Can anyone help me on a problem with PDF files....

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 27 Jun 2008 12:40 pm

I wrote a book using my Computer's only word processor, called "WordPerfect".

When I put the bookfile on disk and took it to Kinkos to have it printed, they said they could do it, but it would cost more than if I converted the file to "PDF".

So I went home and did that. However there are now some problems that are not there when I print it directly from the file:

1. Any time there is a "chart" that has grid lines in it, (which the book has quite a few), they are missing on the PDF file. The chart, colors and text are in the chart, but no grid lines.

2. If I hightight anything, it leaves the highlight part out. It prints everything else even if the text is multicolored, but no highlighted color.

3. Certain special graphic's text such as say the logo of this forum, the conversion to PDF will leave blank.

I sent a letter to Adobe Reader, which as usual resulted in the typical formed letter as though I was an idiot.

I talked to several computer experts. They had no idea. I checked to see if I had the latest WordPerfect and Adobe Reader software and I do.

Any suggestions?

carl

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 27 Jun 2008 1:08 pm

You need to use a PDF converter that installs on your computer as a printer driver. The best one is the one that comes with Adobe Acrobat Professional, which is sort of pricey. I think that there's one bundled in The Print Shop these days too. I don't know about any free ones.

John Fabian · Post by **John Fabian** » 27 Jun 2008 1:28 pm

http://www.google.com/search?q=free+pdf ... =firefox-a

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 27 Jun 2008 2:16 pm

I'm not sure what you used, but CutePDF has never failed me, and it's free! I have used it with Word, Excel, AutoCAD and various pics.

It installs as a printer driver. After install, just select CutePDF as your printer when you go to print. Instead of printing, it will convert your file to a pdf document and save it on your hard drive.

http://www.cutepdf.com/

Download "CutePDF Freeware"

Despite it being free, it is very powerful and uses the pdf print driver built into windows.

Greg

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 27 Jun 2008 2:34 pm

Here is another vote for CutePDF. I haven't tried to do exactly what Carl is doing so I can't be sure it will solve his problems. But if it doesn't, there are other free pdf printer drivers on the link that John Fabian provided.

I even use cute pdf sometimes just to print music. Printing directly to paper from my app (Encore) often omits parts of notes or staves. But cute pdf makes a file that prints correctly.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 27 Jun 2008 3:52 pm

The Open Office suite of programs Wordprocessor has a direct PDF conversion. HERE

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 27 Jun 2008 8:05 pm

My heartfelt thanks to all who respond with tips.

I especially thank Greg Cutshaw for the "CutePDF" link. That solved the problem with this one caveat. It reformated many of the pages in the book. But I was able to correct that, albeit it took about 4 hours, because there were so many pages it affected.

This is not a new problem on my PC. The same thing happens when I switch printer outputs between my two printers: a Canon and an Epson. Such foolish software engineers that do not develop a "standard". Thank Jesus that did not happen except VERY early on in the automobile industry.

There should be a federal law making it a felonious crime for ANY software to affect a document's formatting simply because you switch priners, etc.

Anyway I can now see all the grid lines in the charts on the CutePDF file. As well as highlighted areas and special logos are also there. So I now longer have to manually print it and then have it bound by Kinkos. I can simply take them a CD with the book on PDF, and they can do it all rapidly. Hooray.

Albeit, the cost will be higher.

But I may get around this by going to a company that specializing in this. Not sure yet. MY desire is to be able to offer the book at as low a price as possible.

In any case there is NO way was I going to give up those grid lines for expediancy's sake. They are too important for the reader.

Thank you all very much, and may Jesus bless you for your help. I did learn a lot. And I am grateful for that also.

carl

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 27 Jun 2008 8:45 pm

Carl, I will try not to take your comment about "foolish software engineers" personally. I write software that prints with perfect precision on a wide variety of media and on any printer. The standards do exist and they are actually rock solid.

Your problem is in your decision to use a "word processing" program instead of a "desktop publishing" program. Word processing programs are designed to do automatic formatting of text. Desktop publishing programs are designed to do exact layout on the printed page. Writing a book with pictures is a job for a desktop publisher, not a word processor.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 28 Jun 2008 5:53 am

b0b,

I meant no offense to "all" software engineers.

"Jes' dem dat come in on da last load ah punkins! DEM be da ones I wonts ta bile in erl!"

And "Present company is ALWAYS excluded"

Luv ya man.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 28 Jun 2008 6:23 am

Another great program to use is PDF Xchange Viewer. It converts pdf's to jpg's. It will creat one jpg per page of pdf. It's a free program and also very precise in it's conversion:

http://www.pdfxviewer.com/

(click on the "Get PDF XChange Viewer for Free" download button)

This useful for posting pages of a pdf file here on the forum or on a web site as jpg's and its how I generate my tab jpg's from the tab pdf's. For posting here, re-size the picture to 800 pixels wide and it should be viewable by most people without scrolling.

Greg