Overview
Bookmarks from Embedded Files adds one bookmark for every file attached to the active document, so readers can find and open the attachments from the Bookmarks panel. It covers both kinds of attachment: files attached to the document as a whole (the ones listed in Acrobat's Attachments panel) and file attachment comments placed on a page (the paper-clip icons). The command has no dialog and no options.
How to use
- Open the PDF that contains the attachments.
- Go to Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Create & Add > Bookmarks from Embedded Files.
- A message reports how many bookmarks were created, and the Bookmarks panel opens. The new bookmarks are added at the top level, after the existing ones.
- Save the document to keep the bookmarks.
What each bookmark does
| Attachment | Bookmark |
|---|---|
| Attached PDF file (document level) | Titled with the file name. Clicking it opens the attached PDF in a new window, so the main document stays where it is. |
| Attached file of another type (document level) | Titled with the file name. Clicking it hands the attachment to Acrobat to open, through a JavaScript action. Acrobat decides whether the file may be opened and may ask you first. |
| File attachment comment on a page | Titled with the file name followed by the page, for example Budget.xlsx (page 4). Clicking it goes to the comment's icon on that page; open the file from the icon. A comment whose file has no name is titled Attachment (page 4). |
Running it again
Attachments that already have a bookmark from an earlier run are skipped, so running the command twice does not duplicate bookmarks: only attachments added since then get new ones. The earlier bookmark is recognised by its title, so a bookmark you have renamed is not recognised and its attachment gets a new one.
Note
If the document has no attachments of either kind, the command says so and changes nothing. A document whose security settings do not allow changes is refused. The bookmarks open the attachments in place; to save the attached files to a folder, use Extract Attachments and Portfolio Items.