pdf files without a printer

need to make them on my laptop

[Maylin]

I have several pdf files I need to make. I can't install any programs to create them because I get an error saying that I have to enable the print spooler service. The print spooler service is greyed out so I can't enable it, and I don't have a printer. I'm using a laptop and don't WANT a printer installed on it. I have access to printers if I need them, but don't want them on a portable computer.

Are there any workarounds for this, maybe a "printer emulator" or something that will just allow me to create the pdf files and print them off on a different computer?

[oilman]

try www.pdf995.com - you do have to install a postscript printer so you can print to PDF - it's not a *real* printer is that helps :)

[danieljean]

Not sure what your objection to installing programs has to do with installing a printer (?).

In any case, I make all my pdf's with OpenOffice. It's great and it's free!

[ControlEngineer]

You can make very good pdf files in a few minutes from Word and other formats using the Adobe service at: [createpdf.adobe.com ] The service is free for five files, subscription after that.

You upload the file, they e-mail the pdf back in a few minutes.

If you find a free program that will work on your computer, that would be even better.

[Maylin]

Not sure what your objection to installing programs has to do with installing a printer (?).

I have no objections to installing programs, I have objections to installing printers. The programs, however, have objections to not installing printers.

In any case, I make all my pdf's with OpenOffice. It's great and it's free!

Thanks for the recommendation. I actually don't have a clue what to use or what features are important for pdf programs, so I'm still checking stuff out.

Oilman: Thanks, I got it working!

[Maylin]

You can make very good pdf files in a few minutes from Word and other formats using the Adobe service at: [createpdf.adobe.com...] The service is free for five files, subscription after that.

Yeah, I was actually looking at that page earlier but wanted the option to work on these anywhere while I'm not online. I went ahead and got the adobe acrobat trial just because I thought I should at least know a little about it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep it.

[danieljean]

With Word, you have to pay a license to Microsoft, then a license to Adobe. Or you could go to openoffice.org and download their free, open-source productivity suite.

[GarryBoyd]

You can use ghostscript to create the pdf, but you will need to install a postscript printer driver (generic windows printer driver such as Apple Laserwriter will do.) and set it to print to file. No hardware needed. Just output the file from your app to the PS printer driver and give a filename.prn then open in ghostscript.

If you really dont want even a printer driver, then htmldoc will take html and convert to pdf. They look a bit scruffy tho.

[Old_Honky]

I use 602pro Print Pack software which only cost about$20 but enables me to make quality pdf files from any windows application.

It just sets up a virtual printer on your system so that when you have a finished document (in word or whatever application) press print then select print2pdf as your printer and away you go.