GSView and Creating PDF Files

Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) is the preferred file format we specify for online materials which faculty members believe their students are likely to print. As detailed in "Online Materials and Proprietary Formats," we have found that PDF files have several advantages over HTML and proprietary native formats for producing high-fidelity prints of electronic materials.

Several faculty members have opted to invest in a purchase of Adobe Acrobat, the commercial program for creating and managing PDF files (available at UNC's Ram Shop and at many retail outlets). While Acrobat is an excellent product whose purchase entitles the user to full technical support from Adobe, Inc., many faculty members are reluctant to purchase a product from which they only require a single, simple function --- the production of PDF files from native source files.

To help solve this problem, we have put together this guide for using GSView, a freeware program, to convert PostScript files to PDF format. In order to use GSView in this manner, you'll need to install GSView, install a PostScript printer driver in Windows, create PostScript files from your native source files (such as Microsoft Word documents and PowerPoint presentations), and convert these PostScript files to PDF format.

The following five guides will assist you in using GSView for creating PDF files:

Installing GSView	(also in printable format)
Installing a PostScript Printer Driver in Windows 9x	(also in printable format)
Creating PostScript Files in Microsoft Word	(also in printable format)
Creating PostScript Files in Microsoft PowerPoint	(also in printable format)
Using GSView to Create PDF Files	(also in printable format)

The Office of Academic Affairs Web Development team is available to assist you with any step in this process. Please contact David Arnold to arrange for assistance.