some file space.
Printing PDF files gives you extra options to fit different paper sizes. Most Eos reports are formatted in European A4 paper size. Users in the USA can use the "Shrink to fit" check box on the Acrobat Print Options window to print on to US "Letter" paper size. The report is formatted for double sided printing or copying after printing off single sided.
Where a large report is split into several smaller PDF files page numbers in each file are set to follow numbering in the main Index (Front file).
If PDF files are too large for you to down load you can order a CD-ROM version from Eos. Contact Eos for details and prices.
If you have other problems downloading or working with these files contact Eos by Email at eosuk@btinternet.com
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page added 27 September 2002