Introduction to Adobe Acrobat v. 6

Transcription

1 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat v. 6 Academic Computing Support Information Technology Services Tennessee Technological University February Introduction Adobe Acrobat allows you to convert documents created in other programs, such as Microsoft Word, to a PDF (Portable Document Format). This process preserves the fonts, formatting, and graphics of the original and allows it to be easily shared with anyone who has downloaded the free Acrobat Reader. There are many ways to create a PDF file. In this class, we will take a document created in MS Word. Prepare it in MS Word for conversion to a PDF file, then convert it from within Word to a PDF format. Next we will open the PDF file in Acrobat and insert form fields into the document which can be filled in online, and then printed or ed as an attachment. 2. Creating the document in Word In the PC labs, click on the Microsoft Word icon on the desktop or under the Start menu, select Programs MSOffice 2000 Microsoft Word. Otherwise, under the Start menu, select Programs Microsoft Word. Open an existing file: (See the last page of this handout for the text of the file.) Select File Open. From the pulldown menu, select ClassFiles on Athena (F:). Select the subdirectory ITS Acrobat EntryForm.doc Click the Open button. Prepare graphics for screen readers: If a graphic has some information to convey, add a phrase to describe the picture. Click on the graphic to select it. From the menu, select Format Object Select the Web tab Type in a phrase to describe the picture. In this case the picture is purely decorative and this step can be skipped. The Acrobat reader will just skip over the picture. Save the file as EntryForm.doc to your U: (User) drive, My documents folder.

2 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 2 2. Selecting the Conversion Settings for Adobe PDFMaker There are many choices to make in converting your document to a PDF file. We will look at a few of the most common choices you need to make for use on the web or general printing. Within Word, from the menu, select Acrobat PDF Change conversion settings Settings tab Acrobat includes some conversion settings which will work for most situations. For the general purpose form we are creating, select Standard. Note that Enable accessibility and reflow with Tagged PDF is checked. This allows screen readers to read PDF files. Option Primary Use Characteristics Standard office printers general purpose printing or screen Smallest File Size screen/internet smaller file size, less resolution for screen Press Quality high-quality printing largest file size to preserve image quality PDFX1a optimized for printing supports process (CMYK) and spot color PDFX3 optimized for printing color-managed workflow Select the Security tab. Note that you could set passwords or prohibit printing. We will leave everything unchecked, since we want this form to be open to public use. Select the Word tab. This includes options specific to the MS office program being used. Accept the defaults. Select the Bookmarks tab. In such a short document bookmarks are not needed. Note: You can use Word headings or styles as bookmarks in a longer document and select which level of heading and/or which styles should be used as bookmarks. These help readers to navigate through a longer document.

3 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 3 2. Selecting the Conversion Settings for Adobe PDFMaker (cont.) Click on the Advanced Settings button to view options available. On the General tab: Note the version of Acrobat (5) which your document will be compatible with. Note that Optimize for Fast Web View is selected. This is important with larger documents as it allows for page-at-a-time downloading (byteserving), so the whole document does not need to be sent before the individual sees something. It will also automatically compress text and line art. Note that Embed Thumbnails is not selected to decrease file size. This is a short one page document, so thumbnails are not needed. On the Compression tab Accept the defaults for this project. Note: If you have more elaborate graphics, you can reduce the filesize by selecting appropriate options. Bicubic downsampling gives the smoothest gradations. You can try reducing the resampling value to reduce the file size. On the Fonts tab Note that Embed All Fonts is selected. Note that Subset and 100% is selected. Note that some common fonts are not embedded to save space. However, you will not be able to edit the PDF in Acrobat, unless all used fonts are embedded. Note: Even if you select embed all fonts, your fonts may not show up exactly as expected unless you also subset them. In addition, if you subset at 100%, and want to use the TouchUp Text tool in Acrobat, you will have the entire font available. If file size is important, select the fonts you want embedded and subset them at less than 100%. On the Color tab and the Advanced tab Accept the defaults Click OK to return to the Settings tab Click OK.

4 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 4 3. Convert to a PDF file From the menu, select Acrobat Convert to Adobe PDF Save to your U: drive. Wait as the conversion occurs and the file is displayed in Adobe Acrobat. As you work on your file, use Save As to consolidate space again. If needed, set the magnification level in the toolbar, so that you can work on your page easily. To see if your fonts have been embedded correctly: Select Advanced Use Local Fonts to deselect the use of local fonts. In this way you can test to see what others will see. If you need to, you can go back to Word, select different options and convert again. 4. Check your document for accessibility From menu, select Advanced Accessibility Full Check Accept the defaults and click OK You should see a message that 3 elements have no alternative text. We decided to not tag these. If you do find problems you can correct them either in your Word document and reconvert or make the needed changes in Acrobat. For example, if you forgot to provide alternative text for a graphic, you could go back to Word or you could add it in Acrobat as shown below.

