This is a tutorial on how to create PDF files using a 3rd party program set known as Ghost Scripting. If you dont want to buy Acrobat Reader Pro and just leave it as the free version this is the way of going about it on a Windows Operating System. But you still need Acrobat Reader Standered so if you haven't downloaded it... Get it.

First we need to install a "Fake Printer." This printer will print to file so lets get started. Goto Start-Settings-Printers and Faxes and then double click Add Printer. Now the wizard should open up. Hit Next. Make a Local Printer and uncheck Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer and hit Next. Now Use the following port: FILE: (Print to File) and hit Next. Now you need to pick a printer from the list I'm using Lexmark Optra Plus PS but if you dont have that you might have to keep looking. But make sure you have a color printer otherwise your PDF wont work. Hit Next a bunch and install.

Now when you hit print in whatever program make sure you set your printer up like this. It will then ask where to save it and you have that first part done. I would suggest saving it right away as a .ps (post script) because otherwise you have to change its extention anyway to that. Now you need to download GSview and GhostScript here at http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/ and install them. GSview is the GUI (Graphic User Interface) and the GhostScript is the file that actually does the converting. It just makes it easier this way.
After installing these programs double click on your file you saved as a .ps and you dont have to register the program its always free. So hit OK. Next you should see your printed file. I noticed mine is dark but after its a PDF it wont look that way. So goto File-Convert. Then you should have something that looks like the image to the left. I use 600 resolution but you can use any of them not much of a different result unless you have rastor images in them. A rastor image is something like a jpeg and bitmap and if you zoom in it will look bad and pixelated. Now that you have it all setup hit Ok. Lastly save it with the file extention .pdf and you have your adobe friendly file. I hope this was helpful.


The work of Mark Matta
e-mail: freepupet@yahoo.com phone: 586-219-2368