Create High Res PDF using general PC Applications

Using the Adobe PDFVirtual Printer (or, How to Avoid Using PDFWriter)

The following instructions have been created with one requirement: you must have Adobe Acrobat Standard, or Adobe Acrobat Professional installed on your computer. The “Adobe PDF” virtual printer that is installed with these applications will be configured and used to create PDFs. 

The Adobe PDF printer, once set up properly, simplifies the process of generating high quality PDFs from most any application. The PDFWriter macro that is accessible via a PDF icon (for instance, in Word) should be avoided. Character substitution or complete drop-outs can occur when using this tool for PDF creation. Setting aside a little time to configure the Adobe PDF Virtual Printer is a better long term solution.

Step #1: Configure the Adobe PostScript printer Acrobat automatically configures the Adobe PDF printer for the most part, but you must make a few changes to make sure, for instance, that TrueType

fonts do not change appearance or become substituted. Note that this only needs to be done once!

• Choose Start-Settings-Printers and Faxes.

• Right-click Adobe PDF, and then choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

• Click the General Tab, and then click Printing Preferences

• Click the Layout Tab, and then click Advanced

• Click the plus sign next to Graphic

• Select Print Quality: 2400dpi

• Select TrueType Font: Download as Softfont.

• Click the plus sign next to PostScript Options.

• Select PostScript Output Option: Optimize for Portability.

• Select TrueType Download Option: Native TrueType.

• Select PostScript Language Level: 3.

• Choose OK

• Click the Adobe PDF Settings tab. Select Press Quality from the Default Settings pull-down menu, 

   make sure other settings match here_Adobe PDF Security: None, Adobe PDF Output Folder: Prompt for      file name.

• Select Edit button next to Press Quality (this brings up job options) make sure settings match this: 

     Compatibility: Acrobat 5.0 

Object Level Compression: OFF 

Auto Rotate Pages: OFF 

Binding: LEFT 

Resolution: 2400 dots per inch 

All Pages button must be selected

• Select the Images Tab to the left make sure setting match this: Downsample: OFF on color, grayscale,    

   monochrome 

• Select the Fonts Tab at the left make sure to checkmark the EMBED ALL FONTS

• Select the Color Tab at the left: Under the Adobe Color Settings File: Color Management OFF

• Click Save As and name the preset as “PREPRESS_QUALITY SELECT SAVE AND CLICK OK 

   MAKE SURE THE DO NOT SEND FONTS TO ADOBE PDF REMAINS UNCHECKED WHILE      THE OTHER 4 ARE CHECKED.

• Choose: File-Print

• Select Adobe PDF from the Pull-down Menu.

• Click OK, specify a filename and location for the PDF file, and then click SAVE.

   

NOW CREATING A PREPRESS QUALITY PDF IS AS SIMPLE AS PRINTING.

   

   Use the Adobe PDF Printer with many applications. Because it appears as a regular printer, the Adobe 

   PDF Printer can be used with many software applications. More custom page sizes can also be added to 

   the Adobe PDF printer properties, if needed, by following this sequence:

1. Choose File->Print.

2. Choose Adobe PDF as the printer, and then click Properties.

3. Click the Adobe PDF Settings tab, and then click the Add button to add a Custom Paper Size.

4. Specify the page height and width, name the custom page size, and the click Add/Modify.

5. Click OK. The custom page size appears in the Adobe PDF Page Size list.