A Bit About my Files


Some of the information is in the form of GIF or JPEG images, while others are in Acrobat Portable Document File (.PDF) format. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader software, available from the Adobe website linked below, is required to view or print this type of file. The Acrobat Reader can be installed in two ways: either as a normal stand-alone program that starts when you double-click on files with the .PDF extension, or as an add-on ("helper" or "plug-in") to your web browser that enables .PDF files to be opened on-line directly in the browser. With the latter you can only view the file while you are on-line.

Left-Clicking the link to a PDF will open the PDF file in your web browser. If Acrobat is not installed, you will be prompted for a normal file download instead. getacro.gif (1090 bytes) Right-Clicking the link to a file and choosing "Save Target As..." will initiate a file download to copy the file to your hard drive for off-line viewing or printing.

This file format is independent of computer, operating system, or application programs. PDFs can accurately reproduce highly-formatted pages produced by desktop publishing programs and advanced word processors. Unusual fonts (including non-Latin character sets) used in the original composition are embedded in the file, and will reproduce correctly, even if the font is not present on your system.  PDFs can also reproduce smoothly-scalable vector images (not jagged pixelated bitmaps) of technical diagrams produced by CAD, draw and mapping programs without needing the original program. At print time, the image can be automatically re-sized to the actual paper size regardless of the original layout size. 

PDFs are created from any program with a "Print" command by the Acrobat "Distiller". This program, part of the full (purchased) version of Acrobat, is a specialized PostScript printer driver that captures print output into a PDF file instead of sending it to a real printer.

<<< back to home page >>>