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What's a PDF File? What is Acrobat Reader?
A PDF or Portable Document Format file is a way of storing
a document so that it looks the same on all computers. The
free Acrobat Reader lets you read PDF files. You can download the program from the ITS Software Downloads pages.
A PDF file can be transferred to your computer, displayed
by the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, and
look the same everywhere (retaining tables, indenting, fonts,
images, etc), on a Macintosh, Unix or Windows computer.
It can also be printed
like any other document from your computer. However, accessibility
must be considered because PDF files don't work with screen
readers.
So how do I 'get' and/or save a PDF file?
 Usually
there will be a link, some blue words or a picture (button)
indicating the nature of the file. When you click on the
blue words, the file will be sent to your computer. You
may choose to save the file; you'll have a chance
to tell the computer where on the hard disk or a floppy
disk you want the file to go.
What will happen when I click on one of the blue links?
This will depend on whether the Web browser you are using
has been set to deal automatically with PDF files...
If the browser has been set?
The file will be transferred to your computer
and automatically loaded into the Acrobat Reader. You can
then print all or part of the document. If you want to save
the file on disk, another procedure must
be followed. If the browser is set wrongly (eg
it loads the wrong application), you can:
-
alter the setting (Nav3, use Options,
General Preferences, Helpers; Nav4, use Edit, Preferences,
Navigator, Applications)
or
-
force the browser to save the file on
your computer by clicking on the blue link with the
right mouse button (Windows) or click and hold on the
link (Macintosh). From the pop-up menu that appears,
choose Save this link as..., and then show the
computer where to save the document.
If the browser has NOT been set?
You will be shown a small window with 4
buttons, something like this...
Which button will you click?
If you just want to save the file so
you can, for example, take it away with you:
Click the Save file button and show
Navigator where you want the file saved. Then you can open
it later (here or elsewhere) using the Acrobat Reader.
If you want to save
the file, but it automatically gets loaded into Acrobat
when you click on the blue link:
Click the disk icon on the Acrobat Reader
menubar
You can then rename the document and save
it wherever you want it to be.
Why are documents made into PDF?
We usually use PDF files so you can get a portable copy
of some learning material.
A Web page with 15 images is made up of 16 separate files.
If you want to see the page when you're not connected to
the internet, you'll have to save these 16 separate files
and arrange them correctly on your own computer. The same
long document saved as PDF is one file.
When a file is saved as PDF, the formatting of the document
(the instructions for which parts of the document are bold,
italic, enlarged fonts, etc) is preserved. In whichever
type of computer the file is opened, the pages will look
the same.
You can transfer the file to the computer you're using,
take it home on a floppy disk and open it with your Acrobat
Reader. You can read it when you choose and e.g. print
just page seven.
How to print a PDF file
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