Preserved Topic: Adobe Acrobat , Photoshop & PDFs

Hi everyone,
Question for those who actively work with PDF files?

I have to export pdfs through Quark and Photoshop on a daily basis for both web and print. While in photoshop, I just save the file as a pdf. In Quark it is a whole other story ? we run acrobat distiller and this formats the file(s) into a page-by-page layout (like you see most pdf documents via the web).

The issue is such: I generated pdfs all the time and will need to continue to do so ? but, we need to upgrade our software and I don?t know what to buy! Will Adobe Acrobat assume the roll of Photoshop & Acrobat Distiller?

Also, do the pdf files created in Photoshop actively compete with pdf files generated via Acrobat? Is there a quality or file size difference? Thanks in advance to anyone that has a response.


natazha

I've only used Acrobat 3 (long time ago) but since nobody has
answered yet...i don't see why you would have problems...i'm
not sure what you mean by taking on the role of PS....Acrobat
is not a bitmap editor, so if you're just using PS to save as pdf, well
that's what Acrobat does best...sorry, can't be more helpful than
that and ..... www.adobe.com.

Hummm? the role of Photoshop & Acrobat Distiller; I know this is an abstract question and way technical to boot -- I am actually waiting for a response from the powers that be at Adobe. I was just hoping that someone on this forum could give me some additional technical insight. It is so hard to locate USER information on this topic.

I am just trying to find out what the best means is for producing pdf files (for both the web and print). i.e. Why does Adobe have three programs that export/format pdf files & which one is the easiest to use?

Maybe I posted in the wrong area? If so, sorry.


natazha

We do much the same at work so I'll offer a couple views. Please keep in mind this is my spin on print ONLY. We don't do any web stuff at all.

We also want to move toward a total PDF work flow but don't have the software for it. Mostly it's the RIPs that can't handle PDFs. ATM it's just ad sends (tif/it) that need to be PDF and we use quark to write the PS and acrobat 5 (distiller) to write the separated PDF though it's in a version 4 format.

First thing to remember in electronic prepress is as soon as someone says "NEVER DO THIS" someone else will say "we do that all the time". Having said that I'll give ya the run down as we use it.

Never save Illustrator, Pagemaker or Quark files as PDF. It might work fine but more often you won't get what you expected. A good example is if we print a quark PDF with the 1 printer that can handle it ( epson 7000 with Dupont RIP) it looses all trapping. We always drop whatever into quark (usually a Tif or EPS ) and write a postscript.

I'm told Photoshop makes a PDF just fine but we never have reason to use it.

[The issue is such: ....
but, we need to upgrade our software and I don?t know what to buy!
Will Adobe Acrobat assume the roll of Photoshop & Acrobat Distiller?]

You do realize if you buy Acrobat you get distiller with it. Or has that changed?

From everything I've been told Acrobat (and distiller) make the best PDF out there. The real issues we have are what version to save as. A lot of small pubs use older software so sometimes they need version 3 or 4 files. Version 5 lets you do it all but you'll have to set up the options to suit your needs.

I hope this helps. If not let me know and I'll pick the brains of the folks at work.

Dave..

We have both in my office. We move files from PS to Quark via EPS file format.

Adobe Acrobat will save into PDF formate with ANY (REPEATE ANY) program. It creates a psudo printer that you print to and that converts the file to a PDF.

The process works fine for us.

natazha,

Like Dave S, I only work in print so can only give you a couple of hints. First if I knew exactly what kind of job it was you are working on I could be a little more focused on my advice but I'll give it a shot. As for PS or Distiller it shouldn't be one or the other. When you need to have something made or scanned in ps to be a pdf just save it as so. If you're designing a layout in Quark that has imported files as well as native quark elements, use distiller. There is a pdf filter/extension that makes making a pdf in quark a little easier. Not sure who its made by. Acrobat & Distiller ARE the same thing. Most important though is to check with you printer/ Service bureau about their specs on how they need you to set the preferences in distiller. Alot of printers are different. Hope this helped a little bit.