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Macola · Jul 22, 2002, 11:24 AM

Anyone heard news/rumors/wild speculation from Adobe? I'm getting really tired of running Classic just to create a PDF. Not to mention having paid a lot of $$ for a package that claimed it was "Built for OS X" on the box.

Drizzt · Jul 22, 2002, 12:38 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Macola:
Anyone heard news/rumors/wild speculation from Adobe? I'm getting really tired of running Classic just to create a PDF. Not to mention having paid a lot of $$ for a package that claimed it was "Built for OS X" on the box.<hr /></blockquote>Choose File menu, than Print.

Now click on "Preview"

When Preview.app is lauched, choose, in the File menu, "Save as PDF".

Enjoy!

michel · Jul 22, 2002, 01:00 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr /> Choose File menu, than Print.
Now click on "Preview"
When Preview.app is lauched, choose, in the File menu, "Save as PDF". <hr /></blockquote>While that method will generate a PDF, it doesn't afford one the control over the final PDF that distiller does. I'm also very surprised that Adobe hasn't carbonized this application, since it seems to be a somewhat simple application in many ways.

Mark N · Jul 22, 2002, 02:11 PM

I wish people realized that the "Preview, save as PDF" just doesn't cut it. Complex PDFs with EPS files just don't work.

But there is an alternative. PStill from Stone works and it's $70. I'm using the 30 day trial and it works pretty well for me.

<a href="http://www.stone.com" target="_blank">Stone</a>

Macola · Jul 22, 2002, 03:32 PM

I had a feeling someone would tell me to use Preview...sigh. People who are using Distiller obviously need more than the very limited PDF capabilities of Preview.

Mark N, I'd be interested to hear your experiences with PStill. I don't have any cash to spend right now but if Adobe keeps this up much longer, I may just have to switch.

godzookie2k · Jul 22, 2002, 03:50 PM

oh GOD would I love a carbonized Distiller. Its one of the major roadblocks preventing our studio from going X. (that and the crap printer support, Quark, etc. but thats another rant)

pastusza · Jul 22, 2002, 03:52 PM

If the command line doesn't scare you, go get a copy of GhostScript. It will make PDF 1.4 compliant files, and even let you embed fonts in them.

Mark N · Jul 22, 2002, 05:47 PM

Here's my method of PStill and for that method distiller.

Open Print Center and Add printer. Choose LPR printer and use a fake IP address (this may not work for everyone, but I've got a small network and I stay outside my range that the computers actually use.). Name the printer something descripted like "PDF printer". Choose you Acrobat Distiller PPD or another Laserwriter file would work I assume. Anything to give you postscript.

Next, make this your defaut printer. I've found this to be a necessity in Freehand (and maybe others) for having all your postscript options in you print dialog.

Now go to you document, choose print. (If you need to use a printer other your default you can change it here.) Set up your postscript setting as needed, and then choose "save as postscript" under output options. Save it wherever you like (a watched folder) and then open up PStill (or Distiller). If it's not in a watched folder, drag the ".ps" file on top of PStill and it converts to PDF.

It is free for 30 days. Full unlimited.

Macola · Jul 22, 2002, 06:06 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Mark N:
Here's my method of PStill and for that method distiller.
<hr /></blockquote>I'm using precisely that method now with Distiller, except running Classic. Sounds like it should work with PStill...I'll download the demo and give it a shot. Thanks.

Corys · Jul 22, 2002, 07:12 PM

I wonder if Distiller will ever get carbonized -
Look at the current Adobe apps. you have all the function of Distiller right in them. Where would be the drive from adobe to keep this up to date?
if Adobe lagged on Distiller, it would sure make it hard for Quark users to switch to X (if/when Quark is OSX compat.). Another reason to buy Indesign.

