PDF Basics

Contents

• What does PDF stand for?
• What is a PDF?
• What do I use PDFs for?
• How do I make a PDF File?
• More on PDFs: Why Are PDFs Important?
• More on PDFs: What strength do PDF Files have on the internet?

What does PDF stand for?
PDF stands for Portable Document Format.

What is a PDF?
PDF is a unique type of cross platform file format developed by Adobe. PDFs can contain text, pictures, links and many other types of information, but as the viewer of a PDF you can zoom in, pan and scroll around the document, almost as if it were an image. Since a PDF is a cross platform file, it can be read on any machine (PC or MAC) with an installed PDF viewer. One important characteristic of PDF files is that once a document is saved as a PDF file, the PDF version, from that point on cannot be altered. (The corollary to this is that when working with PDFs, it is a good idea to save a copy of any document in its original form before making a PDF version)

What do I use PDFs for?
PDFs can be used for many things. The most common uses for PDF files are 1) to convert hard copy documents into digital format 2) to create cross platform compatible documents in MS Word, and 3) to create downloadable, webpage-like documents that take up less file space.

PDF files have a wide variety of applications, especially within the context of your course. Probably the most common application is course readings. If you have or know of course readings you would like to use in your course which are in hard copy format, you can utilize the JHU Libraries eReserve Services to have your documents converted to digital (usually PDF) format and placed on eReserve for online access. You can also find many journal articles, publications and papers on the internet already in PDF format, however even if you find these types of sources, to avoid copyright infringement, you must still go through the eReserves department to make sure JHU has the rights to use them.

If you wish to create a PDF file, all you really need is MS Word, or any other PDF-compatible word processor. See the next section on How do I make a PDF File? for information on different programs you can use to do this. One advantage of creating a document this way, instead of saving it as a .doc file is that the formatting of the document will be consistent no matter who views it. Just remember to save a copy of the document in .doc format so you can make alterations if need be.

One option in MS PowerPoint is to save a PowerPoint Presentation (such as a slideshow lecture) as a PDF file. If you choose to do this please save a copy of the presentation in .ppt format, as well as the PDF version, and upload it to your course for students to download. This way students will have access to it, as will an instructor in the event that another instructor teaches your course for any one semester.

How do I make a PDF File?
There are many PDF creation programs available in the market, most of which you have to pay for. Some of the more popular programs are Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Word (Professional Edition) and WordPerfect. Many programs work within Microsoft Word itself. With such programs, once you are finished with your document and save it in Word, you use the print feature to specify a save location for the PDF and your document is sent to the PDF creator.

If you want a free pdf creator, we suggest using Cute PDF. Click here to find out how to download, install, and use CutePDF.

Another free PDF creation program is pdf995. To install the program, go to: http://www.pdf995.com/download.html, download and install the program. To convert a document into a pdf file open the document in Microsoft Word. Then, press CTRL+P. For Printer Name, select PDF995 and then hit OK. You will then be asked where and what name you want to save the pdf file as. The pdf file will be created (The free versions of pdf995 products will display a sponsor page in your web browser each time you run the software).

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More on PDFs

Why is PDF important?
PDF is Cross Platform, Navigational, Ultra-Printable, Ultra-Viewable and Smaller than other conventional document formats.

Cross Platform: a cross-platform file format that represents documents independent of the software, hardware, and the operating system used to create the file. In simple words, you can read a PDF document in Windows that was created on a Macintosh that you downloaded from a Web site running Unix.

Navigational: objects built into the PDF file format allow users and creators to expand the usefulness of a publication. Such items include: Internal and external links, bookmarks, thumbnails of each page, article threads, form fields, buttons for navigation, notes to annotate information, views to allow a user to magnify or reduce a page to fit within the user's computer screen.

Ultra-Printable: PDF files are based on the PostScript language imaging model. This enables sharp, color-precise printing on almost all printers.

Ultra-Viewable: On screen PDF files have a precise color match regardless of the monitor used. PDF files allow the user to magnify documents up to 800% without the loss of clarity in text or graphics.

Smaller: PDF files can be optimized (compressed for greatest quality but least amount of download time required) to reduce their file sizes. PDF files for example can be 1/5 of the size of their HTML counterparts.

What strengths do PDF files have on the Internet?

• PDF files have many of the same characteristics as HTML documents.
• PDF files can be viewed within Netscape and Internet Explorer windows. These files can then be saved for offline use or printed.
• PDF files can be byte served over the Web to faster access larger amount of information. This process is similar to the process of streaming video files so you don't have to download the full file before you can use/view it. After grabbing the first part of data, page-on-demand continues to download the rest of the file. What this means is that a user could read the first page and then jump immediately to the seventh page without having to wait.
• A combination of HTML and PDF format enables publishers to serve content to their users in its most useful format based on the demands of content versus technology.
• PDF files need no translation, compression, or filtering on most popular Web servers.
• Full-text search capabilities are available for PDF files.
• PDF takes document security to the next level. Creators of PDF files can prevent the copying of text, graphics, making changes and printing a document.
• Documents created in generally any program that can print, can create a PDF document.
  

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