Portable Document Format (PDF) is the defacto file format for presenting device-independent documents on and off the Web. While PDFs have become quite popular on the Web, many PDFs used in web sites are designed for high quality print output and are not optimized for the Web.

Creating Small PDFs

The main factors in creating small PDFs are image resolution, image type (bitmap or vector), the number of fonts used and how they are embedded, PDF version, and the level of compression. In general the higher the PDF version number, the smaller the file. Acrobat 5 (PDF version 1.4) added JBIG2 compression, which is superior to the CCITT or Zip algorithms when compressing scanned monochromatic copy.

JBIG2 (Joint Bilevel Image Experts Group) encoding compresses monochrome (1 bit per pixel) image data from 20:1 to 50:1 for pages full of text. Like other dictionary-based algorithms (LZW, ZIP) JBIG2 creates a table of unique symbols and when a subsequent symbol matches one in the table, it substitutes a token pointing to the table index. JBIG2 also compresses the entire table.

Acrobat 6 (PDF version 1.5) added the ability to compress the entire file (Clean Up Settings dialog). However, since over 90% of Acrobat users have version 5.0 or greater, using PDF 1.4 is a safer alternative. Acrobat will usually display (with a warning) a more recent PDF version, but new compression schemes will spawn an error when opened in older versions of Acrobat. At the time of this writing, Adobe says that of those 90%, 50% use version 5 and 40% use version 6.

To create the smallest possible PDFs file size for the Web minimize the number of fonts, bitmapped images, and substitute vector based-graphics instead. Minimize the number and complexity of forms in your PDF document, and avoid the use of multimedia.

There are different methods to create PDFs, including outputting to PostScript and Distilling, GDI/Printing, one-click “Direct to PDF,” and dynamically on the server-side. However you create a PDF, the techniques and tools listed below can help you enhance and optimize your PDFs for the Web.

Avoid Refried Graphics

For graphics that must be inserted as bitmaps, prepare them for maximum compressibility and minimum dimensions. Use the best quality images that you can at the output resolution of the PDF. Inserting compressed JPEGs into PDFs and Distilling them may recompress JPEGs, which can create noticeable artifacts. Use black and white images and text instead of color images to allow the use of the newer JBIG2 standard that excels in monochromatic compression. Be sure to turn off thumbnails when saving PDFs for the Web.

Use Vector Graphics

Use vector-based graphics wherever possible for images that would normally be made into GIFs. Vector images scale perfectly, look marvelous, and their mathematical formulas usually take up less space than bitmapped graphics that describe every pixel (although there are some cases where bitmap graphics are actually smaller than vector graphics). You can also compress vector image data using ZIP compression, which is built into the PDF format. Acrobat Reader version 5 and 6 also support the SVG standard.

Minimize Fonts

How you use fonts, especially in smaller PDFs, can have a significant impact on file size. Minimize the number of fonts you use in your documents to minimize their impact on file size. Each additional fully embedded font can easily take 40K in file size, which is why most authors create “subsetted” fonts that only include the glyphs actually used.

Fix Fat Forms

Acrobat forms can take up a lot of space in your PDFs. You can use PDF Enhancer from Apago to reduce forms by 50% by removing information present in the file but never actually used. You can also combine a refried PDF with the old form pages to create a hybrid PDF in Acrobat.

Optimizing Existing PDFs

In many cases you won’t have access to the original document, just the resulting PDF file. Many PDFs we’ve seen are not fully optimized for the Web, using conservative settings more appropriate to high-resolution printers. For computer monitors viewing web-based PDFs, you don’t need high resolution images and exact reproduction of font faces, you just want to convey your information in an efficient way. Using the techniques outlined below, you can shrink your PDFs, while still maintaining the textual data for search engines, and reasonable quality for print output. Some webmasters offer two versions of their PDFs, once for fast web display, and one for printing.

Save As…

Once you’re done making changes to your PDF document choose File -> Save As and overwrite your existing PDF file. By default, save as removes changes that are appended to PDFs by the Save command, linearizes the file for fast web viewing, and removes unused objects.

The result is a compact, linearized PDF that displays the first page (or an arbitrary page) quickly, while the rest of the file downloads in the background. Although linearized PDFs are slightly larger, they also increase perceived speed. Note that optimizing a signed document will invalidate its signature.

By Andy King
http://www.websiteoptimization.com

More at: http://www.usedarticles.com/view/web-design-and-development/294.html

Related posts:

1. How to Optimize PDF Files for your website or blog
2. Use iText to create PDF files dynamically
3. PDF Editor for AEC Industry

Before you start, make sure that the Text boundaries option in Word is not selected.

FWIW: these steps worked at the time of writing but (as you may know) things change with Microsoft applications, so you may have to experiment a little.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Start Word 2003.
• On the Tools menu, click Options.
• In the View tab, under Print and Web Layout options, verify that the Text boundaries check box is selected.
• If the Text boundaries check box is selected, click to clear the Text boundaries check box.
• Remove all the Asian languages from the Enabled languages list.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Click Start, All Programs, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Tools, and then click Microsoft Office 2003 Language Settings.

