Creating PDF docs for free ~ Deloitte Consulting Forum

Principal Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 106 Location: Boston

Ok, so this is totally lame that i'm posting this here, but there is a pretty sweet free program out there that will let you turn pretty much anything into a PDF document http://www.primopdf.com

Manager Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 64

PDFCreator - a GNU project

Installs itself as a Windows printer. Anything you can print can be converted to a PDF.

<geek>SourceForge.net rules</geek>

Manager Joined: 20 Apr 2005 Posts: 51

I've used PDFCreator on my previous project and it had a hard time converting Visio diagrams and other complicated structures in Word. I haven't tried the PrimoPDF but if it can handle Visio that makes it quite valuable IMO.

I'm a big fan of open source though

Manager Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 64

Yeah; I've noticed that PDFCreator does have issues with certain types of files. I'm guessing that there are some flaws in its PS processing of image data, but who knows. In general, however, and certainly for straight text documents, it works wonders. I'll have to try the above for Visio and do a comparison.

Principal Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 106 Location: Boston

So far I haven't experienced any problems printing visio files with primo

This happens even if you have a full adobe license. You need to install a printer that has the appropriate PS functionality even though you really don't use it when converting to PDF. I don't have any idea why, but if you set your printer to any of our firm color laser printers, then use the PDFcreator it will actually write the pdf correctly (no empty rectangles instead of characters).

I learned this while trying to print out something in Bulgarian. Stupid cyrillic alphabets screwed everything up. Switched to a color printer first... BAM, a real pdf.

wtf mate.

Analyst Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1

PDF Converter - Does a fairly good job with visios as well though you need to set the page configurations

1. Click here to download the converter:
http://www.freeware995.com/bin/ps2pdf995.exe

Select "Run" if prompted

2. Click here to download the PDF print driver:
http://www.freeware995.com/bin/pdf995s.exe

Analyst Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 3

I use CutePDF. It's freeware and installs as a Windows printer. Been using it for a year and have never encountered any problems (used it for Visio, Reports from MS Access, etc)

Analyst Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 6 Location: Lagos

HI,
What software can i use to convert from .pdf to .wrt,.txt and other word format.
I'll need feedback ASAP.

Thanks.

Manager Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 64

If all you want is the a .txt, just use Adobe Acrobat Reader. Go to: Tools -> Basic -> Select. Now hit Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-C. Now, paste it wherever you want it. Voila.

If the text you're looking for is stored as an image and not as actual text you're pretty much hosed.