Be careful what software you download from the Internet!!

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I downloaded what I thought was a PDF converter from the Internet this weekend and it had a virus attached to it and it totally froze my computer.  I had to pay $200 to get it fixed and took Toshiba support over two hours to fix it.  Just be careful because there is so much malware out there that takes over your computer and screws it up.  I will be way more careful from now on.  Just thought I should share my experience with you too.

[Mary Jo Cochran]

You didn't say.  That PDF converter, was it a "free" download?  Was it converting from PDF to Word?  Or from Word to PDF?  Was it converting your CAT software doc to a PDF format?

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Oh, boy, sorry to hear it, Kelli, and thanks for the heads up.  BTW, after many years of using a PDF converter (PrimoPDF), I recently learned that Word 2007 has an option to "save as" PDF.  Much more convenient than using the PDF converter.  Wish I had known this a long time ago!  

[Kerry F]

I love my Norton Internet Security because it doesn't let stuff like that happen.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I thought it was a program (free) so that I could convert an ASCII to a PDF.  It had some weird virus attached to it and I knew immediately.  All of a sudden all sort of weird pop-up ads took over my computer.  Very scary.

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Kelli, why were you converting an ASCII to PDF?  I create PDFs in Catalyst.

Paul, I have spybot but don't use it enough.  I just updated it.  thanks for the reminder.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Because my proofer likes to use PDFs when proofing for me.  Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing it at all.  This is a new computer and it didn't come with Adobe on it.  Thankfully my husband had it on a disk and I didn't have to spend $200 to buy it again.  Problem solved.

[Kerry F]

Kelly, doesn't Eclipse let you convert your edited file into a PDF?  I thought it did?Catalyst does.  Eclipse must.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I actually don't know if it does.  Good question.

I just looked it up on Eclipse and this is what Eclipse says:  

You may be asked to produce a PDF file of a transcript or of a word list/concordance. PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It allows you to share files in a printable form.

You can create a PDF file by acquiring a third-party PDF creation program. There are many inexpensive programs of this sort available on the Internet. Most of them work by installing a printer driver. This means that you will create a PDF file by issuing the Print command (Alt-O) and then selecting the PDF creation program from the list of "printers" that appears in the Print Setup. You may also need to check Print to File on the Print Dialog. For further details, consult the documentation of the PDF-creation software you are using.

Sure doesn't sound like they have the ability to convert to PDF to me.

I have no reason to convert to a PDF except when sending jobs to this proofer.  Most of the time I proof my own work, but every once in a while I come across a job I just can't bear to read again.  

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

I have used PrimoPDF for a long time (no more since I discovered that you can create a PDF in Word) but I still have it on my computer.   Taking at look at my print window in Catalyst, I see that PrimoPDF is listed as one of the printers. Selecting it as my printer brings up the familiar PrimoPDF window.   So since Eclipse does not include a PDF printer, just download PrimoPDF from the PrimoPDF site or cnet.  It's been a great program.   google it to read reviews.

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I don't even have Word on this new computer.  Don't want to spend the hundreds to get it either.  Hence, the problem.

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Not having Word is a complete PITA but is irrelevant to your current problem of needing to convert your CAT files to PDF.  Just DL PrimoPDF and it will probably show up in your Eclipse print screen window as a printer and go from there.  As I said, it is in my Catalyst print window so maybe the same will be true for you.

[Emily H.]

Kelly,  You're on Eclipse?  Do you know Jenny Griffin?  She sometimes posts on here.  She is a super, super expert on Eclipse.  She knows stuff about the software that I think the Eclipse people themselves don't know.  She's also super helpful.  Maybe she can help you.

I have DigitalCAT, and with them there was some sort of add-on I had to add (they walked me through it) and now it also gives me the option to save my transcripts as a pdf.  Super simple.  Like you, I have the same situation where my proofreader wants the file to come as a pdf.  That's why I added it.

Good luck!