How Do I Make A PDF. File?

SakSquash · 09-19-2006, 03:04 PM

Simple question.

rlpw · 09-19-2006, 03:09 PM

Go get a program called Open Office it costs NOTHING and then follow the simple instructions
http://www.openoffice.org/

Jeysie · 09-19-2006, 03:13 PM

Well... maybe not completely simple.

What type of PDF are you making?

If you just want to make a PDF out of say, an MS Word or Excel-type document, my roommate's computer, at least, has an MS Office PDF driver that you can "print" to. Not sure if it's standard issue or not, and I haven't played with it a whole lot.

Or you can download OpenOffice, which has a very handy "Export to PDF" option that can also add in stuff like hyperlinks and bookmarks (not sure if the MS Office driver can or not.) Either way, you'll mainly get the static data and formatting of the document in PDF format.

If you want to do stuff like forms and more complex things, you'll likely need to buy a full-blown PDF-making program, which are usually blasted expensive.

Peace & Luv, Liz

Edit: Seems RLPW and I are on the same wavelength here.

SakSquash · 09-19-2006, 03:18 PM

Can you name any full blown PDF programs?

RLacey · 09-19-2006, 03:20 PM

Search for something called PDF995. In return for watching an advert (deny the thing internet access and this bit goes a lot quicker) it works like a printer, and anything you print to it gets turned into a .pdf file. Useful for when you want to create a .pdf from something that doesn't let you export them.

rlpw · 09-19-2006, 03:20 PM

yeah if you wanna spen a bizzilion dollers go to Adobe.com

Jeysie · 09-19-2006, 03:37 PM

Maybe not a bazillion dollars, but if you don't mind dropping $299

then...

http://www.adobe.com/products/acroba...crobatstd.html

Peace & Luv, Liz

SakSquash · 09-19-2006, 03:47 PM

Pfft. You fools.

rlpw · 09-19-2006, 03:52 PM

I never did understand why someone would buy a program like Office, Adobe, or Winrar when there are lots of open source programs available with a LOT less security holes. (I think it's cause the guys attacking the security holes are writing the open source software)
Try this out
http://sourceforge.net/

kuze · 09-19-2006, 03:54 PM

a) You want formular PDF with digital signing etc. Go buy Adobe Acrobat
b) You have a document/picture/whatever you want as a PDF. Download a PDF print driver like PDFCreator (OSS)
c) You have a few words you for some reason want as a PDF. Go to Writely, type in the text and export as PDF.

kuze · 09-19-2006, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlpw

I never did understand why someone would buy a program like Office, Adobe, or Winrar when there are lots of open source programs available with a LOT less security holes. (I think it's cause the guys attacking the security holes are writing the open source software)
Try this out
http://sourceforge.net/

Fow corporate use you are stuck with Office and Adobe, no way around it. Plus, the open source software has the same amount of security holes (maybe even more, since a lot of projects are maintained by hobbyists), they just are not being targeted as often as commercial software - apart from critical software like the linux kernel, Apache, PHP etc, which is being monitored quite closely.

rlpw · 09-19-2006, 04:02 PM

God I used to run a Av chat based on Apache several years back and the got the PACHE or I should say PATCHY part right! Hope it's gotten better since I won't touch that enviroment anymore!

Jeysie · 09-19-2006, 04:12 PM

Another problem is that Open Source stuff has a bad tendency to be utterly dismal with its documentation and support... assuming either even exists. Geeky folk sometimes forget that not everyone knows as much as they do about computers, and they often tend to leave out a lot of basic info (even as they flood in the geek info).

I usually don't mind having to tinker with Open Source stuff to figure out how to use it, and having to Google down solutions to problems (plus the fact that I'm perpetually broke makes the "free as in beer" side effect appealing). However, most Open Source stuff I wouldn't recommend to anyone who *wasn't* computer-saavy.

