i'd like to convert a microsoft word document file (*.doc) into a pdf file. what's a good app to do this, preferably free (i don't want to spend any mone) and small (i don't want a conversion app to install a billion dll files and create folders all over the place)?
it'd be nice if i could make it low-res and lock it (can't copy text) too.
thanks! 
I know this is not a small solution, but just an FYI, Open Office can convert to PDFs (A simple 1 button push kinda thing.) It's free and can read and write to all microsoft file formats. It's actually a very sweet Office Suite... I know with more complicated .doc files with intense formatting, the program may have to take some layout liberties, but I've found that a 90% success rate exists for proper rendering of .doc files. I know there are other free ones out there as I did a search myself recently.. hold on, let me see if I can find some stuff...
EDIT: Nope, had a Laptop Crash last week and with it, much of my stuff... but here's one I did not have a chance to try out yet, but looks promising... Do you think you could report back on how it stacks up to your search?
yeah, but open office isn't small at all. i have ms office, so i don't need open office unless, of course, i can just download a pdf conversioni module.
i forgot to mention, i tried primopdf and pdfcreator (sourceforge). primopdf worked, but it didn't lock the text and disable copying even though i set it to. pdfcreator created blank pdf files.
i use cutepdf writer. look it up...
i created pdfs at one point w/ acrobat full, however, the security would never work on my machine... guessing it realized i was the author and didnt want to be locked out... when i uploaded it and then read online, the security worked... possibility?
how about on adobe's site, you can do up to 5 for free... not sure about the uncopy feature you want, though
i created pdfs at one point w/ acrobat full, however, the security would never work on my machine... guessing it realized i was the author and didnt want to be locked out... when i uploaded it and then read online, the security worked... possibility?
possibly, although this other guy uploaded a test pdf he created and i could copy his. according to his settings (which he listed), he did not allow copying.
how about on adobe's site, you can do up to 5 for free... not sure about the uncopy feature you want, though
yeah, i saw that and it looks pretty good, but (for reasons i won't go into here), i need an app.
but thanks.
I have pdf factory. but it's not free.
there is a trial if you want which prints a small banner on each page.
edit : there are pdf 995 and free pdf converter too which are free.
But I never tested these one (thanks google)
nb: free pdf converter seems to be really great
A friend of mine is actually working on a similar script...
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/
PDFCreator easily creates PDFs from any Windows program. Use it like a printer in Word, StarCalc or any other Windows application.
I have been using this program for a longtime to publish our company newsletters online and works very very well. And oh, it supports all the security features of Adobe Distiller including ability to restict copy and printing ,password protection and 40 bit encrpytion.
And best of all its completely open source.
EDIT - Didn't read the earlier post about you trying PDF creator. Did you install the GNU Ghostscript files too. Maybe that's the reason its creating blank PDF's.
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/pdfcrea...pt.exe?download
or
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/pdfcrea...pt.exe?download
I remember a setup where you would print from Word into a virtual Apple Laser printer that would redirect to GhostScript (A PDF Viewer) - open source and free, single install.
thanks, guys. i tried the gnu ghostscript version and it works. it's a really nice app.
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