CB should print out PDFs as well as .xps - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

CB should print out PDFs as well as .xps

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
dalmutisw
Jul 27, 2009 20:52:45 I don't want to get into a discussion on the relative merits of .pdf vs .xps, I'm not a "power user" so I don't care.

All I know is that .xps uses some kind of proprietary font thing that keeps me from being able to open my documents in Illustrator or even in Acrobat Pro and edit the text. It's a pain in the A$$. PDF is a completely cross platform and fully compatible with Illustrator, Word, photoshop, everything.

I have tried to use programs like CuteWriter and Cute PDF and what I get is a character sheet with all the added txt converted to gibberish.

Jebus, whats going on at WoC, Microsoft holding your children hostage or something. It's PDF for crist-sake, everyone uses PDF, at least make it an option.

I just want to be able to edit the text on my character sheet, darnit.

Thank you
D
#2
killer_dm_dup
Jul 27, 2009 21:17:09 install this free program and you can print to it like a printer and it makes PDFs of anything

http://www.primopdf.com/
#3
Dane_McArdy
Jul 27, 2009 21:48:20 I just went and printed out a character sheet to a PDF, and then opened the PDF.

When I opened it, and could edit it.

However, you need to have Acrobat Professional and not just Acrobat Reader to be able to edit text.
#4
emodeathmachine
Aug 01, 2009 9:07:20
I just went and printed out a character sheet to a PDF, and then opened the PDF.

Then I opened it, and could edit it.

However, you need to have Acrobat Professional and not just Acrobat Reader to be able to edit text.

That's usually how PDFs work. You can't edit them without Pro. And yeah, with Pro installed, you can always print to a PDF.
#5
Laures
Aug 02, 2009 17:42:29 commercial products can't bring their own "print to pdf" function. adobe doesn't like it. go and ask microsoft.
#6
guivre
Aug 02, 2009 18:52:51
commercial products can't bring their own "print to pdf" function. adobe doesn't like it. go and ask microsoft.

Err no. PDF is an open ISO standard. The problem is with Windows. OS X has print to PDF baked right in.
#7
Laures
Aug 03, 2009 7:25:29
Err no. PDF is an open ISO standard. The problem is with Windows. OS X has print to PDF baked right in.

microsoft got a lawsuit when they added the save as pdf function to word.

maybe OSX isnt big enought for big bad adobe :D
#8
tibis
Aug 03, 2009 15:23:09
Err no. PDF is an open ISO standard. The problem is with Windows. OS X has print to PDF baked right in.

Just because it's an ISO standard, doesn't mean that there can't be any IP encumbrances on implementation.
#9
saitir
Aug 04, 2009 2:11:28 Actually SP1 for Office 2007 now allows save to PDF, not that that helps much, but it supports it anyhow, if not in the most obvious way.

Also the xps functionality isn't something that comes with CB, is comes with .NET 3.5. Where PDF is just postscript in a wrapper (essentially) XPS is WPF in a wrapper. The only practical difference (other than age and maturity) is the postscript was designed for printing and they then developed viewers for it (I'm fairly sure ghostscript (unix) predated pdf for viewing postscript on screen) where wpf is a screen layout technology that they built printing into (not that much of a stretch given its vector based, all you really need to do is define the appropriate 'page size').

From a purely technical perspective there's no real difference in the two.

From a consumer point of view the OP is right, pdf is much better supported with tools to tweak and modify - even if most of those apps are priced out of most peoples ranged.

For PDF printing, I personally always use cutepdf
#10
Dane_McArdy
Aug 04, 2009 6:00:11
Actually SP1 for Office 2007 now allows save to PDF, not that that helps much, but it supports it anyhow, if not in the most obvious way.

Also the xps functionality isn't something that comes with CB, is comes with .NET 3.5. Where PDF is just postscript in a wrapper (essentially) XPS is WPF in a wrapper. The only practical difference (other than age and maturity) is the postscript was designed for printing and they then developed viewers for it (I'm fairly sure ghostscript (unix) predated pdf for viewing postscript on screen) where wpf is a screen layout technology that they built printing into (not that much of a stretch given its vector based, all you really need to do is define the appropriate 'page size').

From a purely technical perspective there's no real difference in the two.

From a consumer point of view the OP is right, pdf is much better supported with tools to tweak and modify - even if most of those apps are priced out of most peoples ranged.

For PDF printing, I personally always use cutepdf

Ok, but the guy says he has Acrobat Pro, so he should be able to print to PDF, open it and edit it.

I have it, I printed to a PDF and I saved it. Which is handy, because one of the characters in my campaign has some home ruled effects on him, which I can't reflect in the character builder. But now I can save his sheet as a PDF, and go in and edit it.
#11
Ore
Aug 04, 2009 8:57:20
I have tried to use programs like CuteWriter and Cute PDF and what I get is a character sheet with all the added txt converted to gibberish.

