TSL Institute

TSL Institute | CSTL | University

Creating Portable Document Format (PDF) Files
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 from 01:00 PM to 02:00 PM
(Kent Library Little Theatre)

Facilitator: Dr. Mike Rodgers

Description: Learn how to create Portable Document Format (PDF) files from your original files. This workshop will also discuss the advantages of using PDF over proprietary formats when making files available to students via a web site.

Tentative Schedule

TIME

ACTIVITY

1:00 - 1:15

What is pdf format? "PDF" is "portable document format", a format for documents containing text and images that was developed and popularized by Adobe Systems, Inc. Users all over the world share pdf documents freely, because Adobe makes a free reader available: The Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for download at the Adobe Website, and it is also linked at the CSTL Website.

Why use pdf format? Pdf has become a standard because it allows document sharing "from any application, on any computer system". The advantages are obvious: suppose you wanted to share a Word document with a student. Your computer is a PC running Microsoft Word. The student is using a Macintosh that has another word processor installed. You might try working with your student to find a format that you both can read - perhaps the .rtf format. But you would possibly have to take these steps for every student! Moreover, you would have no assurance that the appearance of the document would be the same on both systems, because of differences in margins, installed fonts, etc. Depending on the way that the pdf file was saved, text and images in the document can be selected and copied to the clipboard for pasting into editable files, such as word processor files.

1:15 - 1:50

From Consumer to Producer Millions of pdf documents are shared via the Internet, including many that support teaching and learning. How are these documents produced? Acrobat Reader does only what the name suggests - it reads pdf files. So, Acrobat Reader is not the answer. Adobe markets several powerful software packages that create pdf files. However, excellent results can be achieved easily and for free with Acro Software's CutePDF.

Installing CutePDF Click on the link: Acro Software's CutePDF. Follow the windows through the installation:


1 >	2 >	3 >

4 >	5 >	6

Using CutePDF When installation is complete, you will see a Help screen:

The help screen can be closed.

So, how can you create a pdf file? Think "printer"! CutePDF is installed as a "virtual printer". But, instead of printing to paper, you will "print" your document to a .pdf file. Simply select "CutePDF Printer" from your list of printers, give the file a name and select a location for saving.

Now try saving your own file as a .pdf file. If you don't have a file, use the one linked here.

1:50-2:00

Wrap-up and Evaluations