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Creating PDF Documents / Creating Adobe PDF Documents |
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HelpSmith allows you to compile your help project as an Adobe PDF document that can be viewed in Adobe Reader. A PDF document created with HelpSmith includes support for clickable hyperlinks, PDF outlines (Bookmarks tab in Adobe Reader), document compression, encryption, and other PDF-specific options.
Compile an Adobe PDF Document
1.On the Project tab, in the Project group, click Compile.
2.In the Compile Project dialog, in the Output Format box, select PDF Document.
3.If necessary, select build tags and other options that you want to apply to this compilation.
4.Click OK.
Remark: You can also access the Compile Project dialog by pressing F9.
Quick Compilation with the Previous Options
You can skip the Compile Project dialog and apply the previously used options including the build tags that were selected for this output help format:
1.On the Project tab, in the Project group, click the lower half of the Compile button.
2.In the popup menu, under Quick Compilation, click PDF Document.
Batch Compilation Mode
If necessary, you can use the batch compilation mode that allows you to compile documentation in multiple output formats or to generate different versions of the same help file (by using build tags) with a single click. You can visit this topic for more details on how to add a new compilation task.
PDF Document Output Directory
When you compile a PDF document, you can use the default output directory or specify a custom location of the document.
By default, HelpSmith puts the compiled PDF file to the same directory where your project file is located. If your help project has never been saved, HelpSmith will use your Windows "My Documents" folder as the default output directory.
Distributing a PDF Document
The output PDF file is the only file that you need in order to distribute the compiled document.
Customizing a PDF Document
A PDF document is created using the Printed Manual settings for page size, page orientation, and document elements. Also you can define PDF-specific options such as Page Mode, Document Compression, Encryption and Password protection, and Font Embedding.
The following topics describe different categories of the PDF format-related options:
Known Issue: Using a Table-Based Template Cuts Offs the Page Content
For the PDF format, it is not recommended to use a table-based template for topics: in case the height of topic content is greater than the height of the printed page, the content can be cut off at the bottom of the page. Despite that for a regular table HelpSmith attempts to put a large table row to a new printed page, it is impossible to do when the height of the table row is greater than the height of the page itself.
To avoid such an issue, you can replace a table-based template with a template that does not contain a table:
1.On the Project tab, in the Topics & Templates group, click Add Template (under the Add button).
2.In the New Template dialog, you can select a pre-built template. For example, you can select "Blank Template", or "Simple Black".
Remark: Please note that you will be able to customize the template appearance after you have added it.
3.Click OK.
4.Set your new template as the default template for Printed Manual:
4.1.In the Project Manager, under the Templates node, right-click on the new template.
4.2.In the popup menu, select Use As->Default Printed Manual Template.
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