Help a luddite out! It wasn't broke, and it didn't need fixin'...

endacl

Hi techie folks. Hope this is in the right place.

So....

I use XP. Unfortunately I use it on a computer with Windows 8. In my head though, XP is how windows 'works'. Windows 8 'doesn't work'. For me at least. I'm sure it's a perfectly fine OS for those who can be bothered keeping up with change. That's not me though

I have two questions. Firstly, in the good ol' days, if I got an email with a pdf attached that I needed to print, the straightforward procedure was to click on it and open it, and press <print>. Job done. Is there a way to make this happen in Windows 8? As it stands, I seem to have to download > open > save > print > delete. Surely progress shouldn't involve making a simple one-step procedure into a tedious 5-stepper? Especially annoying when I have a bunch of documents to print. What am I missing/doing wrong?!?

Which leads me to question 2. One Note. WTF is One Note?!? What is it for, and why when I press <print> is One Note the default? How do I make this go away?

TL;DR. How do I make Windows 8 act as Windows XP for the purpose of printing email attachments in PDF form?

I like wheelbarrows. When they got wheelbarrows right, they stopped developing wheelbarrow technology. I have a wheelbarrow. It works. I'll never need to buy another. I wish I could use my wheelbarrow to print email attachments...

Ant695

I'm not 100% sure on the pdf question but there should usually be some sort of option to view or save an attachment and if you just view it print it from there.

One note is a notepad app that collects all notes in one place whether you do it on your phone, tablet computer etc... you can see all the notes in one place.

Upstream

Hi Enda,

If you miss Windows XP, classic shell is your friend. http://www.classicshell.net/ Download is free. It helps turn Windows 8 into something useful and useable, you can choose a Windows XP or Windows 7 style start menu. It will give you your old wheelbarrow back

From your post it looks like One Note is set as the default printer, you can change this in the control panel area, I think it's called Devices and Printers. The other issue I'm not sure of, maybe see if there is an update for Acrobat or whatever program you use to view pdfs.

Regards,
Upstream

excollier

You probably need to download and install Adobe Reader or maybe Foxit Reader to open .pdf files, they're both free.
Have you installed your printer drivers and then made that printer the default? Possibly not. There's another job to put things right for you.

beauf

As said above. You need to install a PDF application which will install links to open up PDF's from your email. Also when doing this it gives you options to change this behaviour.

There still is notepad. In Windows 8 the idea is to search for everything. So search for notepad. Personally I use Classic Shell a lot. One note is more of a cloud based notepad application. I use it a lot. Works well if you have a Windows Phone as I do, as they Sync. But for different things then the old notepad. I still use the old notepad a lot in Windows 8.

endacl

Thanks folks, for all the replies. Looks like this is something I'm stuck with.

For clarity, it's just the printing of PDFs sent as attachments that is the bugbear. They open using Acrobat, no issue there, but 'computer says no' kicks in if I haven't saved them first.

I know technology progresses. This is a good thing. I'd love a keep it simple facility, through. Not because I can't use it. More because I have no interest in using it...
Hopefully Windows 10 will include a 'run OS as if it was 2005' option. Maybe I should email Microsoft?

beauf

It sounds like the issue with Adobe Acrobat which has got nothing to do with Microsoft. I can't help you with that, I think its a bloated mess. I use a different (lighter/simpler) PDF reader, Foxit. I'm not sure if something different is the right choice for someone so adverse to change. Perhaps some adobe experts will reply. Or check out the adobe forums themselves.

endacl

beauf wrote: »

It sounds like the issue with Adobe Acrobat which has got nothing to do with Microsoft. I can't help you with that, I think its a bloated mess. I use a different (lighter/simpler) PDF reader, Foxit. I'm not sure if something different is the right choice for someone so adverse to change. Perhaps some adobe experts will reply. Or check out the adobe forums themselves.

I;m not in the least bit adverse to change, just imposed change!!! I'm all for change in areas that I'm interested in, but let's face it, a computer is just a tool. In this regard I need a simple tool, not a fully kitted out SOTA workshop. I used to have one. Windows 8 seems not to be one.

By way of analogy, take the humble toaster. When I make toast, I just want to pop a slice of bread in, and forget about it till toast pops out. Job done. Now, I'm aware that there are toasters available with specialised settings for muffins, for bagels, for chunky bread, even toasters that will burn your image onto a slice of Mr Brennan's finest. I don't want this functionality. It'd get in the way of doing the simple job of toasting bread in the morning. So I don't own a toaster with those advanced options. I'm not against them. I understand how others would value them, and use them.

I just want a slice of toast! Will give Foxit a go, in the hope that it just toasts.

ForstalDave

try unchecking the "Enable Protected Mode at startup" in Adobe Reader preferences + restart the application. This should fix this issue

beauf

Is this specific to the Metro app or is the Desktop app or both?

beauf

endacl wrote: »

...Windows 8 seems not to be one....

In fairness, its not a Windows 8 issue. (AFAIK). Its a Adobe issue.

endacl

ForstalDave wrote: »

try unchecking the "Enable Protected Mode at startup" in Adobe Reader preferences + restart the application. This should fix this issue

Will give thata go. Thanks.

beauf wrote: »

Is this specific to the Metro app or is the Desktop app or both?

Only ever used on the desktop. Subtext: WTF is a Metro app?!?

beauf wrote: »

In fairness, its not a Windows 8 issue. (AFAIK). Its a Adobe issue.

Only reared it's head with the switch to Windows 8. Happens on both my and my partner's machines. Outside of PhotoShop and Protools, I dont use computers at all, bar browsing. And I use those on a dedicated XP-running machine. I know an awful lot about those two, and practically nothing about everything else. Just so you know where I'm coming from! I'm not anti-tech. Just anti-unnecessary tech! Not so much a Luddite perhaps, as an idiot savant. I need the simple stuff explained slowly...

beauf

endacl wrote: »

...I'm not anti-tech. Just anti-unnecessary tech! ....

Theses are security/safety features. Seems to have been added a good few years back.

Its a bit the seat belt warning in a 2015 car vs a 1960's one with no seat belts.

The Diddakoi

When you click on Print in Adobe reader do you have your default printer in the drop down list next to the Printer: option ?
Send to OneNote 2013 is in my drop down list (have never used it) under my default printer. Do you have OneNote set as your default printer ?

endacl

alf66 wrote: »

When you click on Print in Adobe reader do you have your default printer in the drop down list next to the Printer: option ?
Send to OneNote 2013 is in my drop down list (have never used it) under my default printer. Do you have OneNote set as your default printer ?

Don't get me started on OneNote...

The Diddakoi

Lol....

Have a look at this:

Is Microsoft OneNote hijacking your print jobs? and how to fix it

https://blogs.office.com/2011/04/25/is-microsoft-onenote-hijacking-your-print-jobs/

riclad

WINDOWS 8 has 2 modes ,
standard desktop mode, like windows 7, xp,
and a metro mode which is supposed to work like a tablet,
apps take up full screen and can be controlled like a tablet,
if you are in the 00.1 per cent that have a pc with a touchscreen.
Similar to windows 8 on a tablet.
Download Foxit PDF READER ,ITS free,
easier to use than adobe reader in my opinion.
Older programs should open in desktop mode .
The menus on metro apps are designed to look like an app on a tablet .
There,s an app store to download metro apps .