Creating PDFs for Free with PrimoPDF

Creating PDF documents used to be an expensive business – after creating the document in Word, Publisher or a similar application you would then need to employ an expensive Adobe Acrobat utility, typically costing around $150 in order to generate the PDF version of the file.

This is quite a high price to pay, especially compared to the constituent parts of Microsoft Office. Despite this, PDF became a popular format and over time the de facto standard for portable documents.

As a result, several development teams began working on their own PDF generating software, some of which would be given away free. One such example is PrimoPDF software, which allows you to quickly create PDF documents from a variety of popular applications.

If you haven’t already downloaded your copy of this free software, you can download it from www.primopdf.com/index.aspx. The 7.1 MB download shouldn’t take too long over a broadband connection, and once downloaded you can install the application to your location of choice.

Note that you will be given a chance to install Primo’s Nitro PDF reader in addition to the PrimoPDF creator utility. This is up to you, although if you already have Adobe Reader installed this shouldn’t be necessary.

With PrimoPDF installed on your computer, you will be ready to get started!

After installation of PrimoPDF you will need to ensure that the software is configured to your requirements. You should find PrimoPDF Settings listed in your Start menu, so launch this to view the options.

Here you will see a selection of profiles – Screen, eBook, Print, Prepress, Custom – all designed to let you get the best out of the application. For instance if your document will only be read on a monitor, select Screen; conversely if your document is to be bound and printed professionally, choose Prepress. Document Properties such as author name and title can be set, while PDF Security is also available with PrimoPDF, allowing you to set passwords and restrict printing and copying of the content of your generated PDFs.

Note that advanced Options are also available. When you’re satisfied with these choices, choose Save Settings.

In order to save your document as a PDF you will need to print it. This might seem strange, but PrimoPDF adds itself as a new printer to your PC – this way almost any visual document can be turned into a PDF file.

For instance if you were creating a PDF with PrimoPDF in Microsoft Word, you would go to File > Print and then select PrimoPDF as the printer you wish to use. With this choice made, the PDF file would then be created when you clicked the Print button.

PrimoPDF is a fantastic alternative to the premium pricing of Adobe Acrobat – if you have any requirement to create a professional standard PDF document but don’t have the budget for Adobe software, PrimoPDF should be your first choice.