MiniGUIDES Help Page

This page gives help for those who are having problems with their MiniGUIDE download. Please read the basic advice below before you contact us since many of the most common problems can be easily solved using the information on this page. If your problem persists then please use the contact us.

The ‘Right-click Method’ of downloading

If you attempt to download a PDF and you persistantly get an empty, or only partially complete, document then the problem probably lies with your browser plug-in. The quick solution is to go back to the download page for the PDF you want. Right click (Control click on a Mac) on the Download Now button and you will get a menu. Select Save Target As.. and you will be prompted to choose a location on your hard disk to place the PDF. This by-passes the browser plug-in. Once the PDF has downloaded you will be able to open it directly from the Adobe Acrobat Reader application.


Adobe Acrobat Reader

The MiniGUIDES and Updates on this site are stored in Adobe Acrobat PDF Format. This format enables documents to be transferred and read on all different types of computers. In order to be able to read, and print, the PDFs on your computer, you will need to have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader – a free program which comes as standard on most modern computers. If you are unsure whether you have a copy or not then try using your computer’s Find utility to search for “Acrobat Reader ” and you may well find one, however check that it is the right version (the latest version is recommended to avoid problems). If can’t find a copy then go to the Adobe site here and you will be able to download a copy for free.

Once you have got a copy of Acrobat Reader, you are ready to download a Rockfax MiniGUIDE.


Downloading

Just clicking on the Add to Cart button should start the process. You will need to first go through the payment site first which will leave you on a download page if your order was successful. The MiniGUIDES will then either load into your web browser or you will be able to save them to your hard disk for looking at later.

Download Problems

Require Re-download
If you have purchased a MiniGUIDE prior to September 2011 and would like to download it again then please Request a MiniGUIDE download.

MiniGUIDE not arrived
You must download the PDF MiniGUIDE by going through the shopping process by clicking on Add to Cart on the MiniGUIDE you want. The MiniGUIDE does not arrive as an email attachment.

My first attempt was unsuccessful and I don’t want to pay again
Sometimes you may find that your download is halted half way through if you have connection problems. Don’t worry, you don’t have to pay again. Just go to Your Account in the top right-hand corner of all the pages and download it again, you won’t be charged. If you are asked to pay again then please contact us.

The download was successful but the file is ‘not recognised’
This is very likely because you are trying to access the PDF documents with an old version of Acrobat Reader, or no Acrobat Reader at all. You must have a copy of Acrobat Reader and it must be version 5+ (version 10 is the latest). Try to use your disk Find utility to locate Acrobat Reader and check which version it is. If you can’t find it then go to the Adobe site here.

Download successful but the PDF is incomplete or some of the pages are blank
If you attempt to download a PDF and you persistantly get an empty, or only partially complete, document then the problem probably lies with your browser plug-in. The quick solution is to go back to the download page for the PDF you want. Right click (Control click on a Mac) on the Download Now button and you will get a menu. Select Save Target As.. and you will be prompted to choose a location on your hard disk to place the PDF. Once the PDF has downloaded you will be able to open it directly from the Adobe Acrobat Reader application.

Download successful but the MiniGUIDE has disappeared See Saving the PDF below.

Check the Adobe Support Site for solutions to most common download and general PDF problems.

Still having problems? Please use our problem reporting form.


Saving the PDF

When the PDF download begins you may be asked if you would like to save the file onto your hard disk. Click ‘Yes’ or ‘OK’ so that you have a copy of the PDF on your hard disk.
If you aren’t asked this question then it is most likely that the PDF is loading directly into your web browser (using an Acrobat browser plug-in). Saving the file from PDFs loaded into the web browser can be tricky since if you close the browser window, the file will be lost and you will need to download it again. The method for saving PDFs loaded into your browser window varies across different browsers. Usually right-clicking (Control-click on a Mac) will give you a menu from which you can select an options such as ‘Save PDF to Disk’, or ‘Open in Adobe Acrobat Reader’.
How to avoid loading the PDF into your browser window
– Most of the problems experienced with MiniGUIDES result from them being loaded by default into the browser window instead of downloaded direct to your hard disk. You can easily by-pass this and always save a copy to disk by using the Right click download method – Right click (Control click on a Mac) on the Download Now button and you will get a menu. Select Save Target As.. and you will be prompted to choose a location on your hard disk to place the PDF.

