What is PDF?

Why PDF?

Full version of Acrobat

Browsing an Acrobat File

What is PDF?

PDF = Portable Document Format

• maintains exact layout across all platforms

• allows easy printing and on-screen viewing

• fonts can be embedded for complete fidelity

• output and review format — not very editable!

• can be annotated and digitally signed

• can be secured against printing, changing, opening

• keeps text searchable and supports indexing

• is interactive: hyperlink-navigation and forms

Why PDF?

• readable by anyone with free Acrobat Reader

• platform and software independent

• high-visibility markup options for grading comments

• accessibility option via Access plug in and screen readers

• safe format, virus-free

• single file delivery of elaborate documents in a compact format, e.g. for slide presentations or web sites

• print-disabling for copyright-protection and paper saving

• ideal for CD-Rom delivery of an entire multimedia project: beautiful interface, linking capabilities (internal and external), easy creation in your favorite applications, full-screen capable

Acrobat 7.01 Components

• Acrobat Reader (free): view/print PDF with browser plugin

• Acrobat (formerly known as Acrobat Exchange): Reader plus editing and annotation features, web-capture, scan-and-OCR tool, and ability to save, sign, and secure

• PDFwriter: simple printer to make PDF from any application

• Acrobat Distiller: high-quality printer and PS-to-PDF converter; indispensable component of PDFmaker

• PDFmaker: macros for Word and Powerpoint to create PDF while preserving document structure and other features

• Acrobat Catalog: creates indices for the search tool

Browsing a PDF file

• same interface in browser window or stand-alone

• all reader functions are the same in full Acrobat program

• all functions in toolbar (at top) have tooltips
  — hover with mouse over them to see what they do

• hand-tool   to "drag the paper around"

• quick jump: type in a page number in status bar

• click with article cursor to follow an article thread

• back/forward one view as in browser

• zoom-tool to zoom in/out (toggle with Control key)
  — or drag out a selection to magnify area of interest

• quick choice of view: 100%, Fit Page, Fit Width

• switch single-page or continuous mode in status bar
  — also set this in General Preferences for later

• toggle for navigation panes (bookmarks etc.)

• click a bookmark to go there; but double-click a thumbnail!

• print-tool (never print PDF via browser's print button)

• click disk icon to save downloaded files (plugin only)

• find-tool to search within current file only

• search-tool for indices of various PDF files on CD-Rom or network

• select lines of text , columns (entire words only) , or bitmap image-data (what you see is what you get)
  — to see the two hidden tools, click and hold the mouse

• then copy the selected data (Ctrl-C) and paste it into your favorite word-processing or graphics program

• Note: all tools with the tiny black triangle hide other similar tools

• in full Acrobat there is also a "formatted text/table" selector

• Acrobat 5 has "Save as RTF" and "Save as image" functionality (but not in Reader?)