Macola · Jul 22, 2002, 08:47 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Corys:
I wonder if Distiller will ever get carbonized -
Look at the current Adobe apps. you have all the function of Distiller right in them. Where would be the drive from adobe to keep this up to date?
if Adobe lagged on Distiller, it would sure make it hard for Quark users to switch to X (if/when Quark is OSX compat.). Another reason to buy Indesign.<hr /></blockquote>I admit I haven't checked out InDesign...can it give you as much control over compression settings and resolution for PDFs as Distiller? My main problem with switching to inDesign (besides lack of cash) is that none of the print houses around here support it (or if they do, you really have to twist their arm).

Corys · Jul 22, 2002, 09:19 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Macola:
 <blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Corys:
I wonder if Distiller will ever get carbonized -
Look at the current Adobe apps. you have all the function of Distiller right in them. Where would be the drive from adobe to keep this up to date?
if Adobe lagged on Distiller, it would sure make it hard for Quark users to switch to X (if/when Quark is OSX compat.). Another reason to buy Indesign.<hr /></blockquote>I admit I haven't checked out InDesign...can it give you as much control over compression settings and resolution for PDFs as Distiller? My main problem with switching to inDesign (besides lack of cash) is that none of the print houses around here support it (or if they do, you really have to twist their arm).<hr /></blockquote>you really have just as much control with Indesign versus Distiller. (Image Compression, font subsetting, OPI, Crops, bleeds)

on the print house subject, I work for a commercial printer, and it's my belief we need to support as many programs as possible as a service to our customers. The print market is too competitive to limit the amount of potential customers you have based on a program. If we have problems with an indesign file, we just request, or make our own PDF file.
If your print house will not take ID files, you might want to shop around for another printer.

Mark N · Jul 22, 2002, 09:51 PM

Adobe's PDF function built into it's apps works okay. My main problem is with Illustrator, because you don't have a simple shrink to fit to get you comp down to letter size. You have to go through the process of changing the percentage values.

Fillman · Jul 23, 2002, 12:33 AM

I really want a carbonised Distiller. In our business we generate lots of reports, usually consisting of Word and Excel files. We usually ship out a PDF draft to the client before the final hard copies. Generating a PDF from print usually makes a file so large it won't fit into the client's mail box. So I generate a ps file instead, drop it into the Distiller watch file with all the controls optimised and voil�, a small pdf file that everyone is happy with.

Do I want a carbonised Distiller? You betchya.

bluehz · Jul 23, 2002, 08:50 AM

Mark

Fantastic technique! I never thought of that. Rana few tests this morning and tthe cess works well - but the PDF is lookin pretty crappy - specifically fonts are appearing as bitmaps with lots of distortion. Any tweaks recommended?

Mozilla > AcrobatPPD > PStill

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Here's my method of PStill and for that method distiller.<hr /></blockquote>

Macola · Jul 23, 2002, 10:07 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by bluehz:

Fantastic technique! I never thought of that. Rana few tests this morning and tthe cess works well - but the PDF is lookin pretty crappy - specifically fonts are appearing as bitmaps with lots of distortion. Any tweaks recommended?
<hr /></blockquote>Make sure that you checked "embed all fonts" in your Postscript settings before doing a "save as file".

ja · Jul 23, 2002, 11:11 AM

[on Drizzt's point]

When I go File >> Print >> Preview it opens Acrobat and not Preview.app
This is useful for creating simplish PDF's but to be honest I have not pushed it fully to discover its limitations

Mark N · Jul 23, 2002, 04:24 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by bluehz:
[QB]Fantastic technique! I never thought of that. Rana few tests this morning and tthe cess works well - but the PDF is lookin pretty crappy - specifically fonts are appearing as bitmaps with lots of distortion.

<hr /></blockquote>If you're using PStill, you may try and drag your fonts into the Font Manager of PStill. This will allow them to be used by the app. I have a problem with both Distiller and PStill having problems with some italics being converted to non-italicized versions. So as a rule for my proofs, I've been converting to paths (curves) before distilling.