• In the Enabled languages list, select and remove all the languages that you do not use except English (U.S.).

To do this, follow these steps:

• In the Enabled languages list, select a language that you want to remove, and then click Remove.

• Click OK to update the language settings.

Note: You can also press the CTRL key and select more than one language, and then click Remove to remove those languages.

XXXX

Related posts:

1. How to get rid of Crop Marks in Microsoft Word 2002 / 2003 / 2007
2. What are Crop Marks – Microsoft Word 2002 / 2003 / 2007 Tips
3. How to Search for and Remove Text Formatted As Hidden

When you open a document in Microsoft Word, margin marks or crop marks may appear on each corner of the page.

Crop marks are markers that appear in the top left and right of your Microsoft Word documents.

These are called ‘crop marks’.

To remove these, you have to disable Asian language support.

These markers often appear after you open a file which has an Asian language setting; Microsoft Office might activate this setting to display embedded fonts. It’s just trying to be helpful.

What causes Crop Marks?

This occurs if you have one of the following Asian languages turned on in Microsoft Office Language Settings:

• Chinese (Traditional)
• Chinese (Simplified)
• Japanese
• Korean

Margin marks or crop marks are different from text boundary marks. To turn on or turn off text boundaries, use the Text boundaries option in Microsoft Word.

Related posts:

1. How to get rid of Crop Marks in Microsoft Word 2002 / 2003 / 2007
2. How to change the list of document options in Word 2007
3. Frank Rice’s Tips When Using Word 2003

In Word, if you go to the Font Size drop-down menu, the largest value shown is 72 point.

However, to get whatever font size you like – up to 999.5 points – just type in the number and Word will update the font size.

Try it!

Related posts:

1. How to add sound To Word Documents
2. How to Resize Fonts in Word 2003
3. Create Underlined Spaces That Remain When Typed On

You can configure Word to automatically scroll down a document.

This can be very useful for reading long documents, or when giving presentations.

To turn of the auto scroll, follow these steps:

1. Click Customize on the Tools menu.

2. In the Commands tab, scroll down and highlight ‘All Commands‘ in the Categories window.

3. In the right-hand window find and then drag Auto Scroll onto a toolbar.

4. Close Customize.

You can then and click on the Auto Scroll button to start the scrolling. Use the arrow keys to vary speed and direction.

Related posts:

1. How to add line numbers to reports and technical documents
2. Word Tip – How to Setup Split Screen in MS Word 2003/2007
3. Adobe Acrobat Reader Tips

Everyone knows how to add graphics into Microsoft Word. But did you also know you can also add sounds?

1. Place your cursor in the document where you want the sound to be.
2. From the Insert menu, select Object.
3. Scroll down and select Wave Sound.
   A speaker icon appears and Windows Media Player opens.
4. From the Edit menu, select Insert File, and select your audio file.
5. The sound file is played when you double-click on the speaker icon.

Related posts:

1. Change Your Word Icons
2. Word Tip – How to create Screentips that enhance your documents
3. How to Copy Text and Graphics from PDF Files into Word

Portable Document Format (PDF) is the defacto file format for presenting device-independent documents on and off the Web. While PDFs have become quite popular on the Web, many PDFs used in web sites are designed for high quality print output and are not optimized for the Web.

Even PDFs designed for Web use can have a wait problem, weighed down with excess fonts, change histories, and unoptimized images and forms. Optimizing PDF files for the Web can significantly shrink their size and boost display speed, saving bandwidth and user frustration.

For the full “Optimize PDF Files for the Web” article, www.websiteoptimization.com

Creating Small PDFs

The main factors in creating small PDFs are image resolution, image type (bitmap or vector), the number of fonts used and how they are embedded, PDF version, and the level of compression.

In general the higher the PDF version number, the smaller the file. Acrobat 5 (PDF version 1.4) added JBIG2 compression, which is superior to the CCITT or Zip algorithms when compressing scanned monochromatic copy.

JBIG2 (Joint Bilevel Image Experts Group) encoding compresses monochrome (1 bit per pixel) image data from 20:1 to 50:1 for pages full of text.

Like other dictionary-based algorithms (LZW, ZIP) JBIG2 creates a table of unique symbols and when a subsequent symbol matches one in the table, it substitutes a token pointing to the table index. JBIG2 also compresses the entire table.

Acrobat 6 (PDF version 1.5) added the ability to compress the entire file (Clean Up Settings dialog). However, since over 90% of Acrobat users have version 5.0 or greater, using PDF 1.4 is a safer alternative.

Acrobat will usually display (with a warning) a more recent PDF version, but new compression schemes will spawn an error when opened in older versions of Acrobat. At the time of this writing, Adobe says that of those 90%, 50% use version 5 and 40% use version 6.

To create the smallest possible PDFs file size for the Web minimize the number of fonts, bitmapped images, and substitute vector based-graphics instead. Minimize the number and complexity of forms in your PDF document, and avoid the use of multimedia.

