PDF Software

[steamboateng]

I am looking for free or low cost software to convert MS Word documents, with graphics inserted, into a PDF format, for distribution of Trainz info and possible tutorials. I see a product called Desk PDF for $30 US. Will it do the job? Any suggestions?
Regards

 

[colin55]

http://en.pdf24.org/pdf-creator.jsp

 

[Mick_Berg]

I am looking for free or low cost software to convert MS Word documents, with graphics inserted, into a PDF format, for distribution of Trainz info and possible tutorials. I see a product called Desk PDF for $30 US. Will it do the job? Any suggestions?
Regards

Try Open Office, a free open source equivalent of Microsoft Office. I think it will convert to PDF. You will probably have to convert your .doc files to their standard first, before saving as PDF.

If you don't want to take the time to install Open Office just to find out, send me one page of your document with a graphic on it and I will try it out. (I no longer have MS Office so I can't try it out on a .doc file)
Mick Berg.

 

[steamboateng]

Thanks for the reference colin. I'll look into it.
Mick Berg, I have MS Office 2003 Student edition, which is more than enough for my needs. Don't think I want to get involved with another office app, even if its free. I'm familiar with the one I got. Sorry, haven't been paying much attention to content creation w/Blender lately.....presently hung up on texture creation and mapping. I have two pieces of rolling stock nearly completed at this time.
I'm up to my neck in TrainzDem now, trying to get a switching route created from Boston, Ma to Salem, Ma., which was a busy area for railroading in its heyday.
There are no tutes available for using the US Seamless Server and converting historical USGS raster maps in TrainsDem. (My route is based on 1943-1949 USGS maps) I'd like to do one and export it in pdf format as it's common to most computers with Adobe Reader (or similar) dowload, and the files are relatively small.
Regards

 

[Thai1On]

I will be making a route based on old maps so I'll be one of your first customers downloading your tutorials. Thank you for your hard work as the Trainz community keeps getting better all the time :wave:.

 

[Euphod]

I just opened my Open Office, and it doesn't seem to save to pdf.

 

[steamboateng]

I think I can put out a decent tute w/maps, as the maps are not under copyright. I'm about halfway thruough with processing the dems now. Need to get a few formatting issues cleared up in TrainDem before I import the data to convert to Trainz baseboards w/the rastermap data included. This will alow laying track directly over the raster map which will include yard and juction info as a graphic overlay.
But I'm still in need of info on a decent pdf converter.

 

[paulzmay]

Bullzip is brilliant and free.

Paul

 

[andi06]

Your best bet is OpenOffice. Version 3 or later will open your word or excel files correctly without conversion and has a File/Export to PDF option which produces a good quality PDF file.

 

[n8phu]

Look for a program called "CutePDF writer". Its free, and simple to use.

 

[Euphod]

Your best bet is OpenOffice. Version 3 or later will open your word or excel files correctly without conversion and has a File/Export to PDF option which produces a good quality PDF file.

Yep, doesn't "save as", but I did find the export option. Thanks.

 

[steamboateng]

Well, Mick Berg, you won! After Euphod and Andi06 threw their weight in there, I have capitulated! I have downloaded and installed Open Office. I suppose I have no excuse now, for not getting that tute out!
Thanks and regards to all

 

[andi06]

You might even get to like Open Office, in my view it is a better 'Word' than the Microsoft one

 

[steamboateng]

It seems pretty much like MS Word. I've typed away 4 pages of a tute already, with screenies enclosed. It seem to handle the graghics well. All I ask is that it converts all to pdf.
Thanks again

 

[mcguirel]

DoPDF will convert any printable document to PDF Format and is free.
Absolutely great program and extremely versitale.

 

[steamboateng]

Thanks for thi info, mcguirel, but I got that issue solved. I downloaded Open Office and used it's export to pdf function.
I'm pretty happy with it. I used OO to write the tutes on the TransDEM site. Geophil was kind enough to guide me in accessing some of its features.
MS office is still on my compuer, but will soon be uninstalled.

regards

 

[colin55]

You can get a free copy of eXpert PDF Pro 6 by following the instructions at

http://dottech.org/freebies/18437

Quote "For those that don't know about it already, eXPert PDF Pro 6 is an all-in-one PDF suite that allows users to create, edit, convert, modify, etc. PDFs."

 

[steamboateng]

Very interesting, collin55, I may give it a go.

 

[IMAGING]

Actually, you can find some free and good program in some info site, such as youtube, stackflow etc, I tested one on youtube, however it can just finish the annotation of pdf.

 

[teddytoot]

Imaging. two points. Firstly this thread is 20 months old so I doubt if the OP is now interested. Secondly you don't seem to have registered your copy of Trainz.