Foxit Reader 4.0 released

[HansV]

A few days ago, version 4.0 of this small, fast and free alternative for the bloated Adobe PDF Reader was released.

Among the new features in this release is the ability to save as a text file (until now, you needed the registered version for that).

If you already have Foxit Reader 3.x, use Help | Check for Updates Now... to update.
Otherwise, get it from Foxit Reader 4.0 for Windows.

Note: take care to decline features that you don't want during installation (the full install offers the Ask toolbar and an Ebay button).

[John Gray]

Thanks, Hans for the warning - it is very sneaky and if you're in a rush it would be quite possible to install Stuff you really don't want. Advice - take it slowly and read everything...

[PaulB]

The Foxit Software site offers three versions of the download: a .zip, an .exe and an .msi... what are the differences, which should I download? (The .zip version contains an .exe file that is ~10 MB compared to the other two at about 6+ MB each???) Do the downloads include the Foxit Reader plug-in for Firefox or must this be downloaded/installed separately?

[HansV]

The standard version is the .exe. Some people report that the .exe won't install with an insufficient permissions error -in that case the .msi may work.
I don't know about the .zip, perhaps it's for situations where downloading a .exe is not allowed.

The installation procedure prompts about the Firefox plugin, but I didn't look closely so I don't know if it was downloaded separately or included.

[John Gray]

There's an interesting account of installing Foxit v4 here - make sure you also read the comments!

[HansV]

Thanks, John. Apparently, the .msi installer (which PaulB asked about) does not include the annoying extras such as the Ask toolbar.

[Gloria E]

Thanks, John. Apparently, the .msi installer (which PaulB asked about) does not include the annoying extras such as the Ask toolbar.

Hans, I have Foxit Reader 4.0.0.0619. When I opened it to check for updates I can't get it to leave the screen. Had to use Task Manger to get it to close. Is something wrong with it or is there a trick to closing it that I don't know about?

It was stuck on the about page.

Gloria E

[HansV]

Checking for updates has recently been slow, so the dialog may remain on your screen for a while; it should eventually be replaced by the dialog listing the available updates. If not, you should be able to click Cancel.

x218.png

You have the latest version, by the way.

[ChrisGreaves]

Thanks, John. Apparently, the .msi installer (which PaulB asked about) does not include the annoying extras such as the Ask toolbar.

FWIW I got an error with the MSI. I downloaded it, got the error, deleted and re d/l and got the same error.
(wanders off to try the exe ...)

1.JPG

For What It's Also Worth, the EXE installed quickly. I noted the caveats listed in posts above.

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[HansV]

Apparently, different users experience different problems...

[Goshute]

I can confirm that I installed the msi with no problems and that it doesn't include unwantedware.

[StuartR]

...it doesn't include unwantedware.

What a lovely, polite, term. Very much in keeping with the approach of the lounge.

[PaulB]

I downloaded all three files and installed the .exe version, un-ticking the 'unwantedware'. For what it's worth, I have the Foxit Reader Plugin for Mozilla version 1.0.1.1117 installed, though I do not know if this is a carryover from a previous install or the result of the current install. Can anyone confirm this is the current plugin? Also, I'm curious why the size of the FoxitReader40_enu_Setup.exe downloaded file is 6,891KB while the size of the expanded .zip file (Foxit Reader.exe) is 10,023KB. Could this be a portable version of Foxit Reader?

[HansV]

1.0.1.1117 is the current version of the Firefox plugin. You can check from time to time for newer versions using Help | Check for updates now...

The zip file is indeed the portable version: no installation required, just unzip the .exe and run it.

[PaulB]

Thank you, Hans.

[ChrisGreaves]

Note: ...(the full install offers the Ask toolbar and an Ebay button).

Dilbert

[HansV]

Amazingly appropriate...