There are different methods to create PDFs, including outputting to PostScript and Distilling, GDI/Printing, one-click “Direct to PDF,” and dynamically on the server-side. However you create a PDF, the techniques and tools listed below can help you enhance and optimize your PDFs for the Web.

Avoid Refried Graphics

For graphics that must be inserted as bitmaps, prepare them for maximum compressibility and minimum dimensions. Use the best quality images that you can at the output resolution of the PDF.

Inserting compressed JPEGs into PDFs and Distilling them may recompress JPEGs, which can create noticeable artifacts. Use black and white images and text instead of color images to allow the use of the newer JBIG2 standard that excels in monochromatic compression. Be sure to turn off thumbnails when saving PDFs for the Web.

Use Vector Graphics

Use vector-based graphics wherever possible for images that would normally be made into GIFs. Vector images scale perfectly, look marvelous, and their mathematical formulas usually take up less space than bitmapped graphics that describe every pixel (although there are some cases where bitmap graphics are actually smaller than vector graphics).

You can also compress vector image data using ZIP compression, which is built into the PDF format. Acrobat Reader version 5 and 6 also support the SVG standard.

Minimize Fonts

How you use fonts, especially in smaller PDFs, can have a significant impact on file size. Minimize the number of fonts you use in your documents to minimize their impact on file size. Each additional fully embedded font can easily take 40K in file size, which is why most authors create “subsetted” fonts that only include the glyphs actually used.

Fix Fat Forms

Acrobat forms can take up a lot of space in your PDFs. You can use PDF Enhancer from Apago to reduce forms by 50% by removing information present in the file but never actually used. You can also combine a refried PDF with the old form pages to create a hybrid PDF in Acrobat.

Optimizing Existing PDFs

In many cases you won’t have access to the original document, just the resulting PDF file. Many PDFs we’ve seen are not fully optimized for the Web, using conservative settings more appropriate to high-resolution printers. For computer monitors viewing web-based PDFs, you don’t need high resolution images and exact reproduction of font faces, you just want to convey your information in an efficient way. Using the techniques outlined below, you can shrink your PDFs, while still maintaining the textual data for search engines, and reasonable quality for print output. Some webmasters offer two versions of their PDFs, once for fast web display, and one for printing.

Save As…

Once you’re done making changes to your PDF document choose File -> Save As and overwrite your existing PDF file. By default, save as removes changes that are appended to PDFs by the Save command, linearizes the file for fast web viewing, and removes unused objects.

The result is a compact, linearized PDF that displays the first page (or an arbitrary page) quickly, while the rest of the file downloads in the background. Although linearized PDFs are slightly larger, they also increase perceived speed. Note that optimizing a signed document will invalidate its signature.

By Andy King
http://www.websiteoptimization.com

More at: http://www.usedarticles.com/view/web-design-and-development/294.html

Related posts:

1. Use iText to create PDF files dynamically
2. PDF Editor for AEC Industry
3. How to Copy Text and Graphics from PDF Files into Word

You can make it easier for people to find information in your Word document by adding lines. These run down the left hand side of the page. Instead of saying something is on page 5, paragraph 3, just tell them the line it’s on.

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Microsoft Word can automatically count the lines in a document and display the appropriate number beside each line of text. This is useful if you need to refer to specific lines in a document, such as a script or legal contract.
By default, Word numbers every line in a document. However, you can choose which line numbers to display.

For example, include line numbers in all or part of the document. Or include line numbers at intervals, such as every tenth line (10, 20, 30, and so on).

How to add line numbers

To add line numbers to an entire document:

1. On the File menu, click Page Setup, and then click the Layout tab.
2. In the Apply to box, click Whole document.
   
3. Click Line Numbers.
4. Select the Add line numbering check box, and then select the options you want.
   

How to add line numbers to a selection of text:

1. Select the text you want to number.
2. On the File menu, click Page Setup, and then click the Layout tab.
3. In the Apply to box, click Selected text.
4. Click Line Numbers.
5. Select the Add line numbering check box, and then select the options you want.
   

To skip line numbers for specific paragraphs

1. Select the paragraphs for which you want to skip line numbers.
2. On the Format menu, click Paragraph, and then click the Line and Page Breaks tab.
3. Select the Suppress line numbers check box.
   

If you know any more, Word tricks like this, let me know.

Ivan

Related posts:

1. Add Line Numbers to your Word Documents
2. Adding Line Spacing Above and Below Text
3. Controlling Image Placement

To increase or decrease the font size in a Word document, follow these steps:

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1. Select the text you want to modify.

2. Press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys at the same time.

3. To increase the font size repeatedly press ‘>’ (right-facing arrow on keyboard)

4. To reduce the font size press ‘<’ (left-facing arrow on keyboard).

The size of the highlighted text will be shown in the toolbar display.

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Related posts:

1. Use Fewer Fonts
2. How to Quickly Reduce Microsoft Word File Size – Secret #4
3. Use Draft Fonts