PDF forms

PDF is the abbreviation for The Portable Document Format. It is a binary format containing page description primitives. It combines a subset of the Postscript language with some more recent features. PDF is a page description language designed to enable the creation and transfer of printer-ready output. A PDF form is an established standard that represents a document in a manner independent of the software, hardware and operating systems used to create the original form.

An HTML document loses the intended printed layout when transformed to a hard copy. A PDF form does not undergo any change in format, fonts and graphics when printed. Hence, web pages usually offer the same document in both, HTML and fillable PDF forms. HTML Formats are used for display and PDF formats, to download them through print.

Adobe Acrobat is used to create a PDF document or form. It has a set of programs that can convert a postscript format to a PDF one. Acrobat allows modification of PDF documents by adding enhancers like annotations, thumbnails, hypertext links, bookmarks and password protected documents. You can also use an acrobat reader to insert, delete, copy and move pages within PDF forms and documents.

Adobe Acrobat on-line documentation recommends a PDF Writer for quick conversion of simple business documents and forms to PDF forms. If the Writer does not give the desired results, you may use another program called the Acrobat Distiller to get the desired PDF form.

Key Features -

* A PDF form cannot be changed or modified and hence, it is the most widely used format for distributing information and guidelines.
* The best part of a PDF document is that it can be opened and viewed in any computer platform and can be printed on all printers. As mentioned earlier, It is in no way dependent on the operating system, fonts and applications used to prepare the document.
* Since a PDF form is designed for distribution over the network, it is compressed and more compact. This ensures efficient and swift circulation across LAN and the internet. It is the most advantageous format for incremental downloading because the size of a PDF form is usually smaller than the same in Postscript format.

Advantages of using a PDF form -

- PDF forms have maximum printing support

- PDF forms have on screen scalability

- PDF standards are widely used in business organizations

Things to remember when creating a PDF form -

* PDF Writers cannot read documents with EPS graphics and this problem can be checked by the use of Acrobat Distiller for such documents.
* PDF files can be easily imported into other documents by several programs.
* A Postscript file is the source of any PDF form or document. Hence, you must ensure that no device or platform dependent information is embedded in the Postscript file.