Indexing pdf documents with Adobe Reader v.8 and MOSS 2007

The version 8 of the adobe reader has some significant architectural changes (for the better of course) including an inbuilt IFilter to index PDF documents. Previously the adobe IFilter was available as a seperate download. This new change in architecture compromised the ability to search pdf documents from within MOSS 2007. However, the pdf filter works fine with WDS 3.0 . While many consultants recommend that if we're to index pdf documents through MOSS 2007, we use the the v.6 of adobe IFilter and if we want to index pdf documents through WDS 3.0 or higher, we use the v.8 of adobe reader. But what if we wanted to index pdf documents using both WDS and MOSS 2007?!!!  Here's how you can use MOSS 2007 with adobe reader v.8, the version currently patronized by WDS:)

1. Download Adobe Reader v.8 .

2. Add the filter-extension to the File types crawled:

Start -> Program -> Microsoft Office Server -> SharePoint 3.0 Central Administration -> <Name of SharedService Provider> -> Search Settings -> File Types -> New File Type (Add extension pdf here)

3. Modify the following Registry keys by changing their "Default" value to the new CLSID of the Adobe IFilter:  {E8978DA6-047F-4E3D-9C78-CDBE46041603}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office

server\12.0\Search\Setup\ContentIndexCommon\Filters\Extension\.pdf

Default --> {E8978DA6-047F-4E3D-9C78-CDBE46041603}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Web Server

Extensions\12.0\Search\Setup\ContentIndexCommon\Filters\Extension\.pdf

Default --> {E8978DA6-047F-4E3D-9C78-CDBE46041603}

4. Add the Installation directory of the Adobe Reader v.8 to the System Path. For example, if the Reader is installed on "D:\Program Files\Adobe", then add "D:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader" to the system path by:

--> Right Click on My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Environment Variables -> Path (Under System Variables) -> Edit -> (Add "D:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader").

This effectively tells the adobe IFilter where to pick up the dependent DLLs.

5. Recycle the search service: > net stop osearch

> net start osearch

6. Walla! Now we can crawl and search PDF documents with v.8 Reader.