CREATING FASTLANE PDF FILES

Adobe Distiller for MAC: Version 4.0 and Higher

Adobe Reader cannot produce PDF files. You must use the Adobe Distiller component of Adobe Acrobat.

NOTE: DO NOT USE PDFWriter!

To avoid problems with converting files to PDF, download the FastLane Job Options file as described below.

Note to Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Users

If you are currently using Adobe Acrobat 6.0, you can still create PDF files that meet FastLane formatting requirements. To do this you must use the FastLane Job Options file, as described immediately below.

Downloading the FastLane Job Options File

1. Hold down the control key and click on this link.
2. From the menu select, Save Link as...
3. You should go to the Settings directory automatically. If not, navigate to Adobe Acrobat 4.0\Distiller\Settings. "FastLane.joboptions" should automatically show in the Save As box.
4. Click on the Save button in the right-hand corner of the window.
5. Once Distiller is open, select the arrow in the Job Options box and then select the FastLane Job Option. You are now ready to create your PDF files.

Using Distiller

1. Save a PostScript file from an application to disk.
2. Start Adobe Distiller.
3. In the "Job Options" box, select the drop down arrow and set the "FastLane Job Options."
4. Choose File > Open, and use the browser to select the PostScript file. Choose All Files from the "Files of Type" pop-up menu if the PostScript file has an extension other than PS (e.g., .prn instead of .ps)
5. Do either one of the following:
   • Click Open, enter a name and location for the PDF file, and click Save....
   • Hold down Shift while clicking Open. The PDF file will have the same name as the PostScript file, plus the extension .pdf, and will be stored in the same folder as the PostScript file.

Using Distiller Assistant

Acrobat 4.0 and higher includes Adobe Distiller Assistant, which can be used as a printer driver. This allows a document to be saved, using the Print command, as a PDF file to the specified location.

NOTE: Adobe Distiller Assistant is installed in the Extensions folder within the System Folder on the Macintosh.

1. Open Adobe Distiller, select FastLane as the Job Options, and leave Distiller running.
2. Open the document in your authoring application (e.g., Microsoft Word).
3. Choose File > Page Setup.
4. Choose Acrobat PDF as the Printer, enter any other setup options you want, and click on OK.
5. Choose File > Print.
6. Select PDF in the Destination box and click Distill.

If any of the links in this document are outdated, please notify the FastLane Help Desk.
Suggestions for additions or revisions to this document may be sent to flpdf@nsf.gov.