Week 8:

1
TC 424 The Computer in TC (Winter 2008)

• Week 8
• Creating PDF Files Using Adobe Acrobat

2
What did we cover last time?

• Bill Kauffmans guest lecture on MadCap Flare and
  RoboHelp

3
What will we cover today?

• What is PDF and why is it everywhere?
• What is PostScript (PS)?
• How do I create PS and PDF files?
• How do I edit my PS and PDF files?
• Are there alternatives to PDF?
• Class time for Frame/InDesign work
• What to cover in last 2 weeks

4
What is PDF?

• Adobe created the Portable Document Format to
  replace paper documents
• In essence, a PDF file contains images
• As Acrobat Reader evolves, PDF files seem more
  like text files than images of text files
• However, PDF files cannot be edited without the
  full version of Adobe Acrobat
• Annotations are useful but cannot be added if you
  only have Acrobat Reader
• Luckily, Adobe Acrobat comes with Frame

5
Why are PDF files so prevalent?

• Adobe created the Portable Document Format to
  eliminate platform-specific issues
• PDF files provide a relatively stable way to
  ensure reliable text and graphics printing and
  viewing
• PDF files ensure accurate printing regardless of
  platform Word files are not necessarily as
  stable
• PDF files are supposed to look the same on any
  screen Word files carry no such guarantee
• Adobe gives away its Acrobat Reader to encourage
  use of the PDF file standard
• It seems to have worked

6
What is PostScript (PS)?

• PostScript is an older, even more stable file
  format (compared to PDF)
• Printing presses typically require PS files for
  manuals
• PS files are massive (many MBs)
• PS files are the output of choice for many
  graphics and DTP professionals
• PDF files are good for end users, quick content
  checks
• PS files can be distilled into PDF files

7
Distilled?

• Adobe Acrobat Pro and Frame both come with the
  Adobe Distiller
• The Distiller takes a PS file and converts it
  into a PDF file
• The Distiller uses job settings to control the
  look of the PDF output
• You can choose from a list of standard settings
• You can specify the settings
• Your client/printing press can specify the
  settings in a master file (a template of sorts),
  which you can use when you distill a PS file

8
Why do I need to make a PS file?

• If you are creating print documentation, you will
  probably need to hand off a PS file
• If you want better control over your PDF output,
  you must create a PS file and then distill it
  into a PDF file
• If you are working with a localization team, you
  may need to give them your PS files (after you
  set your conditional tags)

9
Lab exercise Creating a PS file

• Open your Frame book and chapters
• You want to print from the book file (unless you
  only want to print one document)
• Select all of the files in the book before trying
  to print anything
• File -gt Print Book
• I will guide you from here

10
Lab exercise Distilling a PS file to obtain a
PDF file

• Start Menu -gt All Programs -gt Adobe Distiller
  (usually correct)
• Drag-and-drop interface, but dont do that (at
  least not at first)
• Go to Settings -gt Job Options first
• Be sure your job options match your intended
  output
• High Quality Print, Press, and Standard settings
  are all quite different
• Know what your client requires After distilling
  a PDF, you cannot change these options (you need
  to redistill)
• Big PS files with lots of graphics and links can
  take several minutes to distill

11
How do I edit my PS and PDF files?

• The short answer is You dont!
• PS and PDF files are simply reproductions of your
  original Frame documents
• You want to edit your source documents, not your
  output (PS/PDF) documents
• The better answer Simply create a new PS file,
  then distill it into a new PDF file
• Tip If you want to edit Frame documents by hand,
  generate a PDF file and print it out rather than
  using the Print feature in Frame

12
Common PDF Problems

• Graphics look weird on screen, but they are okay
  in print (related to job settings)
• Make sure your source graphics are either EPS
  (Encapsulated PostScript) or TIFF (uncompressed)
• Make sure you have the right job settings

13
Common PDF Problems

• Graphics dont appear at all
• Make sure the graphics were inserted properly
• Make sure the graphic files exist on your machine
  and are stored in the correct directory (so the
  Frame file can pull them in)
• Make sure you have the right PS drivers installed
  (used to be more of a problem)

14
Common PDF Problems

• Links dont work (or there are links even though
  I didnt ask for them)
• Select PDF Setup in the Print Book dialog to
  verify that links and bookmarks are coming
  through properly
• Bookmarks dont show up or work properly
• Same as above

15
Common PDF Problems

• The distilled PDF file isnt on my computer
• You need to know where to look
• Check the Distillers job settings and options
• Did you overwrite it?
• No problem!
• Do it over!
• Again and again!
• Until you get it right!
• This is fun!
• Right!?!
• F!!!!!

16
Alternatives to Acrobat/PDF

• Speaking of fun, there are alternatives to Adobe
  Acrobat Reader out there
• Foxit Reader
• PDFCreator (free, open source)
• More herehttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PD
  F_softwarehttp//www.cogniview.com/convert-pdf-to
  -excel/post/pdf-editing-creation-50-open-sourcefre
  e-alternatives-to-adobe-acrobat/
• There are also alternatives to the PDF format
• XML Paper Specification (XPS) Microsofts
  answer to the PDF format
• A bunch of other, lesser-known formats exist too

17
Uninspired This weeks demotivational quote

• Are PDF files secure? Not anymore
• hackers use malicious banner ads as a host for
  an infected PDF. The PDF then installs the
  Zonebac Trojan, which sets to work deactivating
  antivirus products, modifying search results, and
  changing banner ads.
• Symantec researcher Hon Lau discusses the
  relevant PDF vulnerability in his blog before
  rhetorically asking With more and more of these
  attacks happening, how much longer will it be
  before people implicitly attach a higher risk
  association to PDF files and avoid them
  altogether?
• (Hruska, 2/12/2008, http//arstechnica.com/news.ar
  s/post/20080212-is-it-time-to-consider-pdf-a-threa
  t.html)

18
Weeks 9 and 10 What to Do?

• We can learn tips and tricks about Word 2007
• We can look at Visio and PowerPoint
• We can examine alternatives to Visio
• We can also discuss job prospects, interview
  techniques, resume building, etc., etc.
• Lets decide!

19
What did we cover today?

• What is PDF and why is it everywhere?
• What is PostScript (PS)?
• How do I create PS and PDF files?
• How do I edit my PS and PDF files?
• Are there alternatives to PDF?
• Class time for Frame/InDesign work
• What to cover in last 2 weeks