MS Publisher/Adobe/PDF help required please

Slinky

I've recently started publishing a small magazine using MS Publisher. I've had problems when people have sent me pdf files for inclusion, as using the copy (Capital T surrounded by dotted line) has produced fuzzy results when it got to the commercial printers. As these pdf files are adverts which people are paying for, I need them to be best quality.

I'm running Publisher 2003 on Windows XP. It's been suggested to me that I get hold of a copy of Adobe Acrobat 5.0 which should allow me to save the pdf files as high quality jpgs and hey presto, end of quality problem.

I've checked out some specs on this version of Adobe, but all I can find is bits referring to being able to save many file formats as pdf files. Can somebody who knows Adobe 5.0 please let me know if it is possible to save pdfs as jpgs, before I go and waste money on the wrong software.

Also, I've seen used versions of Adobe 5.0 for sale on ebay - does anybody know whether I would have problems installing a used version which has presumably been registered to sombody else.

Thanks for your help :-)

asot

Acrobat 5 can export to JPG amongst other things.

I don't think you'll have problems installing a used version because Adobe, to my knowledge, haven't introduced "activation" to their products until recently. Even at present not all their products include "activation".

Just for your information, Acrobat 5 has been superseeded by 6 and 7 now. Although obviously this may not be necessary.


Also for your information there are many freeware and shareware applications out there which can work on PDFs. I've just done a quick search and found a shareware application http://www.pdfimagemagic.com/ which only costs £15. Obviously this is limited to converting pdfs to images only though and doesn't include Acrobats full range of features.

grumbler

I have Acrobat 5.0, but am not great on it.

Slinky wrote:

I've checked out some specs on this version of Adobe, but all I can find is bits referring to being able to save many file formats as pdf files.

I do not understend the question...

..please let me know if it is possible to save pdfs as jpgs, before I go and waste money on the wrong software.

The following formats are available via ‘Save as’ drop-down menu:
(*.pdf), (*.eps), (*.jpg,*.jpeg,*.jpe), (*.png), (*.ps), (*.rtf), (*.txt), (*.tif)

shrek101

I use Adobe 6 and 7, and can import jpegs. However it may well be the case that people are sending you imported jpegs that are compressed a lot and or Adobe can save pdf's with more compression, hence that a possible cause as to why pdf's turn out badly when printed. I also save at the lowest compression possible.

Debt_Free_Chick

Couldn't your customers just send you jpegs to insert into Publisher?

Slinky

Debt_Free_Chick wrote:

Couldn't your customers just send you jpegs to insert into Publisher?

That's what I ask for, but it isn't always what I get. Some snotty person at an agency told me that pdf 'really is the industry standard' - trouble is I use MS Publisher which won't let you import jpgs.

Having had problems already, which I suspect will only get worse, it's just easier for me to find a way around the prroblem if it isn't too expensive, rather than having to reject ads (and turn down money) if they're not in the right format.

Slinky

shrek101 wrote:

I use Adobe 6 and 7, and can import jpegs. However it may well be the case that people are sending you imported jpegs that are compressed a lot and or Adobe can save pdf's with more compression, hence that a possible cause as to why pdf's turn out badly when printed. I also save at the lowest compression possible.

My problem is that I can't do anything other than a 'cut and paste' solution from a pdf into Publisher. If it comes out poor quality, there isn't any way I can improve things. My printer was able, with a lot of tweaking, to save the pdf as high quality jpg, which got it good enough to insert back into my publication. The printer is being very good to me at the moment, but I suspect before too long I'll get charged for all the messing about they've had to do for me, so I want to sort this out for myself.

Sounds like a secondhand copy of Adobe 5 will do the trick.

shrek101

Slinky you mention MS publisher unable to import jpegs which version do you have? I use Mspub 2003 and you can insert jpegs Its Insert/Picture/From File (and whate ever file associated with MSPub) Jpegs work fine.

In Adobe Acrobat when creating a Adobe PDf you can insert jpegs and save at a reduced format if necessary, hence jpegs can be more compressed if you so wish.

I often get artifects with jpegs from else where and use Paint Shop Pro to try and fix them this option is in Paint shop pro in menu Adjust/add and remove/ Jpeg artifect removal.

Slinky

shrek101 wrote:

Slinky you mention MS publisher unable to import jpegs which version do you have? I use Mspub 2003 and you can insert jpegs Its Insert/Picture/From File (and whate ever file associated with MSPub) Jpegs work fine.

In Adobe Acrobat when creating a Adobe PDf you can insert jpegs and save at a reduced format if necessary, hence jpegs can be more compressed if you so wish.

I often get artifects with jpegs from else where and use Paint Shop Pro to try and fix them this option is in Paint shop pro in menu Adjust/add and remove/ Jpeg artifect removal.

Ooops I meant to say I couldnt import pdfs into Publisher, not jpgs, I have no problem with lovely jpgs

eels_2

If you are having professionally printed you should be asking for everything with a 300 dpi resolution at final print size. Anything less will give bad results.
If those people telling you that PDF is now the industry standard don't know how to export their file as a JPEG for you (from Acrobat) then they don't know much.
One tip though, if you're talking to pro's in the trade don't mention Publisher as most don't have anything good to say about it & may well look down their noses.
If you really want to get up there, make as much money as possible to invest in a copy of Quark Xpress or Adobe InDesign.