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Adobe PFD Reader

1. What is PDF?

Portable Document Format is a standard that was developed by Adobe Corporation® as a multiple computer format for document distribution. It was originally developed as a method for document distribution over the Internet and on CD ROM, but is now used by the printing industry to transmit self-contained, high-resolution files for output and printing.

The same PDF file can be read on a Mac or PC system, by using a shareware (a free utility) viewer from Adobe called Acrobat Reader®. Because the PDF file is compressed when it is created, it tends to be small, even though it contains all of the file's text and images. Of course, the more elements and higher the resolution, the larger the file size.

2. Why is this Important?

The Portable Document Format is becoming the de facto standard for document distribution over the Internet, CD ROM and email.

Software manuals are often distributed as PDFs rather than as hardcopy. Today, the IRS uses PDF as the standard format for distribution of tax forms on-line. It is possible that in the future, you will not receive canceled checks from your bank, instead copies of the checks could be sent to you as a PDF.

Someday, you will be asked by one of your vendors or customers to send a document in PDF format. You can easily create PDFs and give them to your print service provider. Using available tools, you will be able to produce a PDF file with proper resolution and components.

3. How do I Create a PDF?

A PDF can be created from any application on any type of computer. Once you have created a PDF file, you can distribute that file on disk or by email, just as you would any other file. There are three primary ways to create a PDF, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

When you install Acrobat, you have a printer driver which will allow you to "print" to a PDF file. This method is the easiest but the images are compressed to a size that won't allow proper resolution for output on a printing press.

The second method is to "export" to a PDF file. Some applications do not have an export feature, but for those that do, you often have the ability to resolve compression & resolution issues. Usually, the export feature uses Acrobat Distiller® to create the PDF file, which means you may be able to use the PDF for high-resolution output with your print service provider.

The third method is more complicated, and intended primarily for high-resolution output. First, you install a PostScript® driver and Distiller PPD. Using those drivers, you then print to a PostScript file. Finally, using Distiller with the proper settings, you convert the PostScript file into a PDF.

What you are doing when you create a PDF is running PostScript information through an interpreter. PostScript is the information created by the application when you hit "Print" and an interpreter is an application that turns that information into something solid, such as a PDF or information a printer can use to print the page. If you are able to create a PDF with no PostScript errors, you will be able to print the PDF later, and not expect to see any PostScript errors. Therefore, PDFs are clean files.

4. How do I View a PDF?

To view a PDF, you can use either Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Exchange. With Reader, you can only view the PDF and print it out. With Exchange, you can view, print and modify the PDF with bookmarks, notes, text changes and even add form fields.

There are two less common ways to view PDF files. You can view a PDF through Netscape Navigator®. When you install Acrobat, a plug-in is installed into the Netscape Plug-Ins folder that will allow you to read PDF documents on-line. If you are not running Acrobat in the background, your browser may automatically open it for you, as this is required to use the plug in.

Finally, some graphic applications may allow you to import PDF documents as graphical information. This method is used in typesetting to integrate information from a PDF into a document. For example, you may be able to place a PDF file into an Illustrator® document, while the PDF file retains its capabilities.

5. Can I Modify a PDF?

Generally, what you can do to a PDF is very limited. PDF files are designed to be final drafts and print ready.

6. How do I Output a PDF?

You can print directly from Reader or Exchange, just as you would from any other application. When printing from the standard Reader and Exchange packages, you cannot print color separations, crop marks or bleeds. Your print service provider has more advanced applications and utilities that can perform these procedures as well as other services such as imposition.

For more information about how you can begin using PDF files, contact Insty-Prints for further consultation.