TO13: PDF in Practice
Simple Creation of Electronic Publications, Catalogues and Archives
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PDF in Technical Documentation
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Comparison of PDF and HTML
In electronic media we come across the two "competing" formats, PDF and HTML.
A closer look reveals, however, that the two formats
are used with a different aim in mind
and therefore cannot be considered as competitors.
HTML is the original Internet format.
Text information in this format is structured according to DTD
as in the case of SGML.
Graphics are not a component of HTML,
but they are referenced in screen resolution as external files.
The time required to load HTML via the Internet is optimal.
HTML/XML is therefore ideal for fast transport of information
in cases where detailed visual information is not required
(e.g. for software documentation).
In comparison, PDF traditionally uses Postscript as a preprint format.
The layout and the connection between illustration and text in the document
are retained in the exact form the author created the document.
Due to password protection and the use of digital signature since Acrobat 4.0,
the contents of documents cannot be manipulated by the end user.
Graphics in PDF can be zoomed and printed at high-quality;
the quality of the PDF documents is of printing standard.
The increased load time when passing files via the Internet is,
however, a disadvantage.
Comparison between Acrobat PDF and HTML
| Property |
PDF |
HTML/XML
|
| Structure of contents |
– |
O/+
DTD-structured |
| Graphics display |
+
Print quality, zoom function |
–
Screen resolution, no zoom |
Illustration-text connection,
print quality |
+ |
– |
| Access rights |
+ |
O |
| Digital signature |
+ |
– |
| Web performance |
O |
+ |
Technical Documentation Requires PDF
In technical documentation, in particular for machines and machinery,
descriptions and llustrations have to be clearly connected.
The graphic quality should be high enough to perform a screen zoom
and to produce a recognisable printout.
At present, these demands can only be sufficiently met using PDF.
The W3C´s efforts to establish zoomable vector formats (SVG, Web-CGM)
in HTML or XML have been unsuccessful due to differing interests.
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Creating and editing PDF from DTP Programs
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Although PDF files can be viewed and printed using the Acrobat Reader
which is available free of charge,
the Adobe tool required to create and edit PDF files
is only available in the Adobe Acrobat package.
Since the release of Acrobat 4.0,
the user can choose between three possible methods for creating PDF:
- Acrobat 4.0 enables direct import of FrameMaker,
HTML, MS Office and several graphic formats.
- The Distiller, a component program,
converts Postscript files from any program.
- The printer driver PDFWriter enables PDF files to be "printed".
Because of the graphic and print processing restrictions in Windows,
PDFWriter is admittedly the easiest to use in comparison to Postscript.
However, as PDFWriter is subject to certain restrictions,
only documents requiring a lower quality should be used
(for example, documents without EPS graphics).
Acrobat Distiller Creates Professional PDF
The Distiller can be put to professional use in Acrobat 4.0
where the distiller problems encountered in Acrobat 3.0
during conversion of True Type fonts, are no longer an issue.
The documents are printed in a file
via a standard Postcript printer driver
which the Distiller subsequently "distills" to PDF.
Distilling is advantageous as the Postscript option pdfmark
is analysed during distilling.
In this way, hyperlinks, bookmarks and document information
can be transferred from the Postscript print files
into the PDF document.
The pdfmarks can be integrated via blank EPS files
and via manipulation of the Postscript document.
(For example, part numbers can be linked
to the order form via a pdfmark hyperlink.)
Most DTP programs support pdfmarks by default.
Creating PDF from DTP Programs
- FrameMaker: hypertext, message boxes,
weblinks and hierarchical bookmarks are created.
Document information and properties are not available.
- Interleaf: PDF files with hyperlinks
are simple to create using an additional program
from ITL (www.itl.de).
Document information and properties are not available.
- PageMaker: Can do virtually anything.
Even the appropriate distiller options can be set
and saved as a profile.
- QuarkXPress: Poor functionality.
Only a table of contents can be linked automatically.
- Corel Ventura Publisher: Only possible in the English version.
Hyperlinks and document information are supported.
Bookmarks are not available.
- Microsoft Word: Microsoft has tried particularly hard
to ignore PDF technology and has not installed any support for PDF.
A PDFMaker Word macro is however available free of charge
from the Adobe Web Site.
Creating PDF using the PDFMaker can be an enjoyable experience.
Hyperlinks, bookmarks, weblinks and even notes are created.
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Creating Publications and Catalogues for CD and Internet/Intranet
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After attaining the individual documents as linked PDF files,
a complete CD or Internet/Intranet solution is desirable.
After all, users require to be led by enhanced navigation
to their target documents.
Furthermore, a CD should appear in a standardised form
and should portray PDF files from different sources in the same form.
A wide variety of Acrobat Plugins and help programs
are available to aid the technical editor.
Some of the possible functions include the following:
- OCR of the text sections in a PDF file using Acrobat Capture
- Full-text index of all documents using Acrobat Catalog
- The ability to convert web pages (also entire Web sites)
into PDF using Acrobat WebCapture
- Personal buttons in Acrobat Reader to open the index for example.
- PDF files can be set with security and file opening options
- Automatic creation of hyperlinks
- Automatic creation of hierarchical bookmarks for navigation
- Automatic creation of menu pages from a file tree structure
Original documents created in a professional document management system
are usually easier to handle.
The documents can be converted to PDF in a batch job
and the navigation structure is derived from the document properties.
External service providers can offer support
for concept planning and realisation of PDF publication solutions.
© TC Forum 1998-2001 - http://www.tc-forum.org - file last updated 17 Oct 1999
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