The Graduate School
Creating PDF files in Word or Wordperfect for Windows
Before you start
Locate a computer with your word processing program (Word or Wordperfect) and Adobe Acrobat software installed. NOTE: "Adobe Acrobat" is the software used to create PDF files and is separate and distinct from "Adobe Acrobat Reader" which can only view PDF files.
If your dissertation consists of multiple Word or Wordperfect files:
Prepare your dissertation files for conversion by saving them all into a single
folder or directory on the computer you are using. Name the very first file
(the pretext section) "etd.doc". Name subsequent files whatever
you wish. Maintain these same names for the various pieces of your dissertation
when it comes time to convert them to PDF.
Instructions
Illustrations taken from a Windows NT 4.0 machine running Acrobat 3.01 and Word 97.
- Open Adobe Distiller Assistant if it is not already open.
- Open your dissertation in Word or Wordperfect.
- Within Word or Wordperfect, select Print from the File menu as if you were about to print a copy of your dissertation.
- Within the Print popup box which appears, select Distiller Assistant from
the Name: dropdown menu* Then select the OK button
in the lower right corner of the Print popup box.
[view step 4 illustration] - An Acrobat Distiller - Specify PDF File Name popup box will appear.
Within this box, select a name and location for the PDF version of your dissertation.
Then select the OK button to complete this step.
[view step 5 illustration] - When the conversion is complete, you will have an opportunity to examine
the PDF file through Adobe Acrobat Exchange.
[view step 6 illustration] - From within Exchange, select Document Info. . . from the File menu.
[view step 7 illustration] - A General Info popup box will appear and you can supply descriptive
information about your dissertation.
[view step 8 illustration]
*A second option within the Name: dropdown menu is Adobe PDFWriter. DO NOT select this option when creating your PDF file.
If this process created one PDF file, you are done.
Note: It is possible that, in converting to PDF, Acrobat repaginated your document. Please check the PDF file for formatting and pagination. If pagination changed, you may have to modify your Table of Contents.
Additional steps for those converting multiple word processing files
Continue through the steps listed above until you have converted each Word or Wordperfect file associated with your dissertation to PDF. When you are finished, you will want to proceed with one of the options below.