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A software program that can be used to turn DOCs and other files into PDFs

A software program that can be used to turn DOCs and other files into PDFs

Vote: (213 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: pdfforge GmbH

Version: 5.1.1

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(213 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

pdfforge GmbH

5.1.1

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Converts many image formats to PDF
  • Works with any program that supports printing
  • Generates documents surprisingly fast

Cons

  • Watermarks modified documents
  • Injects spacing errors into some types of files

PDFCreator is a tool that allows users to create portable document format files from nearly any application that they have open elsewhere on their computers. The app is capable of converting any of the following formats to PDF:

  • TIFF
  • JPG
  • PNG
  • EPS
  • BMP
  • PCX

More than likely, this represents an overwhelming majority of the formats that most people are going to come across in terms of at least images and layout files. Those who have a file in a more exotic type of format are often free to convert it into one of these options before they're able to turn it into a PDF.

Chances are that most PC users today have at least some way to load a PDF file. Modern web browsers can usually do so without the presence of a helper application. The problem is that quite a few computer users run into a situation where they can't create PDFs, since the format is at least somewhat protected as far as creation goes.

Instead of working like a traditional PDF authoring program, PDFCreator functions as a virtual printer that sits in the print dialog box of nearly any application until you're ready to use it. If you can print from a program, then you use it to create a PDF file.

That means that any word processing application works with PDFCreator. You could theoretically create PDF files from anything you have stored in a text editor or even your web browser. Power users who regularly print from command line applications can have these redirect their output to PDFCreator, which will then create PDF files that are typeset in an attractive fixed-pitch font so you won't have to worry about the columns getting messed up.

On top of this, PDFCreator comes with a wide variety of additional features that should help to make it even easier to use. For instance, the app offers page rotation and password protection. The preset settings usually convert files within seconds, but those who are serious about getting the most out of the software can further optimize it so that they can ensure an almost instantaneous conversion rate.

Computer lab managers can set various user profiles, so each individual who logs into a computer can call their own settings up before they start to create PDF files. Private users in a home office setting might want to mess with this feature so that they can have a separate profile for each type of conversion they do. For instance, you might want to set one up for work documents and another to process those for school.

Virtual printers are becoming more common, but they aren't yet a household concept. New users shouldn't find it too difficult to work with PDFCreator once its installed, however. Basically, PDFCreator lies to Windows and tells the operating system that it's a physical printer attached to your system. The operating system records the fictitious data about the printer and sends documents to it to be printed.

When this happens, PDFCreator records what would have been printed and turns it into a PDF document. You're then free to save it anywhere. This actually makes it useful for those who want to save paper as well, since PDF documents are almost as flexible as actual paper copies without ever using up any pages or ink. You might even want to install the app as part of your attempts to go green. When you'd otherwise print something, you could send it to PDFCreator and then move the resultant PDF file over to a mobile device to carry with you instead of bringing around a hard copy version. This will certainly also save some physical space.

Merging multiple documents is just as easy as creating new ones. You might occasionally want to collate a number of different files into one single document. When this need arises, PDFCreator provides a handy option that gives you the ability to merge a virtually unlimited number of files together. That's especially useful for those who might find themselves working with a large amount of business correspondence. It's also an excellent tool for people who have to regularly edit spreadsheets and may find it hard to get more than one ledger to stay together otherwise.

Pros

  • Converts many image formats to PDF
  • Works with any program that supports printing
  • Generates documents surprisingly fast

Cons

  • Watermarks modified documents
  • Injects spacing errors into some types of files

Pros

  • Numerous Options
  • Multiple Format Compatibilities
  • Password-Protect Documents
  • Graphic File Creation

Cons

  • Page Numbering Issues

PDFCreator is a piece of software that will convert almost any file format into a PDF file. This is exceptionally helpful when you need to convert a Word file into a universal PDF.

It should be noted that some security software will detect a virus threat from the installation process of PDFCreator, but that threat has been proven to be a false positive. The software is certified by a trusted antivirus consultant, and it is guaranteed to be safe.

In essence, this software is nothing more than a virtual printer. Instead of outputting physical pieces of paper, it outputs PDFs. When prepping a file to be exported as a PDF, you can select from a number of different options to optimize the final product. You can rotate the page into any configuration, and you can change the level of compression used on text and images. If you don't have much experience with file creation, it's best to use the file profile that is loaded by default. You could also select a preloaded setting if you're so inclined.

Of course, if you have even a small amount of experience working with computers, you can probably create the perfect PDF with all your desired customizations by simply tweaking the setup menu to your specifications.

If you want to add a level of protection to your files, you can protect them with passwords that use three layers of encryption. For greater security, you can employ a digital signature. Once documents are prepped for exporting, you can decide where to send that PDF. You could email it to someone or send it directly to the printer to create a physical copy.

You can also use PDFCreator to convert PDF files into a number of other formats, like RAW, TXT, PNG, BMP, or JPEG. The option is given in the export menu, but it is set to PDF by default.

It's important to remember that this app is essentially a virtual printer, so it works best when provided with files that are already prepped for conversion. Most standard files don't require any special preparation to make them ready for conversion.

With this software, you can make PDFs in two different ways. The first way requires that you open the file you wish to convert with its native app. Once in that native app with the file open, go to the Print option and change the printer to PDFCreator.

The second way to make a PDF is to open PDFCreator directly, then select the menu titled Document/Add near the top of the app. The drop down menu will provide several options, but select All Files. Choose a save path, then click the Save button. The interface for PDFCreator is fairly dull, but it doesn't require any flash. In some instances, the software has trouble converting text files that contain many images.

Pros

  • Numerous Options
  • Multiple Format Compatibilities
  • Password-Protect Documents
  • Graphic File Creation

Cons

  • Page Numbering Issues