PDF and HTML conversions: collected responses

[Laura B. Cohen]

The following is a compendium of all the responses I received re: PageMaker
or other programs useful for HTML and PDF conversion. Thanks so much
to everyone who replied!

-- Laura Cohen


Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:54:10 -0500
From: Thomas Dowling <tdowling at OHIOLINK.edu>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

Acrobat PDFwriter installs as a fake printer like a lot of fax modem
packages, so it "converts" files through an application's print function.

To my knowledge, the quality of the PDF file is about the same from app to
app.  A separate program, Acrobat Distiller, converts PostScript files to
PDF, so it will be useful if you've previous generated a body of .ps files
from PageMaker.

Thomas Dowling
tdowling at ohiolink.edu
Ohio Library and Information Network

Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:58:23 -0500
From: Bill Jenkins <wcj1 at cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

Hi,

Creating PDF files is extrememly easy. You need a program called 
AdobeDistiller (a free and I think simpler, but good enough) versio
n which comes on the PM 6 CD.

All you do is create a postscript file, and than have Distiller change it to 
pdf.

I think PageMaker is a great program, but I have desktop publishing experience.

I can't really speak to its HTML conversion, cause I just do everything by hand

BillJ

Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:59:19 +0000
From: Linda Maclennan <macl at clrc.org>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

Laura,
I'd be interested in the answers you get:
I use pagemaker 4 and have purchased pagemaker 6 but have not yet had
the time/energy to install and convert my BRAIN!!

Supposedly it will work ... haven't tried it yet. We have used
PM4 for several years to to produce all newsletters, flyers,etc
for our org and using the ASCII filter in PM4 have been able
to just move PM4 files to HTML editor for conversion with little
grief. actually it is pretty painless ...

please post replies you get or send me a copy, thanks!!
Linda MacLennan
CNY Library Resources Council
Syracuse, NY 13224
315/446-5446 voice
315/446-5590 fax


Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:22 -0600 (CST)
From: Jan Orick <jan.orick at stjude.org>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: "Laura B. Cohen" <LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu>

Hi,

I used the WordPerfect "Internet Publisher" to convert my wordperfect
docs.  I downloaded the software from the net.  You have to have WP6.1
and I think it comes with WP7.  It works alright for small docs.

If you have any other questions, let me know

Jan Orick
Biomedical Librarian
St Jude Children's Res Hosp
jan.orick at stjude.org


Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 08:42:29 -0800
From: Peter Farris <pfarris at itsa.ucsf.edu>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

Laura--

I've been using Pagemaker since it was in version 3.0, both for the Mac and
PC. I've found it to be an excellent program for desktop publishing. The PDF
conversion ability, using Adobe Distiller (which comes with PM 6.0), has
been problem-free. Of course, since Pagemaker, Distiller, and Acrobat Reader
are all Adobe products, that would be expected.

As far as plug-ins, I only know that ones which come with Pagemaker, such as
Drop Caps, and they work fine. There are third-party plug-ins, which are not
free, but, not knowing how you'll be using Pagemaker, I don't know if you'd
need these or not.

Peter Farris / pfarris at itsa.ucsf.edu
Information Services Librarian
Barnett-Briggs Medical Library
1001 Potrero Ave., Building 30
San Francisco, CA 94110



Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 11:50:07 -0800
From: Genie Tyburski <tyburski at SHRSYS.HSLC.ORG>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

Adobe's home page at http://www.adobe.com will answer many of these questions
from the vendor's viewpoint.

I used PM 6.0 yesterday in an attempt to convert one of our firm's newsletters
to HTML.  "Yuck!" sums up the outcome.

HTML is such an archaic language that if the document does not translate 
well into ascii from its word-processed or desktop published form, one may 
assume it will not translate well into HTML.

If you use columns, the Adobe converter cannot handle the conversion.  This is
probably true of any converter because in order to create the appearance of a 
column in an HTML document, one must use table tags.

> As a side issue, we have many WordPerfect documents we'd like to
> convert to HTML. The Web4Lib archives cover Word documents only.
> Any recommendations on a conversion program?
>

Corel offers a converter with 7.0.  It handles an ordinary document just fine,
but you should always count on doing some editing.  Most converters, 
including this one, convert a document to one continuous screen of 
information.  In order to break it up an make it navigational, you have 
to go in and manually edit the HTML.

Good luck!

Genie

--
Genie Tyburski                                  PH:  215-864-8151
Research Librarian                              FX:  215-864-8999
allard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll               EM:  tyburski at hslc.org
1735 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA  19103

Visit my web site:      http://www.hslc.org/~tyburski/home.html.

Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:01:18 +0000
From: John Barnard <icsjpb at ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

I've done several of our library instructional documents and bibliographies
with Pagemaker 6.0 and created PDFs that I've put on our web pages (you
can see examples at http://www.lib.asu.edu/helpfiles/acrobat.html). I love
being able to VERY quickly convert the documents I've laid out in
PageMaker to PDF and upload them literally in a matter of seconds. PDF
conversion capabilites are a standard part of 6.0, you simple select "Create
Adobe PDF" from the "File" menu.

