Keith Shirley

Creating PDF files seems to be one of those things that people either already use or think it’s going to be really complicated to do. It’s not.

If all you want to do is create PDF files then I suggest downloading the PDF995 Printer Driver and Converter. The converter is what does the actual PDF creation and the printer driver makes it look like a standard printer on your PC. Don’t worry about the separate parts however – just install them both. If you want to create a PDF file you can do it from any program that can print – you just choose the PDF995 printer from the list and it will ask you for the file name.

The software is just 9.95 USD so it’s certainly not expensive. You can also find an edit tool and signature tool on the website (all part of their Suite package). I’ve never used the other tools as generally I just want to create the PDF file.

I recommend sending PDF files for numerous reasons

- The formatting generally stays consistent on different machines. MS Word docs can get messed up on the other side

- Most people just have the reader so the files won’t be changed. You can sign them if you need to guarantee that a file has not been changed

- They are easy to zoom into if you are sending technical drawings etc

Most scanners will have an option to save in pdf format as well. This is a handy fall-back solution – but the quality will be much better if you can print from an original program.

Used with Fineprint the PDF printer driver can be used to pull together pages from different sources and create one uniform document.

I keep promising to write some tips on the tools that I use day to day. I won’t say they are all the best in their category – but they certainly work well enough for me. I don’t plan to go into big reviews and screenshots etc – I just want to bring them to your attention as I hope you might find them useful.

My first tip is for a tool that I’ve been using for so many years now I can’t remember when I first bought it.

Fineprint has tons of features to do with printing – and like most things I only use half of them. Some of the features are now contained in printer drivers but I remain loyal because it allows me to move between different kinds of printers and keep the same settings.

Fineprint installs so that it looks like a normal printer to all the software on your PC. If you can print normally then you can print via Fineprint.

I originally bought Fineprint for 2 reasons

• To save paper: It allows you to print multiple pages per sheet of paper or even booklets. Unlike most printer drivers you can see what  the multiple page layout will look like in advance of printing. I remember doing booklets for my wedding with it – so I’ve been using it for at least 7 years 5 months 3 days………..
• To get around Internet Explorer 6′s terrible print mechanism – IE6 was a nightmare for printing pages – the text would often be cut off or you’d end up with loads of pages with junk on them. The current IE7 is better but not perfect.

Some other things I like about Fineprint

•  You can print from numerous different programs to Fineprint - and it keeps them in a queue. You can then arrange the layout or delete individual pages before doing the real printing.
• You can prepare a template background. I’ve done one with Shercoms’ logo so that I can print from anywhere with any program and get it branded with the correct logo. I don’t always have proper headed paper with me.
• It’s intelligent with printing double sided documents. The first time you use a printer for double sided printing it runs a wizard.
• You can turn off graphics – sometimes I only need the text – switching off the graphics can save a lot of wasted toner/ink
• It’s easy to change the margins. Training documents for folders etc often need an extra wide margin or gutter. I find it easy to do them all at once in Fineprint.

As you may have guessed – I like it. I don’t sell it – so if you want it you need to go to their website. As far as I know the test version is limited in how many pages it can print in one go and will stamp “Printed with Fineprint” on them.

If you do end up using it then I’d appreciate it if you let me know. It’s nice to know when I can pass on useful tips.

Also – If you have any suggestions for tools or even gadgets that you use regularly then please let me know.