# Help on Creating pdf Files

If you create documents with LaTeX, then write the dvi file and use dvips to convert to postscript. Then use ps2pdf to map this file to pdf (you can also directly use dvipdf, though this just uses the above two programs). All these programs invoke ghostscript to do their dirty work. NOTE: for best results, add \usepackage{times} to the preamble of your document. This will use a Times font, which reproduces much better on screen in a pdf file than the default LaTeX font (the latter ends up represented as a bitmap in the final file). The final file is much smaller, as well.

If you use MS-Word, there are several options. The easiest (what I use when I occasionally use Word) is to use Acrobat 5 from Adobe. They developed the pdf format and have a complete set of tools available for mapping to pdf from many formats. You can also mark up pdf files directly with Acrobat 5. Of course, the down side is that you have to pay for it (Acrobat Reader, the free package, doesn't convert files). Alternatively, within Word you can print to a file (but make sure you select a postscript printer!) and rename the .prn file to be a .ps file. Then use ps2pdf as above.

Finally, other available packages, some with free demo versions, include (in no particular order):

I have not tried the above software, so I cannot personally endorse it.

Certainly there are other options available. Email me with other suggestions and I'll add them here.