Thread: Pdf files

I have been asked to include pdf files on a customers site. Can someone explain the advantages of having pdf rather than html.
The file size of the html file is smaller than the pdf. so imo I dont see the advantage.

what is the easiest way of uploading and displaying the pdf files. Can I convert a pdf into a jpeg and display it this way or can i just make a reference to the pdf file for downloading.

I'm a bit worried as too the size of the pdf files. 50 pages would take forever to download, and as to whether I will go over the 10mb maximum upload.

Any advice much appreciated.


Bernie

Hi, is your customer asking for PDF files of what he has given you to place on the web or PDF files of your web pages.
With most word documents a PDF will easily half the KB’s in the file. But if its web pages? You will have already optimised many things like images & wont see as bigger saving in the file. One advantage of PDF conversion from web pages is that it will look a lot better as a printed document.

Hi
Thanks for the prompt reply.

Its of pdf files he has given me.

Bernie

Additionally..........a pdf document is a universal text document. If you were to save a report as a MS Word doc. - the client would have to have MS Word in order to open and view. PDF's are opened with adobe reader which most (if not all) computers have installed and therefore is more universal.

Also, pdf's are not eaisly manipulated. Which keeps people from taking your file, changing it an passing it along. Plus- it is easy to link to so that people can download and take with them. An html page will require them to open the page in IE. You would have to build the page printer friendly making sure to pay attention to width and height of each page.

To make it so people can download simply upload the pdf file to the server. Then link to it like so;
http://www.my_web_site.com/my_pdf_file.pdf
Then the customer would simply right click on it and save it to their computer.

As to size- I just downloaded a 215 page pdf and it was a little over 3mb. You could always place the pdf file in zip and then upload and link to it like so;
http://www.my_website.com/my_pdf_file.zip

Hope that helps

Andy

Thanks Andy

I must say the help on this forum is the best.



Bernie