Still having problems? Please use our problem reporting form.


Printing

MiniGUIDEs are produced in several different formats which are all designed to be printed out on good quality modern colour printers. Most will not look good if printed out in black and white. Each one comes with an instruction sheet which describes in detail how they should be assembled.

  • A4 Paper – This format enables people to easily print out single-sided A4 pages and assemble into neat A5 books. The procedure is simple and most of the MiniGUIDES are available in this format. It does use twice the paper of double-sided booklets hence is not quite as compact.
  • A4 Booklet – Most of the recent MiniGUIDES are now available in a booklet format which is designed for those with access to two-sided printing. These documents are in proper page pairs which enable them to be folded together into booklets. They are slightly complicated to print initially but produce the best books in the end. Instructions for printing out A4 Booklets.
  • Full A4 sheets – These can be done with single or two-sided printing and result in single flat landscape A4 documents, usually held together with a staple on the left-hand side. There are only a few MiniGUIDES in this format, mostly the ones which are PDF versions of old guidebooks. The are usually available in A4 Paper or A4 Booklet versions.

Printing Problems

The pages are in the wrong order

You may have downloaded the A4 Booklet version. Check the first page and if it has Booklet Version written on it. If so then this PDF can be assembled if you follow the detailed instructions on the first page, however it is a complex procedure and it may be safer to just download the Original version.

Some of the pages are cropped on their edges when I print out the MiniGUIDE The edges of documents sometimes don’t print in some printers. This is due to the printer having pre-set margins which it won’t print on (usually due to it needing these margins to manipulate the paper properly). Sometimes this can be overcome by ensuring that you select the correct options when printing.

  • Uncheck options such as as ‘Shrink oversize pages to paper size’.
  • Select any options to ‘Maximize printable area’.
  • Select any options to ‘Center printable area’.

If this still doesn’t solve the problem then you may need to try and print out the document at less than 100% and trim the edges. Use the A4 Test Print document to align your printer without using up loads of ink.

I can’t align the print outs properly on my Hewlett Packard Inkjet Printer
A4 Paper solution – There seems to be no simple solution to aligning the documents when using an HP InkJet printer. Here is a compicated solution we have worked out:

  • Choose Landscape printing.
  • Print at at full size (100%).
  • Go to ‘Properties’ and set the Printer Paper Size to ‘User Defined Paper Size (210 x 308 mm)’.

Thanks to Bill Cramer for sending this solution.

Check the Adobe Support Site for solutions to more common printing problems.

Still having problems? Please use our problem reporting form.


Assembling

The MiniGUIDES are designed to be assembled as shown on the first page. If they aren’t assembled in this way then certain topos may not be opposite the pages that they should be. You will still be able to use the guide but it may not be as clear as you would expect.

Assembling Problems

I can’t get staples through my MiniGUIDE
This is a problem on some of the larger MiniGUIDEs, especially the A4 Paper versions. You do need a powerful long-arm stapler in order to successfully assemble the document. One way around it is to punch holes and tie it with string. Another solution is to use a binding clip which can be bought from most stationary shops. I have even used a staple gun to fire staples through one of the thicker MiniGUIDEs and then manually bend them shut.
If you are struggling with the A4 Paper version then consider downloading the A4 Booklet version which has half the thickness of paper. You could also use thinner paper.

I can’t get the pages in the correct order in the A4 Booklet version
It is essential when you print out your A4 Booklet version of the MiniGUIDE that you read the assembly instructions very carefully. It is very easy to print all the odd pages perfectly and then mess up printing the reverse side. For this reason we strongly recommend that you print the reverse side pages one at a time, manually feeding them into your printer.

Still having problems? Please use our problem reporting form.

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