Re: Still Learning

[Chris Kowalchuk <chris -at- bdk -dot- net>]

Acrobat isn't a format, it is a program for viewing PDF files (PDF is
the format--PDF = Portable Document Format, I think). In order to create
PDF files you need Acrobat Distiller (Acrobat Reader is distributed for
free, but Distiller is the part you pay for). Alternatively, some
programs can export to PDF files directly (so check your export options
in WP), although there are sometimes quality issues with their output.

WP 9 includes a "publish to PDF" command on the "File" menu. So click,
and you're off to the races. Earlier versions, I think, do not, so you
would have to create your PDFs the long way:

1. In general, to create a PDF, you need to have a postscript (PS)
printer defined on your (computer) system, and Adobe provides a PS
driver specifically for Acrobat, but any PS printer driver ought to work
(in theory, at least).
2. In the print menu, select the PS printer, select "print to file",
then print to file.
3. Acrobat Distiller needs to see a .ps extension on the file. Your
"print to file" may have done it that way, or it may have created a .prn
extension.
4. If you have a .prn extension, open the file manager (explorer or
whatever) and edit the extension, changing .prn to .ps
5. Open Acrobat Distiller and tell it to open the .ps file.

It will open the file, and hey presto, convert it to pdf.

The neet thing is, after all that, it actually works most of the time!
The file is compact, looks just like the original, you send it off to
the printer and it comes out looking just fine. Unless something goes
wrong, but lets not talk about that...

Chris Kowalchuk