PDF Generation

Overview

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is a light-weight document format, often used for exchanging documents on the web. NSF FastLane also requires proposals written in this format now.

Below is some basic information on generating PDF documents you may find useful.

How Do I Read PDF Documents?

On UNIX systems:

There are three PDF viewers available for Unix:

• acroread
• gsview
• xpdf

Any can be started with a PDF file as the first argument (automaticly loading the file), or by starting the viewer and opening the file with a GUI interface.

On Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 systems:

There are two PDF viewers available for Windows systems:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• GSview

Both programs have a GUI interface you can use to open the PDF file.

Acrobat Reader (acroread) is the default PDF viewer in Mozilla and Netscape here, unless you configure your web browser otherwise.

How Do I Print PDF Documents?

On UNIX systems:

There are two methods for printing PDF documents on department printers:

• Simply lpr the file to the printer queue.
• Open the file in acroread or gv, then select the File⇒Print option.

Depending on how the PDF was generated, you may or may not be able to use both of these methods. acroread has more print options available, such as Level 1 vs. Level 2 PostScript. You should try changing this setting for troublesome PDF documents.

On Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 systems:

Open the PDF document using Adobe Acrobat Reader, then select File⇒Print. It may be possible to use GSview, but it is definitely not as easy.

How Do I Get Mozilla To Open A PDF From The Web In A Separate Acrobat Reader Window?

Unix web browsers at our site are configured to open Acrobat in a a separate window. Windows browsers will bring up the PDF within your browser window.

Windows users can right-click on a link to a PDF document, then select "Open in New Window", to open PDF documents in a separate window.

How Do I Write PDF Documents?

On UNIX systems:

There are three PDF writers available for Unix:

• acroexch (Acrobat Exchange, Sun SPARC only)
• distill (Acrobat Exchange, Sun SPARC only)
• ps2pdf (part of GhostScript package)

acroexch will allow you to edit documents (change page orientation, select pages, etc.). The others will generate PDFs from PostScript source.

It is recommended that you encode fonts with your PDFs. Here are the commands you should use:

• distill -embedallfonts on [files]
• ps2pdf -dSubsetFonts=true -dEmbedAllFonts=true" <files>

On Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 systems:

The only product we have to do this so far is GSview.

1. Open file in GSview
2. Select File⇒Print
3. In the | Print Method box, select | Ghostscript Device
4. Click on the | Ghostscript device box (probably set at a the default | djet500 setting).
5. Select pdfwrite device
6. Select resolution (likely 300 or 600dpi)
7. Select OK to go back to the main print menu.
8. Select Print to File
9. Select pages to be printed
10. Click OK
11. Enter the location where the PDF should be saved

How Do I Write PDF Documents For NSF FastLane Submission?

For TeX/LaTeX documents:

• Use dvips -Ppdf -o <pdf_out> <dvi_file> to generate PostScript from your DVI file.
• Follow the conversion directions below for PostScript to PDF.

This will make sure you are using Type1 PostScript fonts in the PostScript before the PDF conversion is run.

For generic PostScript to PDF conversions:

On UNIX systems:

Use one of the following conversion utilities (and the arguments shown):

• distill -embedallfonts on -maxsubsetpct <99> -embedallfonts on [files]
• ps2pdf -dMaxSubsetPct=100 -dCompatibilityLevel=1.2 -dSubsetFonts=true -dEmbedAllFonts=true" <files>

On Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 systems:

No FastLane tips are available for PDF generation on Windows systems at this time.

How Do I Convert *.ppt To *.pdf?

On UNIX systems:

The best way to convert the files in Unix is to use OpenOffice. This program can be opened by typing ooffice. If you need help, OpenOffice has extensive on-line documentation which can be found at the OpenOffice web site.

On Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 systems:

The first thing you have to do is check if Adobe Acrobat is setup on your machine. If it is, move on to the second part. If not:

• Open the CSL configuration utility
• Under the software tab, click on "Add", select "Adobe Acrobat" and click on "Add"
• Click on "Apply at next logout"
• Logout using CTRL-ALT-DEL, Logout. Adobe should be installed when you log back in

Note: See also the WIndows 2000 Configuration Utility help for more information

• To convert: Open your Powerpoint presentation
• Select File⇒Print
• Under the Printer Name Menu select "Acrobat PDFWriter"
• Click on print, select the file name and location you want, and it will save the file as a .pdf