Lab Handbook

Creating PDF Documents

MACINTOSH OS 9

There are several ways to create a PDF file on the Macintosh, but this is probably the easiest method that produces the best results.

There are three basic steps:

1. Create a postscript file.
2. Open the postscript file with Acrobat Distiller.
3. Save the resulting PDF file.

To create a PDF, you first need to print a postscript file. To do that, choose Print from the File menu as you would normally do to print to a printer.

Select Save As Postscript as your printer.

Click Save.

If you do not have Save As Postscript as a printer, follow these steps to create a Save As Postscript desktop printer.

Name the file using a .ps extension.

If you are printing a large file, it will take a while to create the postscript file. To view the progress of this, open up the Save As Postscript desktop printer window.

The progress is shown in a standard print queue window.

DO NOT move onto the next step before the print job has completed.

Open the Acrobat Distiller program. This will be in your Acrobat 5.0 folder in your Applications folder. Distiller may also be in your Launcher.

The Acrobat Distiller window will appear.

If you are saving a PDF file to be printed, set the job option to Print.

If you are saving a PDF file to be viewed on a computer screen, set the job option to Screen.

A PDF file saved in the Screen option will have reduced quality graphics that will appear fuzzy when printed. Choose your job option carefully.

Select Open... from the File menu.

Select the postscript file that you saved earlier.

Click Open.

Save your PDF file.

Name the file using a .pdf extension.