How to Create a PDF in Mac Os X

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is a file format developed by Adobe to display documents in a consistent manner, regardless of which application, device or operating system is used to view them. As such, PDF files are useful for sharing documents with a wide and varied audience. The OS X operating system features the ability to generate PDF files from almost any application, via the "Print" command. Learn how to create a PDF in Mac OS X by following a few easy instructions.

Instructions

Creating Your PDF

1. Launch the application that you used to create your original document. Open the "File" menu and select "Open File." Select the document that you wish to convert to PDF format and click "Open."

2. Open the "File" menu and select "Page Setup." Click on the pulldown menu labeled "Paper Size" and choose the desired size and orientation for your PDF's pages. Click "OK."

3. Open the "File" menu and select "Print." Examine the print option's window and locate the pulldown menu labeled "PDF." Click on the menu and select the option "Save as PDF."

4. Enter the name for your new PDF document in the field labeled "Save As." Click on the pulldown menu labeled "Where" and choose where you wish to save the generated file.

5. Click on the button labeled "Save"; a window will open, displaying the progress of the file conversion process. Wait for the window to close, then locate the newly created PDF file in the previously selected location. Double-click on the file to open it; review the PDF to confirm that the results are satisfactory.

Tips & Warnings

• Click on the "Preview" button in the print window to generate an example of what your converted PDF file will look like.

• If you wish to convert only a particular page (or range of pages) from your document to PDF format, click on the radio button labeled "From" in the print window and enter the page numbers you wish to convert.

• If you select the option labeled "Mail PDF" from the "Where" pulldown menu, the computer will launch the "Mail" application and open a new message template with the generated PDF attached.

• You can increase or decrease the size of the pages from within the "Page Setup" window; enter the desired percentage in the field labeled "Scale."

References

• Mac OS X Help on Saving Documents as PDFs