PDF Distiller-Reader, Writer, Merge Program?

[mbauer]

I use AutoCAD to create my drawings. Years ago I spent BIG DOLLARS on Adobe Acrobat 5.0 and even more on AutoCAD.

Adobe Acrobat 5 has a distiller that allows me to write PDF files direct from AutoCAD. Acrobat also combines/merges single PDF files into set of several.

Recently I upgraded to Adobe reader 11. Now my Acrobat 5.0 is no longer available to merge serval PDF's into a set. The distiller still works, but the icon to use 5.0 to merge no longer shows up.

I'm using Xp Professional (upgrading to other operating systems is no longer an option-None will run my older AutoCAD versions-don't have $5000 to upgrade to a newer ACAD version).

The only reason why I use Windows is to use AutoCAD for my drawings. My next computer purchase will be a MAC. Plan to use the MAC for on-line stuff (i.e., internet). It should work fine for uploading/downloading PDF files.

Added bonus is that I can remove my virus software from the windows, as it will never be on-line. MAC will run a windows software to transfer files back and forth between the different computers.

Does anyone know of a freeware or cheap PDF, writer, distiller, merger program that will work with XP Professional,& AutoCAD 2000 through 2006?

I would get rid of the Reader 11, but it does things for printing large scale sheets that the Acrobat 5.0 won't do.

Guess I'm just stubborn about giving my money to a big corporation like AutoCAD and Adobe!

Hoping to find 1-program that does everything, know of a few that will do one or the other but, not all.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Mike

[MacSongLi]

Here's a link that might help you.

Best Free PDF Writer

Thanks,
Gary

[3Turner]

Would any of the PDF "printers" work for you in the manner you want? I used CutePDF on my XP machine until I bought to Acrobat X....it came included with PS 5 and Illustrator 5.

[Zakopious]

The Foxit PDF Editor might do the job.

See: PDF Editor-Create, annotate, edit, secure, convert, organize, and OCR PDF

Cost is $95.

[SCEtoAUX]

PDFTK Builder from this site PDFTK Builder and other PDF Resources is Freeware and will merge multiple pdf files into one multipage pdf file. It will also split a multipage pdf file into individual pdf pages. I do not know if it will work with Autocad directly, but if you can generate and save multiple pdf's it will merge them. Looks like it should work with XP. I know it works with Vista and Windows 7.

[mbauer]

Wow, Thanks for the quick replys!

Going to try each and everyone one of them.

Looks like distiller will work in my version of AutoCAD, reloaded Acrobat 5, once it was re-installed, I then "fixed" the new reader. Still don't have access to Acrobat 5, but the distiller works. Biggest issue now is merging the PDF into one.

Thank you for your help with this!

Mike

[JohnM]

As suggested by Doug, PDFTK Builder is a great free program for grouping a batch of single page pdf files into a multi-page one, or vise-versa, splitting multi-page pdfs down to single page files, which are easier to feed into the Gimp for editing.

Johnny.

[mbauer]

Thank you Doug! Great suggestion!

Originally Posted by JohnM

As suggested by Doug, PDFTK Builder is a great free program for grouping a batch of single page pdf files into a multi-page one, or vise-versa, splitting multi-page pdfs down to single page files, which are easier to feed into the Gimp for editing.

Johnny.

You're sure right about that! Fast, Easy and done! Small size program = Big Time results!

Works great!

Mike

[richkat]

Originally Posted by JohnM

As suggested by Doug, PDFTK Builder is a great free program for grouping a batch of single page pdf files into a multi-page one, or vise-versa, splitting multi-page pdfs down to single page files, which are easier to feed into the Gimp for editing.

Johnny.

I'll third that...very useful program, and the right price......Rich

[Ron Caudillo]

Hi Mike,
I'm gonna have to try out the PDFTK as Doug suggested, thanks Doug!

I too have AutoCAD and Acrobat 5.0 on a Windows XP system. Even though I don't use the distiller directly from AutoCAD, I do use it from CorelDraw (I import from AutoCAD to create the pages and add textures).

I learned a LONG time ago that Acrobat 5 does not open the newer PDF files, and using Acroread was not an option since I too had conflicts with Acrobat. So I use Foxit reader to open PDF files and Acrobat to rotate, crop, colate, extract, etc. that I always did.

Best Regards,