Convert MS word to PDf

[Doug Freese]

I did a quick search on converting MS word documents to PDF and of
course hit oodles of stuff. I'm writing a running newsletter and I want
to put it into PDF for it's compaction plus the Adobe reader is free.
Anyway, has anyone been down this path and care to give me some hints to
tools an/or procedures. If there is better forum to ask this question,
please advise.

Probably a loaded question but is there some reason why Word does not
allow .pdf as a save option?

Thanks,
Doug Freese

 

[garfield-n-odie]

Word for Mac has this capability built in. If you're using Windows,
then you need to install Adobe Acrobat (the full version, not the free
Reader) or a one of many similar programs (some free, most cheaper than
Acrobat) to convert to PDF. In Acrobat, the conversion to PDF can be
done with a click of a button on the Acrobat toolbar in Word, or by
clicking on File | Print | Acrobat PDFWriter | OK.

 

[Jezebel]

You need to buy a copy of the full version of Acrobat (not the reader), or
try one of the shareware clones (some, but not all, are OK).

It's not a SaveAs option in Word because --

a) creating a PDF file is an application in itself. Although most of the
functions are irrelevant for simple purposes like creating a newsletter from
a Word document, PDFs provide enough detailed control for assembling entire
magazines, with all the color separation and matching requirements needed
for direct-to-plate output. See http://www.3dap.com.au/ for an example of
just how complex this can get.

b) it's how Adobe makes its money. The reader is free and everybody has it;
the writer you have to pay for, and these days nearly everybody wants it.

 

[E. Barry Bruyea]

I did a quick search on converting MS word documents to PDF and of
course hit oodles of stuff. I'm writing a running newsletter and I want
to put it into PDF for it's compaction plus the Adobe reader is free.
Anyway, has anyone been down this path and care to give me some hints to
tools an/or procedures. If there is better forum to ask this question,
please advise.

Probably a loaded question but is there some reason why Word does not
allow .pdf as a save option?

Thanks,
Doug Freese

The operative word here is "Free Reader", not 'free creator'. You
need the full version of Adobe in order to 'create' PDF docs and it
ain't free.

 

[gordo]

Google PDF995. Its a free PDF driver. You use it as printer but it creates
PDF files

Gordo

 

[Doug Freese]

The operative word here is "Free Reader", not 'free creator'. You
need the full version of Adobe in order to 'create' PDF docs and it
ain't free.

I'm well aware of the difference between the reader and writer. The
obvious reason I'm going for PDF is the free reader(and some compaction)
so each recipient at worst needs to install the 'free" reader to read
the club letter. I'm not using the Adobe creator because it is too
expensive for my non profit club. It appears that the majority of people
that would do this letter already have MS word so the creation side is
moot.

For $30 a product like DOC2PDF(trial version) handled my conversion
without a problem. No financial interest, I'm only mentioning the name
because it works. I took 4 old copies and it converted them flawlessly.
My only problem to date was I used a obscure font that a few of the 25
people that tested the output had a problem with.

I'm not suggesting this is an ideal solution but my solution within the
clubs and my financial bounds. As much as I like software toys I can't
justify the price of the writer even for myself.

-DougF

 

[Doug Freese]

Tach Doug, 0x2B859DE3 (PGP-PK-ID)



There is a free printer driver that produces pdf, called RedMon.

I saw a few of freebees but as an old tools writer I know that support
for many of the free tools can be risky. I felt more comfortable with a
product that had a formal support structure behind it even if I paid a
few bucks. I did not want to get a few hundred people converted from
paper and suddenly tke a system fix etc and I'm suddenly dead in the
water.

Or you
use the AdobePS driver to produce PostScript, then convert it with
ps2pdf. In any case you need Ghostscript. LaTeX can produce PDF
directly
via pdflatex and it sounds to me you need a DTP program, not a word
processor, otherwise you could use plain text. Maybe OpenOffice Writer
is a choice for you, it has direct PDF support.

I looked at the Postscript stuff and more than I wanted to play with. I
even used LaTex a hundred years ago. I wanted to keep it simple. While
the majority of the letter is text I'm also using .bmp and .jpeg etc.
for graphics.

Because pdf is an opponent for some plans in direction of document
managment.

Ah yes, the almighty $$$ and territory. Seems appropriate in this
election season. In my over simplistic mind it would seem that MS
could tuck this support into the product without much effort or cost.
It would seem to me this feature that might generate some additional
income - at least in my naive world.

-Doug Freese

 

[Robert M. Franz]

Hi Christian

Christian Faulhammer wrote:
[..]

