February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From?

RoboAdmin · 02-03-2018, 11:00 PM

February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From?

Read this article on the Illuminator.

ColBosch · 02-03-2018, 11:32 PM

Smarsh missed one I've seen used by some companies: instead of using OCR software on old books, just scan each page as an image. Then, in a hidden layer, put in any important words that appear on the page so someone can "search" and it'll go to the correct page, but you can't actually copy the text. This is a terrible thing to do, mind, but it is done.

Bengt · 02-03-2018, 11:47 PM

You can print to pdf on Windows as well. Select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as your printer in the print dialog (though you may want to turn of headers and stuff in the setting as it will try to make pdf look as close as possible to what the printer puts out). It will be searchable if the document was.

Also, Microsoft Word is a commercial product. For an actually free (in both software meanings of the word) there is for instance the LibreOffice office suite (where you get searchable PDFs from the "Export as PDF..." in the File menu).

RogerBW · 02-04-2018, 06:29 AM

Last time I had to use Windows, there were free "printer drivers" that would let you print to PDF from any program. (And once it's in PDF, it's easy to manipulate, strip out pages, combine files together, etc.) There's also the commercial Acrobat Distiller.

02-03-2018, 11:00 PM	#1
RoboAdmin Spam Assassin Join Date: May 2009 Location: Here	February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From? February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From? Read this article on the Illuminator.

02-03-2018, 11:32 PM	#2
ColBosch Join Date: May 2007	Re: February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From? Smarsh missed one I've seen used by some companies: instead of using OCR software on old books, just scan each page as an image. Then, in a hidden layer, put in any important words that appear on the page so someone can "search" and it'll go to the correct page, but you can't actually copy the text. This is a terrible thing to do, mind, but it is done.

02-03-2018, 11:47 PM	#3
Bengt Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ronneby, Sweden	Re: February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From? You can print to pdf on Windows as well. Select "Microsoft Print to PDF" as your printer in the print dialog (though you may want to turn of headers and stuff in the setting as it will try to make pdf look as close as possible to what the printer puts out). It will be searchable if the document was. Also, Microsoft Word is a commercial product. For an actually free (in both software meanings of the word) there is for instance the LibreOffice office suite (where you get searchable PDFs from the "Export as PDF..." in the File menu).

02-04-2018, 06:29 AM	#4
RogerBW Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: near London, UK	Re: February 4, 2018: Where Do PDFs Come From? Last time I had to use Windows, there were free "printer drivers" that would let you print to PDF from any program. (And once it's in PDF, it's easy to manipulate, strip out pages, combine files together, etc.) There's also the commercial Acrobat Distiller. __________________ Podcast: Improvised Radio Theatre - With Dice Gaming stuff here: Tekeli-li! Blog; Webcomic Laager and Limehouse Buy things by me on Warehouse 23