One word of warning: if you're not familiar with fairly sophisticated DTP
software PageMaker can have a VERY steep learning curve. I've used it for
years and I'm very happy with it. Be prepared to spend some time learning
to use it.
--

John Barnard
Arizona State University
Library Instruction, Systems, and Technology
john.barnard at asu.edu
602.965.9428 / FAX 602.965.7595

Date: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 10:56:26 -0600
From: "Charles A. Summerhill" <casummerhill at librarylrc.uams.edu>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: web4lib at library.berkeley.edu

Laura B. Cohen wrote:
> working in the Windows 3.11 environment.

First, I recommend you upgrade to Windows95. The reason is that many of
the newer desktop publishing programs are moving to only support Win95
-- especially the Adobe products!

-----------------------------------------
> One program we are considering is Adobe PageMaker 6.0. (This is the
> most current version for 3.11) Any opinions out there?

Adobe PageMaker v6.5 is supposed to have excellent HTML support.
However, I would recommend taking a look at FrameMaker v5 which has
excellent HTML support now (with the Hot Tamale add-in, including Style
Sheet support). FrameMaker works more like a Word Processor than a
desktop publishing program, but with excellent Long-Document
capabilities.

-----------------------------------------
> a) Do you like the program overall as a desktop publishing tool?

Adobe PageMaker v6.0 is a very good DTP package, I highly recommend it.
I like FrameMaker as well. QuarkXPress, I would stay away from on the PC
side of the fence.

-----------------------------------------
> b) How satisfactory is the HTML and PDF conversion?

PageMaker v6.0, unsatisfactory HTML, good PDF; it comes with a Limited
Edition version of Adobe Acrobat Distiller (limiation is that it only
works with PageMaker). PageMaker v6.5, satisfactory HTML, good PDF; see
above. Adobe FrameMaker, very good HTML support (with Hot Tamale
add-in), good PDF (but does not come with Limited Edition Distiller,
must be purchased separately).

As far as HTML goes, why not just create HTML solo? Are you trying to do
DTP and quick conversion to HTML?

-----------------------------------------
> c) Are the plugins to create these conversions free, or do they cost?
> Adobe's product information is not clear on this point.

PageMaker, plugins free. FrameMaker, Hot Tamela free beta; unknown cost
for real version.

-----------------------------------------
> Are there recommendations for something other than PageMaker for
> this purpose?
See above.

-----------------------------------------
> As a side issue, we have many WordPerfect documents we'd like to
> convert to HTML. The Web4Lib archives cover Word documents only.
> Any recommendations on a conversion program?

Yes, I just helped our Pathology department transfer its entire
syllabus, which was written in WordPerfect v5.1, to the Web. Used a copy
of Word for Windows v6 and the Internet Assistant to open the
WordPerfect v5.1 files and "SAVE AS" HTML document. Did not even bother
to save in Word Document format. Worked well. If you are using
WordPerfect v6.0/6.1 then I don't think Word for Windows v6.0 will open
those files -- purchase WordPerfect Suite v7.0 from Corel (educational
price is $49.00) which has facilities for saving HTML documents as well
as Barista Technology which will save your document to Java (also a
product called "Net-It Now", from Net-It Software, you guessed it
http://www.net-it.com/ creates Java documents from just about any
windows program -- worth checking out).

-----------------------------------------
> Many thanks, everyone.  -- Laura Cohen

Hope this helps...

--
  Charles A. Summerhill
  Network Manager
  Library Learning Resource Center
  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  http://www.librarylrc.uams.edu/

ate: Tue, 05 Nov 1996 15:01:27 -0500 (EST)
From: "A. Helfman" <samsa at quasar.Wittenberg.EDU>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: "Laura B. Cohen" <LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu>

On Tue, 5 Nov 1996, Laura B. Cohen wrote:

> As a side issue, we have many WordPerfect documents we'd like to
> convert to HTML. The Web4Lib archives cover Word documents only.
> Any recommendations on a conversion program?
>
        There's a freeware program called WPTOHTML that's available in
versions both for WP 5.x and 6.x.  I disagreed with some of the HTML tags
that were inserted and had to do some editing by hand after running
WPTOHTML, but I found it helpful as a quick strip-and-conversion tool.


Amy W. Helfman (samsa at quasar.wittenberg.edu)

Date: Thu, 07 Nov 1996 19:08:13 +0000 (CST6CDT)
From: Mark Wilcox <WILCOX at lis.unt.edu>
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing and HTML/PDF conversion
To: LCOHEN at cnsvax.albany.edu

Laura,

I cannot offer any advice on Pagemaker.

However on Wordperfect I think you're best bet is to convert to Word
first. I remember reading somewhere that Wordperfect's document
format doesnt' lend itself to easy conversion to HTML, but Word can
save as a Rich Text Format document which allegedly lends itself to
easy conversion to HTML.

On the other hand here's an entire site dedicated for the conversion
of files including many WP related sites.
http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/Tools/Word_proc_filters.html

Either way it's going to be alot of work.

Mark

wilcox at lis.unt.edu

http://archive.lis.unt.edu/~mew0002/
Webmaster WWW Archive of Conference Proceedings
http://archive.lis.unt.edu/