Capabilities of Word

[The Vector Doctor]

Does anyone know if the most recent versions of MS Word can save/export pages as pdf?

I have an old version of MSWord that won't open docx files. So when I open newer docx files I use Open Office. OO has the capability of exporting the page to pdf but I need to know if MSWord also has this option built in. When I receive docx files they rarely open properly and having a pdf would help that shortcoming

 

[The Vector Doctor]

I would prefer my customers send pdf rather than docx so if they can do this themselves that would ensure that we are both looking at the same layout/design (ugh. I hate to use the term design and word files in the same sentence)

 

[J Hill Designs]

looks like everything after 2007 has save as pdf functionality

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Thanks, then there is no excuse on their part. I am going to start asking, politely demanding

 

[Techman]

you can download a converter for docx to the older doc format from microsoft

 

[The Vector Doctor]

That still does not insure the file opens up correctly. Word does not warn of missing fonts for instance. What I am trying to achieve is making sure that what the customer sees and what I see are the same thing. You get fewer issues with a pdf.

 

[mark galoob]

in the digital print world...the only way i accept a word file is if i can retype it in something that will print.

word is extremely unstable and every computer that looks at the same file might see it differently, and print it differently.

mark galoob

 

[round man]

there is a download from microsoft word for office 2007 to save to pdf,...later versions include it in the install

 

[choucove]

If not, you can use several other applications out there, such as CutePDF, to output nearly any program or screen to a PDF file. I've used CutePDF quite a bit, I think it is great to have and it's especially nice that it is free! Just select File -> Print and then select CutePDF as your printer and it then allows you to save the document, image, or webpage as a PDF file.

 

[ruckusman]

Capabilities of word - 1. annoying me enormously
But seriously a screen capture will tell you at a glance if it's close to being the same on both machines, other than that a PDF is better, but can cause issues if they have used screen fonts.

Microsoft as part of their marketing seems to engineer version differences as a matter of course, it annoys CEO's no end when they find out they need to do a sitewide upgrade to ensure compatibility.

Never used CutePDF as I have another route, but likely CutePDF is based on Ghostscript which is aces in my book

peace out

 

[WildWestDesigns]

If not, you can use several other applications out there, such as CutePDF, to output nearly any program or screen to a PDF file. I've used CutePDF quite a bit, I think it is great to have and it's especially nice that it is free! Just select File -> Print and then select CutePDF as your printer and it then allows you to save the document, image, or webpage as a PDF file.

Does the free version of Acrobat put in that print to PDF option? I know Acrobat Pro 9 does, but it's been so long since I have used the free version, and when I was printing from Word, it was back in the school days and I was printing directly from it.

 

[boxerbay]

even saving a word doc as a pdf you will have problems with embedded jpgs. they will almost always be low res. ask them to at a minimum move up to ms publisher for 125.00

 

[choucove]

Does the free version of Acrobat put in that print to PDF option? I know Acrobat Pro 9 does, but it's been so long since I have used the free version, and when I was printing from Word, it was back in the school days and I was printing directly from it.

The free version, Acrobat Reader X, does not include print to PDF or save to PDF options. You have to pay for the full version of Acrobat Pro to do that. This is where I like CutePDF. Not only is it a nice small simple program (compared to a much larger program like Acrobat Pro) but it is also free!

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The free version, Acrobat Reader X, does not include print to PDF or save to PDF options. You have to pay for the full version of Acrobat Pro to do that. This is where I like CutePDF. Not only is it a nice small simple program (compared to a much larger program like Acrobat Pro) but it is also free!

I'm not surprised that that was the case, I just never paid attention to if it did it or not when I had the free version. I use it all the time with the Pro version that came with the CS5 Master Suite, but until I had it, I all honesty never had a call to use the print to PDF option.

If I recall correctly, the ole ball and chain uses or at least had used a program that converted the word files. However, you had to drag the file that you wanted converted to this icon on the desktop for it to execute and then it would convert it. It seemed to work for here.

I think with any conversion method you are going to be limited with the quality of the source file.

 

[TwoNine]

Hey - I ran across the by googling "DOCX to PDF" - Maybe it will help?

http://www.freefileconvert.com/

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Some of your suggestions are helpful, but I am trying to make this as simple as possible.

For example, at least once a week I get people who tell me that they either don't know what a zip file is or how to deal with them. I have had some try to open zips with Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, etc.

This is but one example. I have some customers who receive my files and don't know what to do with the attached ai or eps. They try to open when they should be importing into certain programs, and vice versa.

Some don't know how to take an attachment from an email and then get it into their software. I am not sure how they can run a business accepting customers files if they are unable to deal with my files that are attached.

I have even suggested screen captures and some either don't know how to do a screen capture or what to do after the screen capture is complete

 

[The Vector Doctor]

By having a pdf, I at least can have them look at the pdf and make sure the pdf and their word doc are the same that way I know I am converting the file correctly. With a word doc, you don't have that guarantee because word is so unreliable

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Some of your suggestions are helpful, but I am trying to make this as simple as possible.

Unfortunately, at some point even feeding it all through the "umbilical chord" isn't going to work.

For example, at least once a week I get people who tell me that they either don't know what a zip file is or how to deal with them. I have had some try to open zips with Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, etc.

I haven't had that too often, but it did open with me last week. I just sent the embroidery file outside the zip file and all was well. Sometimes that is just less effort then trying to get them up to speed.

This is but one example. I have some customers who receive my files and don't know what to do with the attached ai or eps. They try to open when they should be importing into certain programs, and vice versa.

That I can understand and have a little more sympathy for then some of the other things that go on.

Some don't know how to take an attachment from an email and then get it into their software. I am not sure how they can run a business accepting customers files if they are unable to deal with my files that are attached.

Oh, that is bad. If they are that bad off, I doubt you could make the conversion to Word-PDF easy enough to were they would be able to handle it. It might actually be setting it up for more trouble.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

A footnote, some of the above are excusable for those that are not in the business but none of my examples were pointed towards the general public. All examples are from actual customers who are supposedly in the business as they gave me graphic/sign related company names.

I provide both vectors and pdf's to those customers who simply forward my files to a sign or graphics shop

Nearly everyday I do deal with the general public and they do require a bit of hand holding which is understandable. Telling them to install new software or go to another site to convert is not ideal. The built in print/save to pdf should take care of that

 

[Tony Teveris]

Why not just get a virtual printer driver like BullZip PDF. If you think the file looks ok in Word then just print the the pdf driver. Or you can even recommend it to the sender of the file. It's easy to download and install and works like a charm.