# Printing to pdf **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812 "2010-09-15T04:35:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/1 "2010-09-15T04:35:16Z")
Okay, I have googled this to a fare-thee-well and I STILL can’t find the answer. I’m trying to simply print a document to pdf format. I have one of those stupid “please print this for your records this form will not save your information” thingies, that I just want to print to a pdf file. On all of my other computers you simply go “print/pdf” and the document becomes a pdf file. But that option is not available on my new computer and frankly, I’ve not the faintest idea how to get it there. I’ve tried adding printers, and (as I said) googling forever and my brain is dead and not a little frustrated. Help… And thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Joools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6de8d8/32.png) [@Joools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joools)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/2 "2010-09-15T04:37:12Z")
If you have a mac, just choose “Save as PDF” from the print menu. If you have Windows, the program I like is the open source “PDF Creator” ([PDFCreator download | SourceForge.net](http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/)) ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/3 "2010-09-15T04:45:29Z")
I have a PC, but the problem is, that option isn’t in the print menu…and I don’t know how to get it there. I’ve never seen a computer NOT have that option in the print menu. But thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Joools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6de8d8/32.png) [@Joools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joools)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/4 "2010-09-15T04:52:07Z")
I should have been clearer. Download & install the “PDF Creator” program that I linked to… and the option will start appearing in your print menu. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/5 "2010-09-15T05:33:02Z")
> [@Joools](#): > > I should have been clearer. Download & install the “PDF Creator” program that I linked to… and the option will start appearing in your print menu. Good luck! Oh! Sorry, no it was me, in my tiredness and frustration (I’m in the midst of a move from Alaska to Seattle) I completely didn’t even see the link. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/6 "2010-09-15T06:04:21Z")
Some programs have the “create PDF” option somewhere besides the print menu. OpenOffice, for example, has it in the Export menu. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/8 "2010-09-15T07:27:49Z")
On Windows, Office 2007 and up have the ability to save directly as PDF (I think it’s called Export rather than Save, for some reason) and OpenOffice can also do that. In all other cases, I turn to a PDF printer like the one liked above, or CutePDF. ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/9 "2010-09-15T07:45:57Z")
I use [PrimoPDF](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PrimoPDF), which installs as a printer. So any program you can print from, you can turn a file into a PDF. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/10 "2010-09-15T07:52:19Z")
I use Cute PDF writer. It is free, and works great. I use a PC, and once you install it, it works as one of your printers. You choose “Print” from any program (word processing, Internet browser), and in the print dialog box, select “Cute PDF Writer” as the printer, click “Print” and then you save the file. It’s fabulous. I had to install both the GNU Ghostscript and Cute PDF writer ([both available here](http://www.cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/writer.asp)), but it works like a charm. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/11 "2010-09-15T09:36:12Z")
Another vote for PrimoPDF - very easy to use and quick to install. Just select it from the list of printers. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/12 "2010-09-15T11:48:34Z")
I love PDF Creator and install it on every machine I use. A word of warning… PDF Creator installs a (usually unwanted) toolbar by default. You must be careful to uncheck a checkbox in the list of components to be installed to avoid the installation of what many call malware. [Read all about it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDFCreator#Inclusion_of_malware). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/13 "2010-09-15T12:48:49Z")
I do know that some programs are designed so they will know if you try to print to a file, and they stop PDF printers in their tracks. I guess I got an older version of PDFForge, because I did not have any toolbar problems. Seeing as they are open source, I’m surprised no one altered the installer, anyways. ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/14 "2010-09-15T16:25:56Z")
Maybe I should start a new thread but maybe someone can explain this to me. I had to scan some documents at the library (they use macs) and it did not give me the option to save to a multiple page .pdf file, which is what I was accustomed to on a windows computer attached to an HP scanner. So I had to save each scan as a seperate .pdf file. Was it just the software they were using for that particular scanner perhaps? It was a combo printer/scanner/copier. Probably HP also. ---
**Author:** ![tallcoldone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@tallcoldone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tallcoldone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/15 "2010-09-15T16:28:38Z")
Another freeware option: www.pdf995.com ---
**Author:** ![TheFifthYear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@TheFifthYear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFifthYear)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/16 "2010-09-15T17:12:30Z")
> [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > Maybe I should start a new thread but maybe someone can explain this to me. I had to scan some documents at the library (they use macs) and it did not give me the option to save to a multiple page .pdf file, which is what I was accustomed to on a windows computer attached to an HP scanner. So I had to save each scan as a seperate .pdf file. Was it just the software they were using for that particular scanner perhaps? It was a combo printer/scanner/copier. Probably HP also. Yeah, it was just the software. There’s no Mac vs PC issue involved in multi-page scanning. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/17 "2010-09-15T17:38:31Z")
Another satisfied CutePDF user here. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/printing-to-pdf/553812/18 "2010-09-15T23:38:08Z")
> [@TheFifthYear](#): > > > [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > > > Maybe I should start a new thread but maybe someone can explain this to me. I had to scan some documents at the library (they use macs) and it did not give me the option to save to a multiple page .pdf file, which is what I was accustomed to on a windows computer attached to an HP scanner. So I had to save each scan as a seperate .pdf file. Was it just the software they were using for that particular scanner perhaps? It was a combo printer/scanner/copier. Probably HP also. > > Yeah, it was just the software. There’s no Mac vs PC issue involved in multi-page scanning. I use [PDF Split and Merge](http://www.pdfsam.org/) to merge files that get scanned by my crappy 3-in-1 printer into a single PDF. Very useful.