Windows 7: PDF Creation

huffman · 20 May 2012

Does anyone know of software that will create a PDF file from scratch without using another application such as Word, notepad, etc?

Mythical · 20 May 2012

You can use OpenOffice and it's Sun PDF Import extension.
http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/pdfimport

kado897 · 20 May 2012

You can create a PDF file from anything that will print using PDFCreator. It creates a dummy printer that creates the PDF instead of printing. PDFCreator | Free Business & Enterprise software downloads at SourceForge.net

Trucidation · 21 May 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by kado897

You can create a PDF file from anything that will print using PDFCreator. It creates a dummy printer that creates the PDF instead of printing.

++

Used to try various PDF-creating software with mixed, usually unsatisfactory results. Finally settled on using a virtual PDF printer - this way you get to create whatever you need in your editor of choice, then simply print to PDF.

huffman · 22 May 2012

Thanks guys for the info. It looks like I will have to settle for creating a pdf from my scanner and then edit it to get what I really want.

There does not seem to be anyway to create a pdf from scratch.

kado897 · 22 May 2012

The free Foxit PDF reader has extensive editing features.Best PDF Reader

Hanna 1 · 22 May 2012

Hi Hoffman
IF you use EXcel you can save a file as a PDF

DeaconFrost · 22 May 2012

I use CutePDF. Aside from the name, it's great. It installs a virtual printer that saves the documents to PDF. I use it often, but definitely when I travel and need to print something, like a confirmation doc, etc. I can save it and print it later on.

Thorsen · 22 May 2012

Agreed many different 3rd party PDF printers. I use DoPDF because it acts as a printer. anywhere you can print, you can select it as your printer and print anything to PDF (Same kind of thing as PDFCreator from Kado's post and CutePDF from Deacon's)

Free PDF Converter - Print to PDF with doPDF

You can also use GIMP or Paint.Net(bitmap based like photoshop) or Inkscape(vector based like illustrator) if you are doing something that requires more graphics. Just design your project in there and print to DoPDF or PDFCreator instead of printing to your printer.

huffman · 23 May 2012

Presently I have the free version of Adobe Reader and also an older version of Nitro PDF Pro. Neither will convert documents to PDF.

Quote:

IF you use EXcel you can save a file as a PDF

I have Office 2003 installed (both Word and Excel). There is NO option to save either type document as PDF. I know years ago using Office 2003 it did have the option to save as PDF, but if I remember correctly, the reason it would save to PDF was because of some other program I had installed (I cannot remember what that program was). IF anyone knows what that program might have been I would appreciate the info.

Quote:

I use CutePDF

I have access to CutePdf Professional v3.3. I have never used it but I will give it a try. Thanks.

Windows 7: PDF Creation

PDF Creation problems?