5 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 5 5. Using the TouchUp Tools The touch up tools should be used for small changes. If you need to do major editing, return to your original program and then reconvert to PDF. From the toolbar, select the TouchUp Text Tool Highlight Tennessee Technological University Right-click and Select Properties from the popup menu Increase the font size to 18 Close the attributes window. From the toolbar, select the TouchUp Object Tool Click into the line Tennessee Technological University and move it to position it better given the new larger font size. Use the same method to reposition the graphic. Note the missing N in TN and correct it using the TouchUp Text Tool Using the TouchUp Text Tool, click into the text Entry Category and add the text: Open University Community with 10 spaces before each word. Use Save As and overwrite existing file to save and see the text in the correct font. 6. Opening the Forms Toolbar From the menu, select Tools Advanced Editing Forms Show Forms Toolbar

6 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 6 7. Adding Form Fields: Radio Buttons From the Forms toolbar, select the Radio Button Tool Using the crosshairs, draw a box after Entry Category The Radio Button Properties window will open. Select the General tab. Type a field name: Entry Type a tool tip: Entry Category Select Form Field is: Visible Select the Appearance tab: Check Border & Fill Color and select a color Select a Line Thickness and Line Style. Select a Font: Select the Options tab: Select the Options tab. Select the Radio Style: Check Type the Export Value: Open Click OK. Right-click on the radio button box you have drawn and select Create Multiple Copies Select 1 down and 3 across. Drag the new boxes to position. Right-click the original box and select Properties Under General, change the name to Entry Right-click the new box and select Properties Under General, change the name to Entry Under the Options tab, change the Export value to University. Click OK. Right-click the new box and select Properties Under General, change the name to Entry. Under the Options tab, change the Export value to University. Click OK. View and try out the field: From the toolbar, select the Hand Tool and make an entry into your field.

7 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 7 7. Adding Form Fields: Text Fields Add text fields: From the Forms toolbar, select the Text Field Tool Using the crosshairs, draw a box after Organization s Complete Name Select the General tab. Type a field name: OrgName Type a tool tip: Organization s Name Select Form Field is: Visible Select the Appearance tab: Check that Border Color is black. Select the Line Style: Underlined Select a font. You may want this to contrast with the font style of the form itself. If you leave the Font Size as Auto, the font size will be smaller as more text is entered in the box. This gives the most flexibility. Test the result with the Hand Tool 7. Adding Form Fields: Combo Box From the toolbar, select the Form Tool Using the crosshairs, draw a box after Type of Organization Select the General tab. Type a field name: OrgType Type a tool tip: Type of Organization Select Form Field is: Visible Select the Appearance tab: Check that Border Color is black. Select a font.

8 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 8 7. Adding Form Fields: Combo Box (cont.) Under the Options tab: Type an item: Community Click Add Type the items: Social, Honor, Service, and Political clicking Add after each. Check the boxes Sort Items Deselect Check spelling Click OK Test the result with the Hand Tool As an alternative: Add an item Select one: Deselect the Sort Items box. Move the Select One: item to the top of the list using the Up button. Remember the selected item (highlighted) is the default (beginning value), so be sure Select One: is highlighted before clicking OK. 7. Adding Form Fields: Multi-line Text Box From the Forms toolbar, select the Text Field Tool Add text boxes for Contact person, address, phone, and . Using the crosshairs, draw a text box under Description Select the General tab. Type a field name: Description Type a tool tip: Description Select Form Field is: Visible

9 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page 9 7. Adding Form Fields: Multi-line Text Box Select the Appearance tab: Check that Border Color is black. Select a Line Style: Solid Select a font. Select the Options tab: Check Multi-line Do not select Scroll long text (since this will be a printable form.) Deselect Check spelling. Test the result with the Hand Tool 8. Positioning Form Fields and Setting Tab Order From the toolbar, click the Select Object Tool Select the three radio button boxes for Entry Category by clicking on each while holding the Shift key down Right-click on the selection and select Align Bottom To change or reset the tab order of your form fields: Right-click on your form and select Set Tab Order Click in the fields in the order you want them to tab.

10 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page Creating Form Buttons Select the Button Tool Using the crosshairs, draw a box near the top of the form Select the General tab: Type the Name: Clear Type a short description such as Reset Form. Select Visible but doesn t print Select the Appearance tab: Select a Border Color Select a Background Color Select a Line Thickness. Select a Line Style, such as Beveled Select the Options tab Select Layout: Label only Select a behavior: Invert Type a label for the button: Clear Select the Actions tab: Select Trigger: Mouse Up Select the Action: Reset a form Click Add Note that all fields will be reset. Click OK Test the result with the Hand Tool

11 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page Creating Form Buttons (cont.) Select the Button Tool Using the crosshairs, draw another box near the top of the form Select the General tab: Type the Name: TTU Type a short description such as TTU Home Page. Select Visible but doesn t print Select the Appearance tab: Select a similar appearance to the Clear button. Select the Options tab Make the following selections: Select Layout: Label only Select a behavior: Push State: Up Label: TTU Home State: Down Label: Go State: Rollover Label: We ll take you there Select the Actions tab: Select Mouse Up. Select the Action: Open a web link. Click Add. In the popup box, type the URL: Click OK. Click Close. Test the result with the Hand Tool. Adjust the width of the button and/or the font size to accommodate the rollover text. Save the file using the Save As command to consolidate and reduce file size.

12 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page Adding Hyperlinks You can easily add hyperlinks to PDF documents. Click on the Link tool. Draw a rectangle around the text or graphic you want to serve as the link (in this case Tennessee Technological University). Select Open a web page and type Click OK. Select the Object Select Tool so you can right-click on the link box over TTU on your page. Select Properties. Select the appearance you prefer. Click Close. Test your link with the Hand tool.

13 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Page Getting Help One of the easiest ways to get help with Acrobat is the comprehensive online help included with it. From the menu, select Help Complete Acrobat 6 Help. You can also learn more about Acrobat at the Adobe website: Should you have a question that the online help does not address, please contact the Microcomputer Support Office: MicroSupport@tntech.edu Students may call the Helpdesk at or get assistance in the PC labs in person. Handouts on using other programs are available on the web under ITS Documentation: Top half of the original form in Microsoft Word.