Jump to specific page in matlab multiply times // closing PDF File in Matlab

By clicking on a button in a Matlab GUI, the program should jump to a specific page in the PDF using the system command like in this example: system ("Acrobat directory" /A "page=2" "your file directory" &);

But while another Tab is open and the button is clicked on again, it should jump to another page in the same PDF, using the same command, while the pdf file is still open:

System ("Acrobat directory" /A "page=18" "your file directory" &);

But unfortunately Matlab reopens Acrobat Reader at the previous page 2, not at page 18.

When I close Acrobat Reader before calling the system command again, it works. (Closing with: (dos('taskkill /F /IM acroRd32.exe');)

This is an example of how I solved it till now.

function callButton(obj)
            switch obj.name
                    case 'Anna'
                        cell = 2;
                    case 'Charlotte'
                        cell = 18;
            end     
           dos('taskkill /F /IM acroRd32.exe');
           system(['"C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" /A "' ['page=' num2str(cell)] '" "' [path] '" & ']); 
end

Obviously, I don’t want, that Acrobat Reader is always shut down, cause there might be unsaved changes or other needed files still open.

So, is there a way, to close only the specific file in Acrobat Reader, or to even jump to another page without having to close Acrobat before?

I really hope someone can help me :)

[Walter Roberson]

Maybe you would be able to get somewhere by using .NET System.Diagnostics.Process to open Acrord32 as a process, as you would then be able to send commands to it. But being able to send commands doesn't necessarily mean that it will respond the commands.

The solution might possibly be to use an ActiveX control to talk to Acrord32

Answer 1

[Yongjian Feng]

This is not a matlab issue.

If you run those two commands on a terminal, you will see the same behavior. Basically the first command opens Acrobat Reader and jumps to the page. The second command just calls up Acrobat Reader to the front, because it is already opened.

[Sandra Dening]

Thank you!

So is there a way to close a specific pdf-document in Acrobat? (so that I don't have to use the "taskkill" command, which shuts down the entire program)

[Yongjian Feng]

One possible approach is to add a '/n' to force a new instance. Not perfect because you will end up with a new instance each time this is called.

system(['"C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" /n /A "' ['page=' num2str(cell)] '" "' [path] '" & ']); 

[Sandra Dening]

Perfect, thank you!

Is there also a command to open a new tab in Acrobat instead of a new sheet?

[Yongjian Feng]

Might not be possible. It seems like those PDF Open Parameters only allow you to control acrobat/reader when a new instance is started. You might not be able to control an already started instance.