SharePoint and PDFs
Everyone knows that the Adobe PDF iFilter can be used to index PDF files, so I was quite surprised to look at an SP2010 farm last week that was only sometimes showing the PDF icon, and sometimes a blank icon.
Of course the solution to this was obvious, this farm had 2 WFE servers and the icon file and DOCICON.XML file had only been updated on one server, so a couple a minutes later everything was working once I had updated the 2nd server.
Here are the Microsoft instructions on how to install the PDF iFilter http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2293357
but personally I prefer the Nick Grattan instructions.
http://nickgrattan.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/adobe-pdf-ifilter-indexing-with-sharepoint%C2%A02010/
Categories: SharePoint 2010, SP2010
Configuration
SharePoint (and Project Server) Shenanigans 
Thank Giles. I personally use http://autospinstaller.codeplex.com/ for most installs and it was enhanced to include both of the above PDF features. The PowerShell script helps give me a clean consistent install across all servers. There are just so many steps anymore, it’s hard to do manually in large scale.
Hi Jeff,
We use the autospinstaller for our clean installs too, v.useful.
Thanks for the comment.
Kind regards
Giles
2 WFE and icon showing randomly.. a classic !
Like you I prefer blog explanation for the same exact article written by Microsoft, when will we get nice visual article instead of plain Mr Microsoft ? 😉
Keep on good writing Neil !
I’d like to add that Adobe PDF iFilter is not the only iFilter out there, many studies show that it’s the worst in performance actually. I recall an MSDN benchmark test, I’d have to find again.
Checkout Foxit iFilter and TET iFilter
Might be some others but those two are the ones I remember.
I would agree that the FoxIT iFilter is indeed more efficient, but it also costs money.
So I guess it depends on what is important to clients / customers – cost vs. the need to process a lot of PDF’s quickly via the indexer.
I agree that the FoxIT ifilter performs better, and if you working with a client thats uses a lot of PDF’s (say more that 25% of total document content), but most clients i see, only normally have a about 5% total PDF content, for them the Adobe version seems to work okay.
Regards,
Neil
This is how to install the pdfifilter and how to show the pdf icon
http://profadmins.com/2012/03/20/adobe-pdf-ifilter-indexing-with-sharepoint-2010/
Thank you! This is really nice information.
zee
http://walisystemsinc.com