I'm writing a running newsletter and I
want to put it into PDF for it's compaction plus the Adobe reader is
free.

[..]
and it sounds to me you need a DTP program, not a word
processor, otherwise you could use plain text. Maybe OpenOffice Writer
is a choice for you, it has direct PDF support.

For a Newsletter that is primarily read on-screen and printed out on
unknown machines – I can't imagine there's much Word cannot do in that
field ... Esp. since you mention OO (which is a text-processor as well).

2cents
..bob

 

[ivan walsh]

Hi Doug,

On the Adobe site itself you can create free PDFs.

The link is: createpdf.adobe.com

They let you make 5 PDFs for free with their online trial version.

Anyway, has anyone been down this path and care to give me some hints to
tools an/or procedures. If there is better forum to ask this question,
please advise.

They are competitors.

is there some reason why Word does not allow .pdf as a save option?

Best Regards,

Ivan Walsh
General Manager
_______________________________________________________________
"Improve everyday office situations with pre-formatted Word Templates."
Software Development, PM, QA, Proposal, and White Paper Templates
No more starting from scratch with each project. Avoid last-minute emergencies.

Evaluation copies at: http://www.klariti.com/templates/index.shtml

 

[Doug Freese]

Hi Doug,

On the Adobe site itself you can create free PDFs.

The link is: createpdf.adobe.com

They let you make 5 PDFs for free with their online trial version.

Ivan,

Thanks but what do I do after the 5? I guess I could creat fake Yahoo
ids. There is $10 a month fee thereafter and my club is non-profit and
thinly financed.

Then there is GOBCL which is totally free regardless of the number of
times. Unfortunately, it has a size limit and I'm way over it.

-Doug

 

[E. Barry Bruyea]

Ivan,

Thanks but what do I do after the 5? I guess I could creat fake Yahoo
ids. There is $10 a month fee thereafter and my club is non-profit and
thinly financed.

Then there is GOBCL which is totally free regardless of the number of
times. Unfortunately, it has a size limit and I'm way over it.

-Doug

I think we've all been missing something. If you've got the Adobe
reader, it will list a pdf printer on your printer list. Just print
the file, as it prints to disk, thus converting any file to a pdf
file.

 

[Doug Freese]

I think we've all been missing something.
If you've got the Adobe
reader, it will list a pdf printer on your printer list. Just print
the file, as it prints to disk, thus converting any file to a pdf
file.

The source file is in .doc which does not save to PDf and the Adobe
reader mildly vomits when you try to open a .doc. Am I missing your
conversion process?

-DF

 

[Charles Kenyon]

This requires a separate application. The best is probably Adobe Acrobat
(not the reader). For your use, you can probably find a free application
that will do what you want. I use CutePDF. Google for it.

 

[E. Barry Bruyea]

The source file is in .doc which does not save to PDf and the Adobe
reader mildly vomits when you try to open a .doc. Am I missing your
conversion process?

-DF

Yep. When you install Adobe Acrobat Reader, it installs "Acrobat PDF
Writer" which shows up in your printer list. While in your Word
Document, click on print, it will then throw up the printer list,
click on 'Acrobat PDFWriter' and then click 'Print'. It will ask you
where you want to put the file. Presto; your Doc is now in PDF
format. You can read it, print it, or send to your nearest & dearest
by email.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Earlier versions of Acrobat Reader did include this feature; Adobe Reader no
longer does.

 

[E. Barry Bruyea]

Earlier versions of Acrobat Reader did include this feature; Adobe Reader no
longer does.

I have V-5; what's the latest version?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

6.0.1. If you have a PDF writer, it is a relic of a version much older than
5.

 

[E. Barry Bruyea]

6.0.1. If you have a PDF writer, it is a relic of a version much older than
5.

No relic. I just cleaned and reinstalled all programs less than a
month ago. As I said in my post, it is *not* a writer as such; V-5
installs Acrobat PDFwriter as a *printer* and is listed under the
installed printers. Have you checked your installed printers?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The only "printer" of this type I have is called "Adobe PDF," and, although
I have had numerous versions of Adobe Reader, this was not installed until I
installed Adobe Acrobat 6.0.

 

[E. Barry Bruyea]

The only "printer" of this type I have is called "Adobe PDF," and, although
I have had numerous versions of Adobe Reader, this was not installed until I
installed Adobe Acrobat 6.0.

This is my last word on this subject. I have Abobe Reader 5; when I
installed it, (as has every previous version I've had) it installed
Acrobat PDFwriter as a 'printer' and listed it under printers. Maybe
it was a miracle, David Copperfield or the Devil at work, but either
way, it installed a PDF 'printer' and it is Version 5.