editing PDF files

[kitts]

I download pdf pps that basically are about 40 pages to print but are in large fonts. I know I can edit a Word doc reducing the font size and reducing the total pages. If I can do that with these pdf pps and reduce the 40 pages some I can save a lot on printer cartridges. Is there a solution to this?

[GameTheory]

You can print 2 pages per sheet, although you might that to be too small. Most printers have this option now -- if not the Adobe reader can also do it.

[kitts]

How about that! I can print two pages per sheet. Saves on the ink and adds to squinting :o) Thanks.

BTW, I took the free trail of a pdf to MS WORD conversion utility that costs $49.95 and it took over 20 minutes to convert and then it was a disaster.

[headhawg]

kitts,

I think that someone here had also mentioned the FinePrint program (maybe Tom?) a while ago. I haven't used it as I don't print much but maybe it will help you save on ink.

On a related note, thanks to the people who recommended the Shop4Tech site for replacement ink cartridges. Epson's price:$28/cartridge; S4T's: about $12 for a 3-pack. Great quality and the same amount of ink. Couldn't be happier.

[JustRalph]

Fact No. 564
The tongue is the strongest muscle in the body.

Fact No. 565
It is impossible to lick your elbow.



you never met this gal I knew in Old California......back in the 80's...... :lol:

[kitts]

I have tried four separate sources for "refills" of HP20 and none of them lasted the approx 500 pages a new one does. In fact, some of them lasted only 200 or 300 pages. So, I by the new ones and pay the $30!

[kitts]

I downloaded two programs that should assist me in converting pdf files. One was ABBYY Transformer which sells for $49.95 and it was easy to work. However, the pdf file it "converted" to MS Word was a disaster. And there is no uninstall option. The second one I tried was FinePrint referenced above, also at $49.95 and I cannot figure out how to use it-I cannot even open the program yet although I have access to Help. At least this one has an uninstall option. I am content with the previous suggestion of printing 2 pages on 1 sheet. The output is tiny but a friend of mine has a lighted magnifier that he longer uses and is sending to me.

If Tom or another user can give me a clue on FinePrint I would appreciate it as it looks like a useful utility. I can be emailed at: kittszoo@cox.net

[Red Knave]

If Tom or another user can give me a clue on FinePrint I would appreciate it as it looks like a useful utility. I can be emailed at: kittszoo@cox.net
Kitts
FinePrint installs as a printer driver. You can select it as the 'printer' from within your software. When you 'print' to FinePrint you actually get a preview of what your output will look like and you can modify a number of settings before you actually print to the printer. As mentioned, it's original claim to fame was that it could print multiple print pages onto one (i.e. 2, 4, 8 etc). It has evolved and is now also also very useful for rescaling odd size prints to a regular sized page and several other things. For example, if you want to print a legal size document onto letter size paper, FinePrint handles that easily. You can also do the reverse or, say, go portrait to landscape. I've been using it for years. I'm not sure how much it will help with the pdf's if you can't select the page size you want but it's worth checking out.

[kitts]

Red Knave (love the handle)
Thanks for the help on FinePrint. It is a nifty utility indeed. I finally figured it out. However, I would not have much use for it other than printing two pdf pages on 1 sheet. I tried that trick using Adobe and FinePrint and the results were comparable. However, FinePrint does have a $49.95 price tag so I'll have to mull that one.

[Red Knave]

Yup, it might not be for you.
It's biggest value for me is the rescaling. If I print a web page it inevitably wants to go over 1 letter size page, but just a little bit. I set my browser's printer properties to print legal size (14") or letter plus (12.69") and send it to FinePrint and it gets rescaled to an 11" page. So it's just 11/14ths the size instead of 50% when printing 2 up. I wondered if you could set the pdf print to a bigger page size and have FinePrint rescale it for you.

Red Knave was the first real longshot that I handicapped myself, sometime back in the mid 70's. He was a cheap claimer that won once or twice a year and always paid more than $20. We always remember our first time ;)

[kitts]

I'll give FinePrint some thought.

I loved the handle due to the fact that a few years back I worked for a woman who intended to fly off the handle without warning so I named her "Red Queen" after the Alice in Wonderland character

Sadlly, I do not recall my first longshot but I do recall my first hundred dollar horse-Donut King.

[csperberg]

So say you have 40 pages to print. Just print the even pages so you would have a stack of 20 pieces of paper now. Flip that stack over and print the odd pages. Now you have 20 physical pieces of paper but will have 40 pages of viewing.

I think you get problems converting PP pdf's to word because of the way pdf's are laid out. Every time I tried to convert it myself it would get all garbled and not in a neat readable order. It is like pdf PP's are built in some sort of pdf table. So when you try to convert or import the data to word you only get the data and not the tables for it to go in. Also there might be some security on the pdf files that is preventing you from doing what you really want to do.

Other wise if you are going to do alot of work with pdf files invest into Adobe Acrobat Professional. It is about $450 for the full pro version if you want to buy it. I am sure that if you did some searching around there would be places one might be able to get such things for free as well, not that I would condone such actions since it is illegal. They also have a 30 day trial of it on their website, so I guess you could try it to see if it would help be something you might be interested in.

Acrobat Pro can do alot of things for your pdf's. I use it to add comments, make changes, highlight etc. I know I can go in an reduce font size with it but it is not a one click and the whole thing is reduced, or I have not found how to do it yet. I am no pro at using it as I only have had my pro version not to long, so I am still learning what I can and what I cant do with it. I am not sure if something like this would be usefull to you or not. Figured I would just mention it that it is out there, all be it that it is a pricey program if you purchase it. If you are going to use pdf files alot it may be worth the look though.

Otherwise I think the printing on both sides of the paper is a viable solution to reducing the amount of paper being used. All though the amount of ink being used would still be the same since the document is not really being reduced, only the amount of paper being used is.

Another solution might be to stop printing them at all. Instead of investing into ink and paper, use that money to buy a laptop and just view them and the laptop becomes your portable pp viewer. There are great deals on laptops these days, especially if you are only going to use it for viewing documents, spreadsheets, or running handicapping software. Not to pimp out any site to purchase at, but tigerdirect.com is a good starting spot to look at deals. I am sure a google search or some other search would also net results for deals as well. I just know they have decent laptops starting around $500, with some even lower but you wouldnt want to buy something to outdated as well.

The laptop idea is just a thought. Just figured since you were printing you might be able to take better advantage of information with a laptop. If you had a laptop and Acrobat pro you could also attatch say results charts to horses so you would have quick links to go from PP to results charts. Heck if you could get downloadable video or replays you could even link them in as well. I dont know if places like race replay allow you to download replays or just watch them. Also if the laptop has wireless and you are somewhere with wi-fi you can link up and keep up to date infromation as well.

Hopefully these ideas might spark an interest for you in trying a new aproach to your PP situation. They may or may not be something usefull to you just wanted to offer my advice on possible other soultions to help you out.