What is PDF?
• A .pdf file is in Portable Document Format, a file format developed by Adobe Systems in 1993 for easier document exchange• It is an open format, capable of displaying a document independent of the application software, hardware, and operating system.
Why does the Department require PDF?
• This format has been chosen because of:o the ease of creation from other formats, eg MS Word
o the availability of free software to read the files
o its ability to be searched for words or phrases
o its wide acceptance in industry
o standardisation with reporting requirements in other Australian jurisdictions
o its compatibility with the World Wide Web
How do I get my file into PDF and what settings are necessary?
• The pdf submitted should be a text pdf created with Adobe Acrobat or similar, not an image of a text document saved as pdf.• Be wary of non-standard fonts. Some software will create a .pdf which looks fine but the special fonts will turn to other meaningless characters when the text is copied and pasted
• The pdf security must be set to allow “copy and paste” and “print”, but not to “edit” the document
• For larger reports, both thumbnails and bookmarks are appropriate
• It is preferred that the text is in a read from “top to bottom” form; that is, if some pages are in landscape then pages should be rotated
• Where possible, the complete report, including text, figures, tables, maps and appendices, but excluding digital data, should be submitted as a single pdf file
• Where file size is a limitation, the report/plans/appendices should be split into smaller pdf files
• Do not embed any files as attachments within the text pdf; all files must be separate
• Hotlinks are acceptable, but unnecessary, as they may not work if the Department separates files onto different servers.
Portable Document Format (PDF) is an open standard for document exchange. This file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993, Step By Step We will tell you Portable Document Format (PDF) Stay with us.
