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Author Topic: free anything to pdf printer  (Read 13631 times)

mouser

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free anything to pdf printer
« on: March 11, 2006, 09:58 AM »
http://www.primopdf.com/

Convert to PDF from any application by simply 'printing' to the PrimoPDF® printer - it couldn't be easier! Within minutes, you can create high-quality PDFs by converting from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and virtually any other printable file type.
FREE PDF Converter - not a trial version.
Print to PDF from virtually any application.
Create PDF output optmized for print, screen, ebook, or prepress.
No annoying pop-up ads, no registration requirement - no catch!
High-quality, easy to use PDF creator for all users.


clip_image003.jpg

free for home use; pay for developer or enterprise us.


from http://riccardo.raneri.it/blog/eng/

wr975

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2006, 05:55 PM »
Here's one I like. 100% free, no nags, banners, watermarks,.... Also free for commercial use. I'm especially fond of printing/joining different documents into one pdf.

FreePDF XP

mouser

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2006, 09:52 PM »

mouser

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2006, 09:53 PM »
if anyone tries these different ones and wants to give us a report on how well they compare, would be appreciated.

Rover

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2006, 10:06 PM »
My personal favorite is Cute PDF http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp

It works just like any other printer.  Uses Ghostscript and creates nice normal PDF Files with no watermarks, nags or anything.

For doing things like including or excluding pages from PDF files, I bought PDF995.  You can also sign PDF files with the PDF 995 suite. 
Insert Brilliant Sig line here

lanux128

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2006, 07:53 PM »
another useful pdf tool, it's doesn't print though... ;-)

If PDF is electronic paper, then pdftk is an electronic staple-remover, hole-punch, binder, secret-decoder-ring, and X-Ray-glasses. Pdftk is a command-line tool for doing everyday things with PDF documents. Keep one in the top drawer of your desktop and use it to:

    * Merge PDF Documents
    * Split PDF Pages into a New Document
    * Decrypt Input as Necessary (Password Required)
    * Encrypt Output as Desired
    * Fill PDF Forms with FDF Data and/or Flatten Forms
    * Apply a Background Watermark
    * Report on PDF Metrics such as Metadata, Bookmarks, and Page Labels
    * Update PDF Metadata
    * Attach Files to PDF Pages or the PDF Document
    * Unpack PDF Attachments
    * Burst a PDF Document into Single Pages
    * Uncompress and Re-Compress Page Streams
    * Repair Corrupted PDF (Where Possible)

Pdftk allows you to manipulate PDF easily and freely. It does not require Acrobat, and it runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD and Solaris.

Pdftk is free software (GPL).
- website

Source: www.accesspdf.com/pdftk/

Edvard

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2006, 12:56 PM »
I've tried many of these, and after living through crashes, black pdfs and other annoyances that will keep me from doing a mini-review , I have settled on these two as "best of breed"

PDF995 (Shareware, unrestricted, US $9.95)
http://www.pdf995.com
This is what I recommend for folks who need to make pdf's from their CAD software so I can print it for them or for sending to others. Dead simple to set up and use, all paper sizes are included as well as space for custom sizes. It's even free to use unrestricted as long as you don't mind popup ads for, um, themselves. And fer pete's sake, it's only 10 bucks minus a nickel, jeez.

PDFCreator (Freeware, Open Source)
http://sourceforge.n...projects/pdfcreator/
My personal favorite. Lots of options including printing to formats other than PDF, lots of paper and screen sizes to choose from. Requires installing Ghostscript (included in some of the PDFCreator downloads). The amount of options and the fact that it requires installing a 3rd-party postscript library may make it a bit daunting for some folks, but that's how I like it; nice and techy-like.

For my suite of PDF mightyness, I use PDFTK (mentioned above), PDF Blender, Ghostview and PStoEdit. So there.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2006, 01:31 PM by Edvard »

m_s

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2006, 02:04 PM »
I have used PrimoPDF for a year or two, and it's dead simple and efficient.  I like it.  Tempted by some of the other tools mentioned here, since I'm just needing to reinstall on my newly formatted machine, but I think I'm going to go with what I know...  PrimoPDF.

Keilup

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2006, 05:06 PM »
I primarily use CutePDF and have tried most all mentioned.  Here's another decent one:

PDF reDirect
http://www.exp-systems.com/

moerl

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2006, 06:55 PM »
Check out http://www.snapfiles...em/fwpdftools_r.html
Very nice list of PDF tools ;)

I'm looking for a free PDF printer that will allow me to print specific pages from a document. For example, if I just want to print page 3 of a 6-page document, I would like to be able to do that. PrimoPDF and CutePDF seem to be most popular. PDF995 seems extremely impressive as well. Now, will someone help me choose between these three? :)

Edvard

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2006, 11:51 AM »
More...

Pdftk Gui (and other pdf goodies)
http://www.paehl.de/pdf/
Pdftk Gui written in AutoHotkey:
http://www.autohotke...viewtopic.php?t=1446
Xpdf: (I haven't tested this yet, but it looks interesting)
http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf

skywalka

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2006, 03:03 AM »
Does anybody know a program to extract images from pdf files?

jgpaiva

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2006, 06:14 AM »
Does anybody know a program to extract images from pdf files?
I think that BitmapRip is exactlly what you're looking for! :D

skywalka

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Re: free anything to pdf printer
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2006, 01:49 AM »
Nice thread, thanx.