PDF Creation

[huffman]

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

 

[Mythical]

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

 

[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. PDFCreator | Free Business & Enterprise software downloads at SourceForge.net

 

[Trucidation]

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]

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]

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

 

[Hanna 1]

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

 

[DeaconFrost]

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]

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]

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

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.

I use CutePDF

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

 

[Hanna 1]

Hi Hoffman
Long ago i am using office 2007 entreprise and totally forgot about 2003.
Now i use FOXIT READER to do all for PDF files:

Foxit Reader - Capabilities - Foxit Software

 

[OldMX]

I use PrimoPDF

 

[huffman]

After checking and reading about FOXIT READER and PrimoPDF, both still require a PDF file to start with. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[karlsnooks]

Nitro PDF Reader
Sumatra PDF, a Small PDF Reader You Can Carry in Thumb Drive

 

[derekimo]

I just switched to free Nitro PDF Reader which will create PDF files.

 

[Trucidation]

Wait, I used PrimoPDF as well. It doesn't help you save your Excel documents as PDF, it installs as a virtual printer. You don't need a PDF document to start with, that's what the virtual PDF printers are for.

What you do is print your document, in your case your Excel file (open Excel, load your document, then select file -> print). At the print dialog, select the PrimoPDF virtual printer. You will get another dialog box asking you where to save it and what name. This is where your PDF file gets created from your source Excel document.

Edit:
Here's a screenshot of my Devices & Printers panel, you can see the virtual printer created by PrimoPDF here:


Since it's a "printer" you can create a PDF out of literally anything you can print. Notepad text, Paint images, Excel spreadsheets, whatever.

 

[kado897]

After checking and reading about FOXIT READER and PrimoPDF, both still require a PDF file to start with. Correct me if I am wrong.

Yes you are correct but once you have a PDF Foxit is very good for annotating and creating bookmark trees. As I posted earlier I use the PDFCreator dummy printer to create PDF files.