Peace & Luv, Liz

09-19-2006, 03:04 PM	#1
SakSquash Banned User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Paltz...for now... Posts: 6,177	How Do I Make A PDF. File? Simple question. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-19-2006, 03:09 PM	#2
rlpw Creepy Father Figure Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Dammit! Posts: 5,107	Go get a program called Open Office it costs NOTHING and then follow the simple instructions http://www.openoffice.org/ Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ The Nature Conservancy www.soulpancake.com www.ted.com Twitter

09-19-2006, 03:13 PM	#3
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Well... maybe not completely simple. What type of PDF are you making? If you just want to make a PDF out of say, an MS Word or Excel-type document, my roommate's computer, at least, has an MS Office PDF driver that you can "print" to. Not sure if it's standard issue or not, and I haven't played with it a whole lot. Or you can download OpenOffice, which has a very handy "Export to PDF" option that can also add in stuff like hyperlinks and bookmarks (not sure if the MS Office driver can or not.) Either way, you'll mainly get the static data and formatting of the document in PDF format. If you want to do stuff like forms and more complex things, you'll likely need to buy a full-blown PDF-making program, which are usually blasted expensive. Peace & Luv, Liz Edit: Seems RLPW and I are on the same wavelength here. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

09-19-2006, 03:18 PM	#4
SakSquash Banned User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Paltz...for now... Posts: 6,177	Can you name any full blown PDF programs? Share Share this post on Twitter

09-19-2006, 03:20 PM	#5
RLacey The Thread™ will die. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 22,542	Search for something called PDF995. In return for watching an advert (deny the thing internet access and this bit goes a lot quicker) it works like a printer, and anything you print to it gets turned into a .pdf file. Useful for when you want to create a .pdf from something that doesn't let you export them. Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ RLacey \| Killer of the Thread™ I do not change to be perfect. Perfect changes to be me.

09-19-2006, 03:37 PM	#7
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Maybe not a bazillion dollars, but if you don't mind dropping $299 then... http://www.adobe.com/products/acroba...crobatstd.html Peace & Luv, Liz Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

09-19-2006, 03:47 PM	#8
SakSquash Banned User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Paltz...for now... Posts: 6,177	Pfft. You fools. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-19-2006, 03:52 PM	#9
rlpw Creepy Father Figure Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Dammit! Posts: 5,107	I never did understand why someone would buy a program like Office, Adobe, or Winrar when there are lots of open source programs available with a LOT less security holes. (I think it's cause the guys attacking the security holes are writing the open source software) Try this out http://sourceforge.net/ Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ The Nature Conservancy www.soulpancake.com www.ted.com Twitter

09-19-2006, 03:54 PM	#10
kuze In an evening of July... Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,215	a) You want formular PDF with digital signing etc. Go buy Adobe Acrobat b) You have a document/picture/whatever you want as a PDF. Download a PDF print driver like PDFCreator (OSS) c) You have a few words you for some reason want as a PDF. Go to Writely, type in the text and export as PDF. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-19-2006, 04:02 PM	#12
rlpw Creepy Father Figure Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Dammit! Posts: 5,107	God I used to run a Av chat based on Apache several years back and the got the PACHE or I should say PATCHY part right! Hope it's gotten better since I won't touch that enviroment anymore! Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ The Nature Conservancy www.soulpancake.com www.ted.com Twitter

09-19-2006, 04:12 PM	#13
Jeysie Diva of Death Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 1,402	Another problem is that Open Source stuff has a bad tendency to be utterly dismal with its documentation and support... assuming either even exists. Geeky folk sometimes forget that not everyone knows as much as they do about computers, and they often tend to leave out a lot of basic info (even as they flood in the geek info). I usually don't mind having to tinker with Open Source stuff to figure out how to use it, and having to Google down solutions to problems (plus the fact that I'm perpetually broke makes the "free as in beer" side effect appealing). However, most Open Source stuff I wouldn't recommend to anyone who wasn't computer-saavy. Peace & Luv, Liz Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ Adventures in Roleplaying (Nov. 19): "Maybe it's still in the Elemental Plane of Candy." "Is the Elemental Plane of Candy anything like Willy Wonka's factory?" "If it is, would that mean Oompa Loompas are Candy Elementals?" "Actually, I'm thinking more like the Candyland board game. But, I like this idea better." "I like the idea of Oompa Loompa Elementals."

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