Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 296 pages
- Published by: O'Reilly Media, Inc. August 16, 2004
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0596006551
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0596006556
-
Book Dimensions:
8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
- Weighs: 12.8 ounces
Product Description
PDF--to most of the world it stands for that rather tiresome format used for documents downloaded from the web. Slow to load and slower to print, hopelessly unsearchable, and all but impossible to cut and paste from, the Portable Document Format doesn't inspire much affection in the average user. But PDFs done right is another story. Those who know the ins and outs of this format know that it can be much more than electronic paper. Flexible, compact, interactive, and even searchable, PDF is the ideal way to present content across multiple platforms.
PDF Hacks unveils the true promise of Portable Document Format, going way beyond the usual PDF as paged output mechanism. PDF expert Sid Steward draws from his years of analyzing, extending, authoring, and embellishing PDF documents to present 100 clever hacks--tools, tips, quick-and-dirty or not-so-obvious solutions to common problems.
PDF Hacks will show you how to create PDF documents that are far more powerful than simple representations of paper pages. The hacks in the book cover the full range of PDF functionality, from the simple to the more complex, including generating, manipulating, annotating, and consuming PDF information. You'll learn how to manage content in PDF, navigate it, and reuse it as necessary. Far more than another guide to Adobe Acrobat, the book covers a variety of readily available tools for generating, deploying, and editing PDF.
The little-known tips and tricks in this book are ideal for anyone who works with PDF on a regular basis, including web developers, pre-press users, forms creators, and those who generate PDF for distribution. Whether you want to fine-tune and debug your existing PDF documents or explore the full potential the format offers,
PDF Hacks will turn you into a PDF power user.
About The Author
For over five years, Sid Steward has analyzed, extended, secured, cracked, authored, converted, embellished and consumed PDF. He maintained and created custom
software for Thomson Financial's Investext and then EBSCO. He then worked with SoftLock (d/b/a Digital Goods) to create their proprietary PDF security model and integrate it with their greater digital rights system. This project required pushing the envelope of Acrobat API programming. At the same time, he had been privately working on a semi-automated PDF to HTML conversion workflow. This toolset became the core of his PDF conversion service bureau: Boundless Books, Inc., d/b/a AccessPDF. He also performs PDF "finishing" which includes optimizing PDF file size and adding navigation features.
Reader Reviews
I've been waiting for this book for a while, and it has been well worth the wait. The coverage of PDFs from the client side to publication side is fantastic. He gives tips on how to tune your PDFs, both from the technical perspective and from the design perspective. Other hacks show how to migrate your content out of PDF into various forms. Still other hacks show how take data from unusual sources (like raw XML) and turn it into PDF. He even covers XSL-FO in the most concise effective form I have seen. I really enjoyed this book. It's well written and uses graphics effectively. Almost all of the hacks (save the first introductory few) are both valuable and unique. In addition he teaches you techniques that can extend beyond the basic nature of the hack. I highly recommend this book for anyone using PDF to publish content. In addition I recommend the book for those looking to self-publish, or those looking for information on how to migrate their content to different content media (web, PDF, palm, etc.)
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