10 Replies Latest reply: Nov 21, 2010 9:33 PM by soberoi RSS

    Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?

    harrismail Community Member

      I have several Word and Publisher documents that I use as templates. I load them into Publisher or Word and then slightly adjust them (change names dates etc) before creating a pdf..

       

      In the past I've almost always made the pdf by using the print dialog to send the job through the Adobe PDF printer, but seeing that there was a menu option in Acrobat X Pro to "Create PDF" I tried that.

       

      Of course it worked fine but asked me to save the file before it could create the pdf.

       

      As the file is a template I don't want to keep overwriting it when using the menu "Create PDF" option so I guess the question is - in this instance - is using the print dialog the best way for me to create my pdf's from my templates so that I'm not prompted to overwrite the original file?

        • 1. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
          Dave Merchant CommunityMVP

          Using the Print dialog is not recommended as it's "dumb" - all tagging, links, document metadata etc. will be lost. PDFMaker - the Save As > Adobe PDF route - supports all that and more, but yes it requires the document to be saved. It's a limitation of Word not of Acrobat,  and of course you can save the Word file with a different name before running PDFMaker, in which case it won't prompt you. It only cares about unsaved changes.

          • 2. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
            Bill@VT CommunityMVP

            Not recommended is an opinion. It all depends on your need in the PDF. Many uses do not require links, tags, and such. Tags are useful for accessibility and related issues. In that sense, the print option is dumb, but it also creates a much more compact file in most cases. The create PDF option is generally only available in OFFICE products and they are often used when not needed. So a lot depends on the needs of you end product PDF.

            • 3. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
              soberoi Community Member

              the ideal way to create pdf is via pdf maker- the buttons that are embedded in the application itself. In such case you'll have all the artifacts intact in the pdf. It asks you to save the document because you have made changes to the document, anyways you can save it as another document and create pdf and delete the native document once the conversion is complete.

               

              Using PDF printer to create pdf is not a smart way to create pdf from office applications.

              • 4. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                ~graffiti CommunityMVP

                soberoi wrote:

                 


                Using PDF printer to create pdf is not a smart way to create pdf from office applications.

                You obviously have a very limited use for PDF's. Like Bill said in the post before, it really depends on the end result you are looking for or need.

                • 5. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                  harrismail Community Member

                  OK one last question regarding PDF jpg image output quality...

                   

                  I've printed two examples one through the Adobe PDF Printer - Standard Setting (pdf1)

                   

                  and (pdf2) created with "Create PDF" (PDF Maker) from MS Publisher menu - again Standard Setting.

                   

                  Both file sizes are pretty much the same and the "quality" of the image is nearly the same except that the pink circle highlighter (in the pdf) is much clearer in the file that was created using "PDF Maker" from MS Publisher menu.

                   

                   

                  PDF1 below was made with Acrobat X Pro Print dialog - Adobe PDF Printer - Standard Setting

                  adobepdfprinter.jpg


                   

                  PDF2 below was made with Acrobat X Pro "Create PDF" (PDF Maker) from MS Publisher menu - again Standard Setting

                  adobepdfmaker.jpg

                   

                  Is there a reason for this?

                  • 6. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                    MichaelKazlow CommunityMVP

                    The difference is probably related to settings in the print dialog box. Which settings I cannot say. Any chance are you using print as image?

                    • 7. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                      harrismail Community Member

                      I've checked and rechecked the settings and options in the Adobe PDF printer but no matter what I do the transparency remains nothing like as good as when I use the PDF Maker.

                       

                      I've also tried this with Acrobat Pro 9 and the same thing applies!!

                       

                      If I use the PDF Maker then I notice that whilst the pdf is being created there is a brief message about "Processing Transparent Shapes" so that must have something to do with it as this doesn't show when using the PDF Printer???

                      • 8. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                        Bill@VT CommunityMVP

                        I have seen the same thing on a test that I did last week. I do not have an explanation. The PDF Maker process has changed and is not the same as with AA8 where PDF Maker was just a preprocessor for the Adobe PDF printer. I have tried with idential job options and see these differences also. This is not a help, but a suggestion that there is actually a processing difference with the two methods of PDF creation.

                        • 9. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                          harrismail Community Member

                          I agree there is a difference in the process!! and I've since found a tickbox in the PDF Maker preferences regarding retaining transparency etc which isn't an option in the Adobe PDF Printer.... WHHYYY!

                           

                          I wish it wasn't so as the PDF Printer is a lot easier to use in my opinion.

                           

                          If only someone from Adobe would enlighten us as to why there is any difference between the two processes....

                          • 10. Re: Create PDF or Print to Adobe PDF?
                            soberoi Community Member

                            Creating a PDF from within an office application is just a one click process- you just press the PDFMaker button, save the file and you are done!!

                            While, the pdfmaker also uses the PDF Printer but then there's a lot of post processing that goes in creating an optimum pdf which has transparency, tags and many other things too. You find the pdf printer to be an easier process because you get the file sooner than creating a file via pdfmaker. But I would strongly recommend using the PDFmaker instead of PDF printer if you need a richer and complete pdf.