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Creating PDF files

Brian Wood


This video shows you the common settings for creating a PDF file available in all Creative Suite 3 applications. You learn how to share PDF presets, color settings, and compatibility levels.

Requirements

To follow along with this article, you will need the following software and files:

Watch this tutorial in the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Video Workshop.

Creating PDF files

  1. In Adobe Bridge, choose File > Open and open the Substrate_Cover02.psd file.
  2. Choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat > Preferences (Mac OS) to open the Preferences dialog box.
  3. Select Color Management to view the options. Each CS3 component has a similar set of color management settings. Now you can control each set of color management settings from within Adobe Bridge, which gives you a more consistent workflow and alleviates the need to update elsewhere.
  4. Click Cancel.
  5. In InDesign, choose File > Open and open the Substrate_Group_Ad.ai file. This file contains some of the same content as the PSD.
  6. Choose File > Transparency Flattener Presets. Select Low Resolution and click OK. InDesign has had transparency flattener presets for a while. If you need to do anything with transparency, they're still here in CS3.
  7. Choose File > Export. Choose Adobe PDF as the type. Click Save. This opens the Export Adobe PDF dialog box.
  8. On the left side of the dialog box, select the General section (see Figure 1). Each CS3 component uses the same engine to generate PDFs. This means you can save PDF settings as presets and use the same settings in every application.

  9. Choose Magazine_cmyk as the Adobe PDF Preset.

    The InDesign Export Adobe PDF dialog box lets you choose a preset that any CS3 component can share.

    Figure 1: The InDesign Export Adobe PDF dialog box lets you choose a preset that any CS3 component can share.

  10. For Compatibility, choose Acrobat 6.0 (Version 1.5). When you choose Export or Save As in any CS3 component, by default, the component chooses a Compatibility level or version of Acrobat that retains transparency.
  11. Select Preserve Layers. Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, give you the option to export layers to Acrobat.
  12. Click Cancel and exit InDesign.
  13. In Photoshop, choose File > Open and open the Substrate_Cover02.psd file.
  14. Choose File > Save As. Choose Photoshop PDF as the Format. Click Save. This opens the Save Adobe PDF dialog box.

  15. On the left side of the dialog box, select the General section. Select Magazine_cmyk as the PDF Preset. The same presets are listed here as in InDesign (see Figure 2).

    The Photoshop Save Adobe PDF dialog box lists the same PDF presets as in InDesign.

    Figure 2: The Photoshop Save Adobe PDF dialog box lists the same PDF presets as in InDesign.

  16. Click Cancel and exit Photoshop.
  17. In Illustrator, choose File > Open and open the Aquo_Group_Ad.ai file.

  18. Choose Edit from the main menu. Note the Edit menu items for Color Settings and Transparency Flattener Presets, both of which can be found in Photoshop and InDesign (see Figure 3).

    Illustrator menu options for Transparency Flattener Presets and Color Settings are similar to those in Illustrator and Photoshop.

    Figure 3: Illustrator menu options for Transparency Flattener Presets and Color Settings are similar to those in Illustrator and Photoshop.

  19. Choose File > Save As. Choose Photoshop PDF as the Format. Click Save. This opens the Save Adobe PDF dialog box.
  20. Select the General section. Select Magazine_cmyk as the PDF Preset. Again, this same preset is available in all the CS3 applications.

Where to go from here

For more information and additional tutorials, visit the Adobe Design Center.