PDF Creator ?

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 11:13 am

At work we're looking for a cost effective way to create PDF documents in order to cut down on our FAX bill. We do have a scanner and the ability to do this (which we do) but it is quite cumbersome and time consuming.

Our IT guy suggested PDF Creator (open source) and gave me a link. Any comments or other suggestions before I download and install this thing?

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 1:51 pm

Umm... use Word? I know Word 2007 gives you the option to save the document as a PDF

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:02 pm

I guess I should have explained a little more. Within our online business software there are a ton of documents that we are currently printing and then faxing to customers, agents and carriers. I want to be able to Print/Save the document as a PDF file and then email to the recipient. Sometimes the file will need to be saved so we know what we sent the customer and sometimes just a simple "email" is enough with the attached document.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:05 pm

What scanner do you use? Many commercial copiers/scanners have the option to save as jpg, pdf, etc... Have you checked your settings?

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:09 pm

Yes, we have a very powerful scanner that will scan 100's of documents in a minute. It also allows us to create PDF files. The problem is that I still have to print the document and then scan it, then locate the PDF file on the server and then email it. Our IT guy is not that accomodating and I'm looking for and "all in" solution that I can use from my desk.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:15 pm

Easto wrote:Yes, we have a very powerful scanner that will scan 100's of documents in a minute. It also allows us to create PDF files. The problem is that I still have to print the document and then scan it, then locate the PDF file on the server and then email it. Our IT guy is not that accomodating and I'm looking for and "all in" solution that I can use from my desk.

Most biz grade scanners allow you to scan to file and save that file on a share on the server, via SMB. Sounds like you're doing too many steps on your scanner....try just scanning to a file and directly saving on the server.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:23 pm

Thanks, I need to talk to my IT guy. I would like to avoid the process of having to scan the document and then email it. If I have to get up and walk across the room to scan it and then locate the file, email it etc. it would be just as easy to us the fax machine that is 2 steps away from my desk.

I'm not trying to be lazy, I just think there's got to be a way to basically take the "screen shot" and conver it to PDF and then email it. I have to do 50 to 60 of these each day and I'm looking to save some time.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:27 pm

Easto wrote: I have to do 50 to 60 of these each day and I'm looking to save some time.

If your office does that much....I would seriously be getting a networked scanner that did save files to a server share, and/or send to a mailbox. Plenty of networked scanners that do that, Canon imageRunner series are popular..with man options. Scan to folder, or scan to a mailbox on your exchange server, etc. If you guys don't currently have one, and you're doing that much work...I'd be convincing management to upgrade to one that supports those features. Time is money!

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 2:45 pm

What online software? And what language is it written in? Stuff in a database? Easy to query a db and output the data in a formatted PDF which can be downloaded or stored/saved to a writable directory.

Or, use a PDF printer driver. doPDF is a simple one that prints any file to a virtual PDF printer. Open any file in any software and use File > Print > select doPDF Printer > the result is a generated PDF file.

Ken · Post by **Ken** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:39 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:If your office does that much....I would seriously be getting a networked scanner that did save files to a server share, and/or send to a mailbox. Plenty of networked scanners that do that, Canon imageRunner series are popular..with man options. Scan to folder, or scan to a mailbox on your exchange server, etc. If you guys don't currently have one, and you're doing that much work...I'd be convincing management to upgrade to one that supports those features. Time is money!

Yeah, that is what we use, Canon imageRunner. (I forget the model number, but it is big and can do just about anything.) It will allow you to fax from your desk as it is networked, however, to scan you physically have to go to the scanner. You can set it to send the scan to where ever you specify though, such as the server or your computer, etc...
It appears that perhaps the IT guy needs a bit of motivation...

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:40 pm

Easto wrote:Our IT guy is not that accomodating

Sounds like me.

Ken wrote:It appears that perhaps the IT guy needs a bit of
motivation...

We have those imagerunners and I hate them.

Sorry Easto, not laughing at your situation, but laughing at your IT guy.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:46 am

I appreciate all the suggestions and comments. It looks like I'm going to have to go with the freeware PDF Creator for now.

