Printing to PDF from Word?

gord · 2 Feb 2009 at 16:21

Hi all,

I am printing a word document to PDF and the image quality in the PDF is appalling.

This is because I am using PNG's in the word document with transparency. Now it has come to light that printing to a PostScript printer from Word drops the alpha channel which is ruining the quality of the edges for the images.

So, my main question is.. What other ways are there to convert my word doc to PDF?

Of course I can redesign my word doc with non transparent images, although it sometimes fluffs the CMYK/RGB conversion for the backgrounds.

Any help is much appreciated.

Pho · 2 Feb 2009 at 16:32

Have you tried the word to PDF plug-in that comes with Acrobat Professional?

Agent0range · 2 Feb 2009 at 16:35

How are you converting your word doc to PDF? Would using Office 2007 and the PDF add-on work better maybe?

Chris1712 · 2 Feb 2009 at 16:39

File > Save As PDF? Works ok here!

BarKeep · 2 Feb 2009 at 16:40

If your using Office 2007 try:

2007 Microsoft Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=F1FC413C-6D89-4F15-991B-63B07BA5F2E5&displaylang=en

gord · 2 Feb 2009 at 17:13

Im on 2003 (ergo no Save -> PDF), but my company does have 07 licenses so I can upgrade.

The PDFMaker (which is the Acrobat Pro plug-in isnt it?) just screwed my Word. It minimises the window and opens design view.. so I think its getting confused with the Macros.

The guy at the bottom of here http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3c063437 does suggest using 2007 to avoid the PS Printer ruining my transparencies.

Alex R · 2 Feb 2009 at 17:35

What about using open office? If you can get it loaded on a work PC...

MivkM · 2 Feb 2009 at 17:44

Think PDF995 will do it, have used this befor.

swinnie · 2 Feb 2009 at 18:17

Not sure how it performs with transparent PNG's, but you could try CutePDF Writer, and 'print' to it. Worth a shot?

1dmf · 2 Feb 2009 at 18:20

PDFCreator or PrimoPDF are quite good free converters.

If you have the full version of Acrobat, it might be the distiller needs configuring to give better quality output.

nade · 2 Feb 2009 at 20:07

CutePDF - Freeware and brilliant. Needs ghostscript installed, but it doesn't cause any probs and works great. CutePDF installs as a printer, you just select to print to it and it asks you to save the PDF file somewhere

philjohn · 2 Feb 2009 at 20:35

Upgrade to 2k7, the save as pdf is very good indeed.

Draeger · 2 Feb 2009 at 20:37

nade said:
CutePDF - Freeware and brilliant. Needs ghostscript installed, but it doesn't cause any probs and works great. CutePDF installs as a printer, you just select to print to it and it asks you to save the PDF file somewhere

Agreed, I posted a thread about converting docs to PDF's and CutePDF was a recommendation.

I tried it and it's a cracking little app.

gord · 2 Feb 2009 at 21:58

As far as I am aware, all of the "free" converters are PostScript printers, which means they all suffer from the problem I have described.

I think upgrading to 2007 might be the most viable option, but I will test it with someone who has 2007 first.

Thanks guys.

Draeger · 2 Feb 2009 at 23:18

@gord.....I have Office 2007 installed on my business laptop.

Email me a "test" ( My email is in my Trust ) file you want to attempt to print out in Office 2007 and I can convert it over then email you back with the result for you to try and print out to see if its any better?.