TechNote (Archived)

How to Create PDF Files for Print or Press with Acrobat 4.x and FrameMaker 5.5.x for Mac OS

What's Covered

Setting Up the Printer

Using Save As to Create a PDF File

Printing to File to Create a PDF File

This document focuses on creating print-ready Adobe PDF files on Mac OS using Adobe FrameMaker 5.5.x and Adobe Acrobat Distiller 4.x. If you are interested in PDF files for online use -- for example, if you need bookmarks and hypertext links -- see the Adobe FrameMaker 5.5 User Guide or Online Help for information about the Generate Acrobat Data feature.

FrameMaker has two ways to create a PDF file: The Save As command and a print to file option. With either method, FrameMaker generates a PostScript file. Distiller then automatically starts, converts the PostScript file to a PDF file, deletes the PostScript file, and then quits. During this process Distiller automatically names the PDF file by adding a .pdf extension to the PostScript file name and places the PDF file into the same folder as the PostScript file.

Setting up the Printer

To create PDF files with FrameMaker, Adobe recommends that you use a PostScript printer set up with the Adobe PostScript (AdobePS) printer driver and a PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file. You can download AdobePS and PPD files from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads/product.jsp?product=44&platform=Macintosh . If you don't have a PostScript printer, you can try using the Acrobat PDFWriter driver, included with Acrobat 4, but results may not be optimal.

To set up AdobePS:

1. In the Chooser, select the AdobePS icon.

2. In the Select a PostScript Printer scroll box, select the printer you want to set up.

3. Click Setup.

AdobePS selects the appropriate PPD file, if available, and options for your printer, and then completes the setup. If AdobePS cannot find an appropriate PPD file for your printer, it prompts you to select one from the available PPD files or from a disk. If you cannot find the appropriate PPD file for your printer, you can select the Generic PPD file, although it may not provide access to all of the special features of your printer. You may be able to configure some special features via the front panel of your printer.

Using Save As to Create a PDF File

To create a PDF file using the Save As command:

1. Open the document in FrameMaker.

2. Choose File > Save As.

3. Select PDF from the Save As Type pop-up menu.

4. Specify a name in the File Name field and a location in the Save In field.

5. Click Save. The Acrobat Setup dialog box appears.

6. Setarticle threads as desired and then click Set.

Note: If no PDF file is created, check the default printer in the Chooser. Make sure that a PostScript printer is set up with the AdobePS printer driver and a PPD file.If you already have that configuration, set up a local printer with AdobePS and the Acrobat Distiller PPD file as your default before saving the FrameMaker file as PDF. The Acrobat Distiller PPD file is available on the Acrobat 4 CD-ROM.

Printing to File to Create a PDF File

To create a PDF file using the print to file method:

1. Open the document in FrameMaker.

2. Choose File > Page Setup, and then do the following:

a. Choose Acrobat PDF from the Format For pop-up menu.

b. Choose PostScript Options from the AdobePS Page Setup pop-up menu.

3. Select the desired PostScript options and then click OK. (PostScript options are important for image and text display. Smoothing text or substituting fonts can make files large and unwieldy.)

4. Click OK to close the dialog box.

5. Choose File > Print.

6. In the Print dialog box, choose Acrobat PDF from the Printer pop-up menu and choose File from the Destination pop-up menu. (If you do not see these choices, make sure that you chose Acrobat PDF as directed in step 2 and that you are using the AdobePS printer driver.)

7. Choose FrameMaker 5.5 from the unlabeled pop-up menu below the Printer pop-up menu and deselect Last Sheet First.

8.Choose Save As File from the pop-up menu (same pop-up menu as in step 7), and then do the following:

a.Choose PostScript Job from the Format pop-up menu.

b.Choose the level appropriate for your printer from the PostScript Level pop-up menu.

c.Choose Binary from the Data Format pop-up menu.

d.Choose All from the Font Inclusion pop-up menu. (This option helps avoid missing fonts in files you send to a service bureau.)

9. Select Printer Specific Options from the unlabeled pop-up menu below the Printer pop-up menu, and then select a resolution:

-Select 1200 dpi to produce a print-optimized PDF file for output to a color printer or digital color copier. (The Distiller PrintOptimized job option also uses a resolution of 1200 dpi.)

- Select 2400 to produce a press-optimized PDF file for output on a printing press or plotter. (Distiller's PressOptimized job option also uses a resolution of 2400 dpi.)

10. Select other options from the unlabeled pop-up menu to display different categories for which you can select settings. When you have selected all of your settings, click Save Settings and then click Distill. Your settings will be retained until you save them again.

11. Select a location and choose a name for the PostScript file and then click Save.