Multi-page PDFs from AI files

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

I know we can't make these directly from AI... even if we have tiled pages. But I
understand we can combine separate AI files WITHIN Acrobat to make a single,
multiple page PDF. Questions:

1. Is this true?

2. If making these multi-page PDFs is my primary objective for BOTH SCREEN AND
PRESS, should I purchase the Standard or Professional version? I won't have need of
Acrobat's many other file sharing, editing and web-related features.

3. I have Acrobat Reader 6.0 on my drive now, Should that (and it's Application
Support files) be removed before I install a full version of Acrobat?

4. Is Acrobat a "big" application (lotsa megabytes, lotsa sprawling files)?

5. Would you say there's a steep learning curve for using Acrobat? That is,
using it to make multi-page PDFs and using it to make press-ready PDFs?

Thanks for any information and guidance.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

If you have Acrobat 6 and AI CS you will be able to print a tiled AI CS file directly to a multiple page PDF from the print dialogue. It will install and automatically add a printer, called of all things Adobe PDF, to the printer list.

What it does if you choose this as the printer is automatically distills the each tile and assembles them into a multipage PDF.

Acrobat 6. Professional is only a little bit more and you might need the features but do you have AI CS only or do you have other components of the Creative Suites?

For instance if you owned a copy of Photoshop the upgrade is a good deal?

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

I own PSCS and AICS as individual applications. Can I get Acrobat 6 Professional
based on this at an upgrade price, even if I don't own any Acrobat program now
(other than Reader)?

Also, is it true that, if I have 2 or 3 or more individual AICS files (not tiled pages
within a single AICS file), I can combine them into a single PDF from within Acrobat?

Last, I've tried to find out the difference between the Standard and Pro versions
from the descriptions on the Adobe website but don't know enough about PDF to
really tell the difference. What will the Pro version do that Standard can't?

Thanks.

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

I only have the Pro version, so I can't tell you what the difference is. You don't have to get rid of the Reader to insatlle Acrobat. If you have many individual AI files you want to combine into a single multi-page PDF, it's very easy in Acrobat. Just open one PDF in Acrobat, and then Insert Pages. The new pages can be PDFs or native AI files.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Wonderful. Thanks, Gary. Let me ask you two more questions:

1. Do you use Acrobat to prepare high resolution CMYK PDFs for press?

2. Did you have to "study the manual" to get up to speed on Acrobat? Or is it
basically an intuitive program for Adobe-familiar people? Or maybe the best
way to ask this is: How would you recommend I get "fluent" with it?

3. CMaps, AdobeFnt.lst files, and other inscrutable stuff was sprawled all over
my Application Support folder just with the free Acrobat Reader. I'd imagine
the full Acrobat does even more of this. Is this right? (Forgive this last question.
As you must already know, I'm a little obsessive about "stuff" on my machine
and like to keep it as lean and tidy as possible.)

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Well, seeing as I said in the last post that I had 2 questions, and in fact asked 3, I
am, by simple Aristotelean logic, entitled to a 4th:

4. I just called CDW to purchase the Pro version. The lovely though ill-informed
customer service representative first said I could not get it at an upgrade price
because I didn't own a prior version of Acrobat. Then, when I wondered whether
it was possible to get it at an upgrade price because I owned PSCS, she said I could.
Then, when I gently asked if I would be able to install it, not having a prior version
of Acrobat, but having a PSCS serial number, she confessed she didn't know, hadn't
the foggiest idea what "CS" stood for, and urged me to call Adobe. So do you know
if I can buy it at the upgrade price even though I have no prior version but do
have Photoshop CS?

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

I doubt it, but if you want I have an extra license I can sell you for a reduced price!

It is for the Professional version. But first contact Adobe on Monday who knows if you talk to them nice you might e able to get what you need.

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

I'll try to answer all four.

1. Yes.

2. I'm sure I could be a lot more efficient (and knowledgeable) about Acrobat if I read the manual, but I essentially have always winged it, trusting the Help menu to help me troubleshoot. It's always seemd pretty straightforward and intuitive to me.

3. Installing Acrobat no doubt puts inscrutable files all over my hard drive, but at this point I've stopped trying to micromanage everything OSX does. Life's too short.