Our IT guy, on top of being what I consider a little to young to understand the concept of responsiblity to his job, is way over his head and I seriously doubt that he could implement a setup that would work for the whole office.

On another point: He really screwed up our network about 5 months ago. We got hit with either a virus or something (I didn't look into it) so he did something and now when we log onto the network (XP machines) it takes 3 to 4 minutes before we can use our computers. On top of that he has closed up the firewall in ways that make it almost impossible to reach an outside site. It will alow us to say... go the the LA Times to look at the news but it will crash and we have to refresh once or twice before the site will come up. Sorry, just a little rant there.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:20 pm

Ouch.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:28 am

Easto wrote:I appreciate all the suggestions and comments. It looks like I'm going to have to go with the freeware PDF Creator for now.

Our IT guy, on top of being what I consider a little to young to understand the concept of responsiblity to his job, is way over his head and I seriously doubt that he could implement a setup that would work for the whole office.

On another point: He really screwed up our network about 5 months ago. We got hit with either a virus or something (I didn't look into it) so he did something and now when we log onto the network (XP machines) it takes 3 to 4 minutes before we can use our computers. On top of that he has closed up the firewall in ways that make it almost impossible to reach an outside site. It will alow us to say... go the the LA Times to look at the news but it will crash and we have to refresh once or twice before the site will come up. Sorry, just a little rant there.

The company that you lease the big network scanners from, (99.9% of those are leased, not fully purchased) will support it, come in and set it up, train you, that's part of their service. The guys I use work closely with my clients all the time on these machines. If the machine doesn't have the options to do what you want (like scan directly to SMB shares on a server)...they can upgrade the unit..usually for little more cost since you're already paying the lease on the current unit. I'd seriously talk to someone about it...if you're doing 50-60 per day.....that's an incredible waste of time..the current way you're doing it. Talking to your boss should bring out that point.

As for your long login periods and your IT guys changes, that's a DNS issue, your workstations are looking for active directory to log into and it's not working properly because it's being handed one that it cannot contact, or it's being handed incorrect ones. Try this as a test....with your computer turned off...unplug the patch cable from your computer, now boot it up...and log in. Since it's not being given a DNS server via DHCP (since it's unplugged) it will log in using cached credentials..and probably log in quickly to desktop.

Plug it in and reboot again..now it will be slow again.

maroon · Post by **maroon** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:28 pm

Why don't you just use CutePDF writer? It sets up like a virtual printer and instead of actually printing the document, it converts your doc to a .pdf file and you rename and save it in whatever location you want. Sounds similar to what you mentioned on your first post. It's free and easy.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 6:12 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:
As for your long login periods and your IT guys changes, that's a DNS issue, your workstations are looking for active directory to log into and it's not working properly because it's being handed one that it cannot contact, or it's being handed incorrect ones. Try this as a test....with your computer turned off...unplug the patch cable from your computer, now boot it up...and log in. Since it's not being given a DNS server via DHCP (since it's unplugged) it will log in using cached credentials..and probably log in quickly to desktop. Plug it in and reboot again..now it will be slow again.

I have to try this again. I don't think the cached credentials will work for me because deep freeze wipes out everything on restart.

dwightgenius · Post by **dwightgenius** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:01 am

To convert a Word file to a pdf file, here are 3 free methods:

Method A (only for Office 2007) :
Download and install the Office Addin: 2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS (http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/4/b/f4bfd843-a0b6-4031-aa98-0a3db7403d0f/SaveAsPDFandXPS.exe) so that you can save your word files as pdf files directly after finishing: click "Office button" on the top-left corner--"Save as"--"PDF or XPS"--select ""PDF (*.pdf)"--"Publish".

Method B (for Office 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2010):
Use the free Office to pdf converter Moyea PPT to PDF Converter
http://www.dvd-ppt-slideshow.com/ppt-pdf-converter/
to convert your word files to pdf files directly. It supports batch conversion.

Method C (only for Office 2010):
If you are using Word 2010, you can save the Word files to pdf files directly: "File"--"Save as"--Select "PDF (*.pdf)"--"Save"