Can't move or rearrange thumbnail pages in Acrobat Pro 11

[jleesq]

I'm using Acrobat Pro 11 with Windows 10 Pro.  For some reason, the thumbnail pages will not move or rearrange when I click on any or multiple thumbnail pages. Now, I cannot rearrange or move the thumbnail pages into different locations or sequences. If anyone has had this problem and found a solution, I would appreciate knowing how you did it.

[try67]

Most likely, the file is secured, digitally signed or was created using LiveCycle Designer or something similar, which prevents it from being edited in this way.

Either that or you're actually using Reader, not Acrobat.

[Bernd Alheit]

Can you extract or insert pages?

[jleesq]

No, I am using the full version of Acrobat Pro 11 on Windows 10 Pro. 

And the lack of the functionality, that is, can't drag and drop any thumbnails is across the board.  All of the PDF documents that I have are affected; some I've made from Word documents, some have been emailed to me.  I've double checked the security on the documents, I've used specific PDF documents to test the functionality of moving thumbnails and rearranging them, etc. and, basically, what I've got is that when I click on a thumbnail and hold, it just does not drag or drop elsewhere in the thumbnail sequence.

Yes, I can extract and insert pages; I just cannot move separate or groups of pages in the thumbnails area. Although a thumbnail page highlights when I click and select it, there is no drag effect and I cannot drop the page elsewhere in the order of the thumbnails.

Additionally, just to make this more frustrating and interesting:  I have Acrobat Pro 11 on my Lenovo Yoga 2 laptop which is running Windows 10 Pro as well and the move and rearrange functionality for thumbnails in the laptop Acrobat Pro 11 performs exactly as it should and it performs with the same PDF documents that the move and rearrange won't work on in my desktop PC.

Additionally, as an experiment and to see if maybe there was a corrupt file or files in the program, I uninstalled Acrobat Pro 11 using both the Uninstall tool in Windows Control Panel and again using the AcroCleaner tool, and then re-installed Acrobat Pro 11.  But no success. 

I am completely stumped and cannot fathom why the drag and drop, move and rearrange capability in the thumbnails does not work in the Acrobat Pro 11 on my desktop, but functions just fine in the Acrobat Pro 11 on my laptop.  As far as I can tell, all other programs and functions on my desktop operate the way they should.  And there's no indication that anything is corrupt on my desktop PC.

Any more thoughts on what might be the problem?

[jleesq]

Let me add to this issue:  I just downloaded the Trial Version of Acrobat Pro DC to my desktop PC with the hope that the newest version of Acrobat Pro would resolve the issue.  But even with Acrobat Pro DC, I cannot drag, drop, move, or rearrange the thumbnail pages in my PDF files on my desktop computer.  It's as though the click, highlight, drag function in the thumbnails has been completely disabled.

[jleesq]

I have become somewhat obsessed with trying to figure out why I cannot drag/drop or move the thumbnail pages on one of my two desktop computers.  And I think that it is probably a problem that is outside of the Adobe program.  So, I am looking for an answer from anyone who has had the same or a similar issue that I am pretty sure is related to a conflict between Acrobat and Windows 10.  First, I have two desktops and one laptop. I am running Windows 10 Pro on all of the computers.  After first posting my issue, see above, I then downloaded the trial version of Acrobat Pro DC to both of my desktop PC's. I have Acrobat Pro 11 on the laptop. Here's the issue:  on my main desktop, I cannot drag/drop, move any thumbnails for any PDF documents using Pro DC.  With the same documents on my 2nd desktop using Pro DC, I can drag/drop, move all thumbnails. With the same documents on my laptop using Pro 11, I can drag/drop, move all thumbnails. (Note:  this has nothing to do at this point with security issues and access or size of the PDF in the window; all criteria are met and successful on two out of three computers with only the main desktop being unable to drag/drop, move thumbnails.)  I have also completely uninstalled Pro DC, used Adobe Acrobat's cleanup tool, and reinstalled Pro DC on the main desktop, but still no success at dragging/dropping, moving the thumbnails.  If there is some component of Pro DC that is corrupt and not allowing me to drag/drop, move the thumbnails, does anyone have any idea of how to remove and reinstall the component?  Is there something I can edit or repair in the Windows 10 registry?  (Note: I even swapped out my graphics/video card and experimented with a higher end card but that did not work either.)  I think that there is something that is definitely a conflict between Acrobat and Windows 10 on my main desktop, but I'd sure hate to do a completely clean install of Windows 10 and re-installation of all my programs just to find out if Pro 11 or Pro DC will work properly with the thumbnails.  (Final Note:  Every PDF I open on my 2nd desktop or laptop allows me to move the thumbnails.  When I open those same documents on my main desktop, the thumbnails are not movable at all. Go figure!)  Anyone have this same or similar experience? Have you resolved the problem?

[Raynovac1]

This was happening on some of the computers in my office.  I kind of figured out something.  I am going to try to explain it as best as possible so you can recognize it.