4. I don't think you can upgrade to Acrobat 6.0 Pro witout owning a previous version. The upgrade path from Photoshop is for the Creative Suite. The Premium version of CS includes Acrobat Pro (as well as AI, PS, GoLive, InDesign and Version Cue). The upgrade price is $749.

You're already into AI CS and PS CS for over $300 in upgrades, and buying Acrobat Pro will set you back another $449. Together, this equals the price of the CS Premium upgrade from PS. Maybe Adobe will let you turn in your licenses for AI CS and PS CS, pay the difference, and get the Suite.

I think the Creative Suite is well worth it.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Gary has a great idea why don't you talk to them on Monday good luck i bet they do it.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Thank you both. I'll take your advice.

[Mark_Durgee@adobeforums.com]

I have had Acrobat 5 on the PC for quite sometime, we use it to make
multipage CAD specs for out package designs. Or instruction sheets, manuals,
etc. I think I'm goign to get Acrobat 6 Pro on the Mac for the color
separation preview. I know that will help me troubleshoot files more easily.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

By the way, is it true that Acrobat 6 "overwrites" Adobe Reader 6 when installed?
I was just told that I will NOT have Reader as a separate program once I install
the Pro version, (not that I want Reader separately, just curious).

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

That is not true though you can select Acrobat as the application to open PDF or leave it as opening with the reader. I had the Reader installed and when I installed Acrobat the reader was still the default.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Wade, have you left Reader on your machine? And, if so, how come. Does it
not duplicate what Acrobat does?

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

I have both Acrobat Pro and Reader 6 (and Reader 5) on my machine, and I use them both daily. I keep the Readers around because at times I want to see exactly what my clients see, even if it is redundant. You can set either to be the default application when a PDF file is double-dlicked. I have Acrobat set to open them.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

A related question, Gary (and/or others). Would you happen know which
Adobe application installs and uses this folder?

/Library/Application Support/Adobe/PDFL

Is it Photoshop, Illustrator, Reader (the only Adobe programs I have on my
machine) or maybe it's a "shared" folder among them?

Inside of my PDFL folder are two other folders - 6.0 and 5.0 - and inside each
of these is a Cmaps folder and a Fonts folder. I'm sure the numbered folders
must correspond to Reader versions, but for some reason I faintly recall some
version of Photoshop installing a PDFL folder way back in the OS 9 days.

If I get compulsive and want to remove all Reader files when Acrobat Pro
arrives, I'd like to know if it's safe to remove these or if I'll in some way be
compromising PSCS or AICS if I do.

Thanks.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

It is safe to remove it or leave it but you can definitely remove the 5.0 folder.

When you install the pro you will find that there now is Adobe PDF also in a different part of that Adobe directory which is the part that make the multiple pages from the AI CS print dialogue so easy and convenient.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

But Wade, as a long time Photoshop user, you don't recall PS ever putting a
"PDFL" folder within Application support? So you're pretty sure this entire folder
was installed and only used by (first) my Reader 5.0 and (then) my Reader 6.0?

And while I have you, would it be fair to say that all the OTHER Reader files
(application itself, preferences, ~/Library/Acrobat User Data) are all pretty
self-evident? Nothing you know of belonging to Reader that's lurking on the
machine in non-obvious places or with non-obvious names?

Thanks again.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Uh oh. Something's interesting here. I have an older G3 machine next to my current
G4. I use it to test new software (not beta test, just test for myself before putting
it on my production machine). I have installed PSCS and AICS there. And I have
Reader 5.0 on that machine. But I NEVER installed Reader 6.0 there. And guess
what. I have a Library/Application Support/Adobe/PDFL folder there with both
5.0 and 6.0!

See, I just have this funny feeling, now a lot stronger, that either PSCS (likely)
or AICS (little less likely but not a lot less) installs that folder, not Adobe Reader....

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

I have the folder as well and had 5.0 there I removed 5.0 because I installed 6.0 professional and removed 6.0 Reader.

If you are leery about this leave it there and remove 5.0. I tell you I will remove it and launch PS CS and see what happens.