Try updating to the new version of CutePDF. It works just fine for me.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dalmutisw Jul 27, 2009 20:52:45	I don't want to get into a discussion on the relative merits of .pdf vs .xps, I'm not a "power user" so I don't care. All I know is that .xps uses some kind of proprietary font thing that keeps me from being able to open my documents in Illustrator or even in Acrobat Pro and edit the text. It's a pain in the A$$. PDF is a completely cross platform and fully compatible with Illustrator, Word, photoshop, everything. I have tried to use programs like CuteWriter and Cute PDF and what I get is a character sheet with all the added txt converted to gibberish. Jebus, whats going on at WoC, Microsoft holding your children hostage or something. It's PDF for crist-sake, everyone uses PDF, at least make it an option. I just want to be able to edit the text on my character sheet, darnit. Thank you D
#2 killer_dm_dup Jul 27, 2009 21:17:09	install this free program and you can print to it like a printer and it makes PDFs of anything http://www.primopdf.com/
#3 Dane_McArdy Jul 27, 2009 21:48:20	I just went and printed out a character sheet to a PDF, and then opened the PDF. When I opened it, and could edit it. However, you need to have Acrobat Professional and not just Acrobat Reader to be able to edit text.
#4 emodeathmachine Aug 01, 2009 9:07:20	I just went and printed out a character sheet to a PDF, and then opened the PDF. Then I opened it, and could edit it. However, you need to have Acrobat Professional and not just Acrobat Reader to be able to edit text. That's usually how PDFs work. You can't edit them without Pro. And yeah, with Pro installed, you can always print to a PDF.
#5 Laures Aug 02, 2009 17:42:29	commercial products can't bring their own "print to pdf" function. adobe doesn't like it. go and ask microsoft.
#6 guivre Aug 02, 2009 18:52:51	commercial products can't bring their own "print to pdf" function. adobe doesn't like it. go and ask microsoft. Err no. PDF is an open ISO standard. The problem is with Windows. OS X has print to PDF baked right in.
#7 Laures Aug 03, 2009 7:25:29	Err no. PDF is an open ISO standard. The problem is with Windows. OS X has print to PDF baked right in. microsoft got a lawsuit when they added the save as pdf function to word. maybe OSX isnt big enought for big bad adobe :D
#8 tibis Aug 03, 2009 15:23:09	Err no. PDF is an open ISO standard. The problem is with Windows. OS X has print to PDF baked right in. Just because it's an ISO standard, doesn't mean that there can't be any IP encumbrances on implementation.
#9 saitir Aug 04, 2009 2:11:28	Actually SP1 for Office 2007 now allows save to PDF, not that that helps much, but it supports it anyhow, if not in the most obvious way. Also the xps functionality isn't something that comes with CB, is comes with .NET 3.5. Where PDF is just postscript in a wrapper (essentially) XPS is WPF in a wrapper. The only practical difference (other than age and maturity) is the postscript was designed for printing and they then developed viewers for it (I'm fairly sure ghostscript (unix) predated pdf for viewing postscript on screen) where wpf is a screen layout technology that they built printing into (not that much of a stretch given its vector based, all you really need to do is define the appropriate 'page size'). From a purely technical perspective there's no real difference in the two. From a consumer point of view the OP is right, pdf is much better supported with tools to tweak and modify - even if most of those apps are priced out of most peoples ranged. For PDF printing, I personally always use cutepdf
#10 Dane_McArdy Aug 04, 2009 6:00:11	Actually SP1 for Office 2007 now allows save to PDF, not that that helps much, but it supports it anyhow, if not in the most obvious way. Also the xps functionality isn't something that comes with CB, is comes with .NET 3.5. Where PDF is just postscript in a wrapper (essentially) XPS is WPF in a wrapper. The only practical difference (other than age and maturity) is the postscript was designed for printing and they then developed viewers for it (I'm fairly sure ghostscript (unix) predated pdf for viewing postscript on screen) where wpf is a screen layout technology that they built printing into (not that much of a stretch given its vector based, all you really need to do is define the appropriate 'page size'). From a purely technical perspective there's no real difference in the two. From a consumer point of view the OP is right, pdf is much better supported with tools to tweak and modify - even if most of those apps are priced out of most peoples ranged. For PDF printing, I personally always use cutepdf Ok, but the guy says he has Acrobat Pro, so he should be able to print to PDF, open it and edit it. I have it, I printed to a PDF and I saved it. Which is handy, because one of the characters in my campaign has some home ruled effects on him, which I can't reflect in the character builder. But now I can save his sheet as a PDF, and go in and edit it.
#11 Ore Aug 04, 2009 8:57:20	I have tried to use programs like CuteWriter and Cute PDF and what I get is a character sheet with all the added txt converted to gibberish. Try updating to the new version of CutePDF. It works just fine for me.