PDF is the acronym for Portable Document Format. Created by Adobe Systems, PDF is a file format used to represent a document in a manner independent of the application software, hardware, and operating system used to create it.

The PDF file format is described in a document "Portable Document Reference Manual, Version 1.3". This document is available at

http://partners.adobe.com/asn/developer/acrosdk/DOCS/pdfspec.pdf (PDF, 518 pages, 5.35Mb)

Standard publishing applications can create PDF files by creating a Postscript file and ‘distilling’ or direct export as a PDF.

A PDF file is not a PostScript language program and cannot be directly interpreted by a PostScript interpreter. However, the page descriptions in a PDF file can be converted into a PostScript language program.

Adobe Acrobat package contains an application called the Acrobat Distiller. It takes Postscript files from QuarkXPress™, Macromedia Freehand, Adobe InDesign, Adobe PageMaker and other applications that are capable of printing to a Postscript file and converts them to PDF files.

The generated Postscript file is processed by the Acrobat Distiller and converted into a Portable Document Format (PDF) file.

Once distilled into a PDF, the resulting file is optimised for size, and contains all the elements required to view and print on another computer. Fonts, images and the text that make up the original document are encapsulated into the single PDF file.

Yes, PDF files are cross platform. A PDF file created on a Windows PC will be able to be viewed and printed from a Macintosh.

What is a 3DAPv2 PDF?

A 3DAPv2 PDF is a file that complies with the guidelines as specified.

It is a composite PDF file, where all of the fonts, images, graphics and text required to view and print the file is contained within one file. A composite PDF file can be viewed on screen. To find out more about the settings required for a 3DAPv2 PDF file go to the Distiller Settings page on this site.

How do you create a 3DAPv2 PDF?

By using Acrobat Distiller 4.05 or Distiller 5.0 and setting it up according to these guidelines. For detailed instructions go to the Creating PDF files page on this site.

Why ZIP Compression? What is wrong with JPEG?

The committee has determined that quality is of paramount concern to advertisers. To ensure that no pixels or colours are changed in the supplied digital advertisement, ZIP compression was chosen as the baseline guideline.

Can you create a 3DAPv2 PDF directly from your applications?

Although some applications such as the latest versions of Macromedia Freehand, CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign have the capability to export to a PDF directly, because of the extremely complex nature of todays image/plate setters and greater control over pre-flighting it is recommended that a Postscript file be created first and this file then distilled with Acrobat Distiller using the 3DAPv2 settings.

Can you view a 3DAPv2 PDF with Acrobat Reader?

Yes. Acrobat Reader 5.0 is available as a free download at:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

Can you create a 3DAPv2 PDF with Acrobat Reader?

Unfortunately, no. The commercial product Adobe Acrobat 4.05 or 5.0, available for Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 and XP and MacOS is required to create a PDF file.