best non-adobe pdf maker

[esllou]

Can anyone give me some pointers as to the best non-adobe PDF creator out there. I don't really fancy spending out $300 for Acrobat.

There seem to be a lot of cheaper ones out there in the $30 to $70 range but I don't know if they are all of equal quality.

[physics]

How about print to PDF from any application for free?
Adobe PostScript Printer Driver [adobe.com]
I've found that this is better than using the applications included with the full version of Acrobat.
When installing choose 'install a new printer' and for Availabe Port choose
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Destktop\*.pdf
Then from the application you want top print to PDF with choose 'Generic PostScript Printer' as the printer and the PDF will show up on your desktop.

[dutch_dude]

physics:

Wouldn't that create a postscript file with a.pdf extension?

If you want to store a document as pdf you can try openoffice.org, it allows you to save to pdf. Presentations can be saved as flash which is also nice :)

Openoffice.org is a free application.

[physics]

Hi. Nope, prints to pdf by way of PostScript driver I guess. Works for me anyway. Try it ;)

[Deab]

If you are generating the content with php, I recommend the fpdf php class. We use it to generate delivery notes that I can batch print.

[steve]

Try PDF995 its free if you don't mind an advert on your screen everytime you use it.

It works by creating a virtual printer on your system, anything sent to it is turned into a PDF file.

The same people also do PDF editing software.

[Matt Probert]

Consider HTMLDOC. It's free (GNU), it's an application (not a print driver) and I like it.

Matt

[encyclo]

You could also try OpenOffice - it's free, opens most Word/Excel etc. documents without problems and has a built-in, one-click make PDF function.

Other than that, just use the free Acrobat Distiller program which works as a pseudo-printer.

[Psazf]

Hi
visit foxitsoftware.
pdf viewer, editor, and so on, and a pdf sdk!
Good.
PSAZF
(Portugal)

[Matt Probert]

Other than that, just use the free Acrobat Distiller program which works as a pseudo-printer.

That's $5000! Not quite free!

Matt

[physics]

For the record, I've used the PostScript printer driver as well as Acrobat Distiller to print Mathematica to PDF. The PostScript printer driver worked better as it prints exactly what your printer does... the distiller jumbled the symbols up.

[microcars]

FYI: Mac OS X has Print to PDF built in.

Hit PRINT, choose "save as PDF"

[physics]

Right on microcars, that's what I use on my iBook G4 :) Works like a charm.