This page covers creating PDF files on a PC, running 32-bit Windows (W95/98, Me, NT4+, 2000, XP) and also a little on PDF readers for the EPOC and Symbian operating systems.

There are a number of ways to create Portable Document Format (PDF) files on your PC.

PDF, or Portable Document Format, was created by Adobe as a means of transmitting documents with the layout and formatting that the document's author intended, regardless of the platform it is being viewed on.

This means that a PDF document viewed on a PC will look the same as a PDF document viewed on a Mac.

The PDF technology is closely related to PostScript, used in some printers.

There are a number of products on the market which will allow you to create and read PDF files.

Acrobat 6.0 is now available
In Acrobat version 6 Adobe have created a number of separate products aimed at different markets and users: Professional, Standard and Elements. Check the comparisons.

Buy Adobe Acrobat at Amazon.co.uk

Acrobat 5.0

• Acrobat 5.0 Full Product (£209.00)
  
  
• Acrobat 5.0 Upgrade (£80.99)

Acrobat 6.0

Adobe Reader 6.0
Adobe Acrobat Reader has undergone a name change dropping the Acrobat from its title for version 6.0.

Adobe Reader is available for a number of platforms including Windows (16-bit & 32-bit), Palm OS, Pocket PC, Symbian OS, Mac OS, Linux, Unix, Sun Solaris and OS/2 Warp.

Download Adobe Reader for your operating system.

Create PDFs On-line
Create 3 free PDF files on the Adobe website

{^top}

Global Graphics Software now have 3 products for creating and editing PDF files: PDF Creator (£50), PDF Editor (£25) and PDF Server (US$2,500 for up to 50 users).

(Jaws PDF used to be called 5-D and then Niknak.)

Jaws PDF Creator 2.1 was available on the cover CD/DVD of the January 2003 issue of PC Plus magazine. At the time of writing the latest version is 3.0.

Jaws PDF Creator is simple to use, installing as a printer driver if you can print from an application then you can use Jaws PDF Creator to create a PDF file.

Modes

Jaws PDF Creator operates in two modes:

1. It installs as a printer in the Windows or Macintosh Printing System allowing users to 'print' to a PDF file directly from any application. In this mode the Jaws PDF Creator looks to the system exactly like a PostScript printer connected to a physical port, and combines the simplicity of Adobe PDF Writer with Adobe Distiller®'s ability to interpret arbitrary PostScript® and EPS files.
   
   
2. It appears as an icon on the desktop allowing drag and drop conversion of any PostScript® or EPS file directly to PDF.

Features

{^top}

If your budget is limited you can create PDF files using nothing more than two freeware applications (Ghostscript and GSView) and a PostScript (PS) Printer driver from your Windows installation CD-ROM.

Ghostscript is the name of a set of software that provides:

GSview is a graphical interface for Ghostscript. It makes using GhostScript much easier.

Downloading
Make sure you download compatible versions of Ghostscript and GSView; these are usually distributed together. See the GhostScript website for details.

Ghostscript

www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/index.htm

• AFPL and GNU Ghostscript
  

GSView

www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gsview/index.htm

• GSview
  

Essentially you only need

	Adobe Adobe Reader - to view PDF files
	AFPL GhostScript - which converts PS files to PDF
	Ghostgum's GSView which is a Windows GUI for GhostScript.
	PostScript® printer driver (on your Windows CD-ROM)

1. Download and Install Ghostscript and GSView
   
   
2. In Control Panel | Printers install a new printer with PostScript® capabilities, e.g.
   
   "Apple LaserWriter II NT" or "Apple LaserWriter 12/640 PS" which are on the Windows 98 CD-ROM.
   
   Make sure that it is set to print to FILE.
   
   
3. Rename the new printer to something like "Create Mono PDF".
   
   
4. NOTE: You can install the Colour LaserWriter (e.g. "Apple LaserWriter 12/660 PS" as well, to produce Colour PDFs - just rename this something like "Create Colour PDF".

1. In your application print to the "Create PDF" or "Create Colour PDF" printer. You will be prompted for a filename (*.prn)
   
   
   
   
2. Launch GSView. Open the new *.prn file. (You may drag-and-drop the file onto the icon to open).
   
   
3. In File | Convert select "pdfwrite" with a resolution of 600 and click OK. You will be prompted for a filename - remember to add the suffix .pdf and click SAVE button
   
   
   
   
4. You now have a PDF file. (If you have forgotten to add the .pdf suffix you may rename the file now to include it).
   
   
5. You may now delete the *.prn file.

• Always convert to 600dpi. I have found that 300dpi offers no reduction in file size.
  
  
• To change which version of PDF format you convert to, in Convert click the Properties button and choose the version you require, eg. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3. and 1.4. Click OK

{^top}

Make your PDF files truly portable by installing a PDF Reader on your Psion EPOC machine.

mBrain Software

mBrain Software produce two products for reading PDF files on Symbian handheld devices. The following PDAs are supported:

Download PDF+ Reader for EPOC / Symbian

{^top}

Adobe Reader for Symbian

This version only works on the Nokia Communicator 9210 and 9290 versions of the Symbian OS.

There do not seem to be any plans to port this version to the Psion version of Symbian OS R5.

"Further expanding the reach of Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) files on a wide variety of devices, Adobe Acrobat® Reader® for Symbian OS™ software allows you to view Adobe PDF files on Nokia Communicator 9210/9290 devices. Download Adobe PDF files to your Symbian device a number of ways — from the Internet, as email attachments, or from your desktop." (Adobe website)

Download Adobe Reader for Symbian OS (Nokia 92x0)

{^top}

Tips: Optimize PDF for EPOC

This is a good resource giving tips on optimizing PDF files to be viewed on Symbian/EPOC devices.

Optimize PDF for EPOC

{^top}