I have found an excellent program for accomplishing some of what Adobe Acrobat Reader Professional does. Although not the same in everything it does serve as an excellent freeware to underline, highlight, edit, and leave notations on PDF files. I use it alot with my research. I no longer have to print all my articles off because I can highlight and mark up the PDF itself. Saves money and space. And with a free 2GB Flash Stick from Tigerdirect.com, you can’t beat it. See my post about it.

I’ve made a post about the Foxit Reader Program. There is a link in the second comment where you go to the FoxIt downloads section. 

Or you can download it directly from the FoxIt Downloads Section.

Installation Instructions:

Question: How do I highlight in Adobe Acrobate Reader?

Answer: Yes, but only with the professional version. There is a free program, FoxIt Reader that does many of the same things and it is small enough that you can use it from your flash stick (hopefully, the free one from the above note).

Question: How do I get FoxIt Reader?

Answer: Download it from the above links. (Get the .exe version or you’ll need to unzip the .zip version.) Also if you want it on your flash stick, download the .exe program into your flash stick directory wherever you’d like it.

Question: How do I get it to open up and work with my PDF files? When I click on my PDF it still opens up with Acrobat Reader.

Answer: First of all, do you have the .exe FoxIt program file downloaded and where you want it and where you can find it through the  backend directory of your computer.

Second, now do have the PDF file you’d like to open downloaded and saved where you can get to it.

Third, Go to the PDF file icon. (Not the FoxIt .exe program). We’ll find it later.

Fourth, Right click on the PDF file and select "Open With" Option. And "choose program." (At first in the pop-up box, it will say that Adobe is the only option.)

Fifth, when the box is up look below all the available programs for the "browse" button.

Sixth, browse for the FoxIt .exe file that you downloaded and placed on your flash stick or whereever you put it. 

Ta-Da. You should have the PDF open in FoxIt Reader. Good job!

Now you can you can use this from any PC computer. It just makes it easier than taking notes on paper or printing a copy and making notes on the article.

It will highlight, underline, edit, and notate. If it is an older file, the highlight option may not work because you can’t select text, but you can use the underline option and that works wonders.

Note: when you have made any modification with the free version (FoxIt puts a mark on the file). I don’t mind it but you may. So use it if you like. 

Have fun for free (or pay the much lower price for FoxIt Reader Pro than Adobe Acrobate Reader Pro).