Question: How can I create a PDF file on a Windows PC?
Answer:
There are five ways to convert a document into a PDF file on a Windows PC.
- If the document is in Microsoft Office (typically Microsoft Word), use the File -> Export -> Create PDF or File -> Save As -> PDF menu choice.
- If your PC has the program named Adobe Acrobat, use it to create the PDF file.
- Use a website that provides a PDF-creation service. See How do I use a PDF-creation service?.
- Scan a printed document on the school's scanner and save the result (a black-and-white image in PDF format) to a flash drive. You can then transfer the PDF from the flash drive to your computer.
- Ask someone for whom it is more convenient to convert the file for you.
Follow the instructions in the Adobe Acrobat documentation to convert your document to a PDF file. You will open your document in its original application, e.g., Microsoft Word, and "print" it to a special printer that creates the PDF file instead of actually printing the document.
The first time you do this it will be helpful if somebody who has done it previously is with you. The exact steps depend on which version of Windows you have and which version of Adobe Acrobat you have.
Note: Adobe Acrobat is a program that costs money, although Palms Middle School owns some copies. Don't confuse Adobe Acrobat with the free Acrobat Reader program that almost all Windows users have installed.
The results aren't as good as the other methods above. For details see How can I create a PDF file from a printed document?.
This may seem like "passing the buck" but it's a practical choice because some people do it all the time.
When somebody else is going to convert a document for you, they'll need to have the same program that you used to create the document, so they can open it on their computer.
Who should you ask to do the conversion for you? You can ask other teachers, since they are nearby. You can also email documents to Neil Cuadra and ask him to convert them to PDF files. He does this regularly for documents on the main part of the Palms website. Neil's email address is on the main Staff Site page.