Open a document and open the page thumbnail

Zoom into the document so you see half the page. 

Now on the page thumbnail, move your cursor up and down the page (don't click on anything, just move it)

I noticed that my cursor switched between the hand and the arrow.

It changes when your mouse moves over the preview thumbnail to the part of the page of that not in the main area.

When you mouse is an arrow, then you can drag pages.

The other thing I noticed is that if you have your mouse over the border of the page thumb (the blue frame) then you can drag pages.

Unfortunately, I think Adobe thinks this is a feature since they have a special section for rearranging pages.

hope this helps and good luck

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

Take a look here, where I describe how to duplicate a page. The same method applies also when moving a page: Duplicate a Page in Adobe Acrobat - KHKonsulting LLC

You have to select a certain portion of the active page when trying to move the active page, this should not be an issue with any non-active page.

[Galati Creative]

this worked!!

thanks!

[Bernd Alheit]

Make sure that you can see the whole page, not only a part of the page.

[gkaiseril]

Check the application's preferences to make sure you are not viewing the PDFs in the PDF/A mode.

[markk2504618]

I have the exact same issue.  Windows 10 64-bit computers running Acrobat DC version 2015.017.20050.

I have 50 computers all experiencing the same issue.  There is obviously something wrong with the software.  Does Adobe monitor these forums?

Document is not PDF/a.  I select the whole page.  Worked fine in previous versions of Acrobat.

Anyone solve this issue?

[garyv16703491]

Are you using ndOffice by netDocuments.  There's a known bug that's causing the problem.  One workaround we found was to open one PDF in the background and then open the PDF that you wish to rearrange pages in foreground. At that point, we're then able to rearrange the pages.   So long as you have two PDF's open - you can rearrange the pages.

[garyv16703491]

My team is experiencing same problem across multiple versions of Adobe Acrobat (XI and DC)   One workaround we found was to open one PDF in the background and then open the PDF that you wish to rearrange pages in foreground. At that point, we're then able to rearrange the pages.   So long as you have two PDF's open - you can rearrange the pages. Go figure?

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

You may want to submit a bug report about this: Feature Request/Bug Report Form

[garyv16703491]

I finally discovered the culprit is related to an ndOffice application provided by our document management system provider NetDocuments.  It's not an Adobe problem after all.

[chmahesh]

Hi Jeffery,

When in thumbnails panel, if a thumbnail is selected you either get a hand tool or picker tool on moving your mouse pointer over the selection. Try to initiate move operation when picker tool is being shown.

Reason for two tools: hand tool and picker tool, we show hand tool on that part of thumbnail which is shown in main document area for pan/scroll operation, remaining part of the page shows picker tool and you can easily move pages with it.

I hope this resolves your problem, else feel free to write again.

Thanks,

Adobe Acrobat DC team

[Bronfan7]

I have not had a problem until Windows/Adobe recently updated.  we consistently move pages around and have been doing it for 4 years without a problem.  We need to have this simple function back asap please.  can someone help? using the latest version of adobe pro/ windows 10 and Microsoft office.  I know to move cursor where it's an arrow and not the hand. I turned off the pdf/a option.  I'll try anything, this is doubling our workflow because we scan in files and combine files and then send to people in a certain order.  it's impossible to scan in the order we need them.  please help asap. 

Update: as I was working on trying to find a solution I discovered that this mainly happens on files that are in a online "mapped drive"  I have added it the security info so should not affect anything.  I moved a copy of the file to my desktop and was able to move pages around like normal - still could not in the exact same file that I opened from the mapped drive folder.

[chmahesh]

Helo Ryan,

Thanks for writing.

I understand that you are facing this issue in reorganizing pages with files that are on mapped drives. I tried same but could not reproduce the issue with latest release.

Can you please share one sample file where you see issue, if its not confidential. It will help me dig deeper into the issue and resolve it.

Thanks,

Adobe Acrobat DC Team

[Bronfan7]

yes I can share the file, but not sure how?

I also noticed that I cannot have my preview window open anymore if I plan on deleting a file.  if I do it says the file is in use.  Before Windows 10 I could preview and press delete and delete right then, then I did not have to wait on every file to load.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

You can share via the Document Cloud: Share Documents via Adobe's Document Cloud - KHKonsulting LLC

[Bronfan7]

Shared Files - Acrobat.com

[chmahesh]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for sharing the file, but I could successfully re-arrange pages in it, nothing file specific here.

Also any changes in Win 10 Preview, did not effect re-arrange pages in any form at my end.

I will still continue investigating it.

Thanks,

Adobe Acrobat DC Team

[Bronfan7]

Then I would assume it is a setting on our local machines.  I am not sure what setting would effect that.  when I click on it to move it, it acts like it's going to move it and then stops.  it happens on all 10 of our computers here (running WIN 10).  maybe if we could have a screen share I could more accurately show you what it's doing?

[chmahesh]

Helo Ryan,

Doing a video session would be great, will send you mail to discuss suitable timings.

Thanks,

Adobe Acrobat DC team