PDF – an abbreviation for Portable Document Format. This is a file type developed by Adobe Systems that enables one to view or print documents without the original program it was created in. These files are created in one of two ways, using a PDF Writer such as Jaws PDF Creator, or using Adobe Acrobat Distiller. Each serves their purpose but you should understand the differences in the two to help you better decide which PDF process to use in your workflow.

How many times have you created a PDF file of your document and when you open that document, you have graphics missing, fonts defaulted to the dreaded Courier or it just comes out completely blank? We have all been there a time or two I think. The solution to your problem is easy once you understand the difference in using a PDF Writer or Distiller.

This decision depends on what kind of document you have created. For example, if you have produced a simple memo, form or list of things to be done at work to email the employees at your place of business, you could easily use the PDF Writer. The PDF Writer is basically a printer driver installed on your computer. When you have your print menu open, you choose to print to PDF. It is a quick process used for simple files that contain mainly text. The PDF Writer does not have the ability to handle the conversion of postscript files, nor does it handle graphic intensive documents very well. It also produces a lower quality file than if you had used Distiller to generate your PDF file. For those who are unsure what Postscipt is, it is a computer language used primarily for creating graphics and text independently.

That being said, if you have created a newsletter, brochure or even a magazine that you intend to have printed, you would want to use Distiller to produce the PDF file. Adobe Acrobat Distiller works with postscript files, converting them to PDF and allowing higher quality so that it reproduces graphics and complex documents more accurately. Distiller allows more custom job options for preparing your files for print than a PDF Writer does. It will allow you to specify your compression, embed fonts, give you the option to cancel your job if font embedding fails, specify color settings and many other options. Using Distiller will create a larger file than the writer usually, but the output on these types of documents will be much more accurate.

A perk of using Distiller is that you can import job options. This is wonderful if you have a weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly magazine, newspaper or any kind of publication where you use the same service bureau. They can send you a file of their job options they use for your print jobs. Once you have that, all you have to do is open those job options in Distiller and voila! You now have your PDF settings set to the presses specifications so that your output is correct and without confusion. This is something that I use faithfully and find extremely helpful because having the correct setting and understanding them can make all the difference in the world when creating a PDF for output. If you have any questions, contact your service bureau about how to set these job options yourself.

More and more designers are turning to PDF for their file format of choice when sending something to be printed, and why not. It is one portable, universal file that embeds all of your graphics, fonts and all other layout information needed to print a high resolution version of your file. Once you understand the differences of these two PDF creation methods, your missing graphics and default font issues will be history!

Copyright 2004 Leanne McNutt, All Rights Reserved