Title: PDF with Acrobat 5 Visual QuickStart Guide
Author: Jennifer Alspach
Publisher: Peachpit Press http://www.peachpit.com
Publication Date: AUG 31, 2001
Pages: 304
ISBN: 0-201-74144-X
Price: $19.99

PDF with Acrobat a5 Visual QuickStart Guide is a visual tutorial/reference book that features tips, tricks, and step-by-step directions illustrated with b&w screen shots. Some topics covered include editing of PDF documents, color integration with other Adobe programs, conversion of entire Web pages to a PDF with links, and adding multimedia to PDFs. Acrobat 5.0's new features, including digital signatures, batch processing, customizable toolbars, and increased security options are also explained throughout this book. The author has written many other software tutorial books, including books for the Visual QuickStart Guide series.

This book is appropriate for both PC and Macintosh users. Check out the Peachpit Press Web site (http://www.peachpit.com) for more information about the book and other books.

What I like:

• Takes an easy, visual approach to teaching Adobe Acrobat, using pictures to guide you through the software and show you what to do;
• Works like a reference book so you look up what you need and then get straight to work;
• No long-winded passes as it is concise, and the straightforward commentary explains what you need to know;
• Affordably priced.

PDF with Acrobat 5: Visual QuickStart Guide is divided into an introduction, 15 chapters and an appendix.

Introduction--describes what's new in Acrobat 5 and the components of Acrobat.

Chapters 1 through 15 cover the following:

• Chapter 1: Acrobat Reader Basics--presents information on: downloading Acrobat Reader; installing Acrobat Reader; the Acrobat Reader Screen; the toolbars; more toolbar tips and tricks; the Reader menus; the Reader palettes; the status bar; opening a PDF file; viewing a PDF file; using zoom; arranging multiple windows; navigating in a document page; moving between document pages; and printing a PDF document.
• Chapter 2: Acrobat Reader in Depth--discusses: looking at document properties; selecting text and graphics; Reader preferences; setting magnification preferences; reading annotations; using the find tool; searching your document; and adding index files.
• Chapter 3: Acrobat eBook Reader--covers: downloading and installing eBook Reader; reading eBooks; annotating eBooks; building an eBook library; and organizing your library.
• Chapter 4: Creating PDFs--presents information on: creating PostScript files; using Distiller; changing job options; changing font locations; automating Distiller; adding security to your PDFs; creating PDFs in other ways; creating PDFs from other applications; and creating an eBook.
• Chapter 5: Working with Acrobat--provides information on: starting and quitting Acrobat; understanding the Acrobat screen; opening PDF files; saving PDF files in other formats; editing text; editing images; and printing PDFs.
• Chapter 6: Structuring PDF Documents--shows: getting information about your document; changing open options; working with thumbnails; changing page order and numbers; inserting and replacing PDF pages; removing PDF pages; rotating and cropping pages; creating and viewing bookmarks; moving bookmarks; changing bookmark properties; creating articles; editing articles; and reading articles.
• Chapter 7: Links--gives you information on: setting links; linking to the Internet; and editing links.
• Chapter 8: Forms--discusses: creating form documents and fields; adding fields; setting field properties; creating combo box fields; creating check box fields; creating radio buttons; and setting advanced form options.
• Chapter 9: Adding Multimedia to PDFs--covers: creating buttons; creating other multimedia objects; creating a slide show with Acrobat; adding sounds or movies to PDFs; and using page actions.
• Chapter 10: Annotating PDFs--describes: understanding the types of annotations; creating and editing notes; using free text annotations; using audio annotations; stamping PDFs; creating custom stamps; creating a file-attachment annotation; editing with the graphic markup tools; marking up text with annotations; deleting annotations; filtering annotations; and summarizing annotations.
• Chapter 11: Catalog, Indexes, Searches--provides information on: using Acrobat Catalog; creating indexes; making changes in indexes; setting Catalog preferences; and using indexes.
• Chapter 12: Paper and Web Capture--includes information on: scanning a document into Acrobat; capturing and editing images and text; working with scanned text; working with suspects; setting Capture preferences; and converting Web sites to PDF pages.
• Chapter 13: Digital Signatures--provides information on: handling digital signatures; setting up a signature profile; creating a digital signature; signing documents.
• Chapter 14: Automating Acrobat--presents information on: using batch processing in Acrobat; creating and editing sequences; setting batch preferences; and using consultant to analyze PDF files.
• Chapter 15: PDF Files and the Web--describes: reading PDF pages online; editing PDFs online; linking a Web page to a PDF; optimizing PDF files for online viewing; and removing optimization from PDF files.

• Appendix A: Acrobat Help: gives you information on Acrobat Help.
• Appendix B: Security: provides information on security options.

For running Adobe Acrobat 5, you need:

PC:

• Intel Pentium class processor;
• Microsoft Windows 95 OSR 2.0, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5 or 6, or Windows 2000;
• 32 MB of RAM (64 MB recommended);
• 115 MB of available hard disk space;
• Additional 70 MB of hard disk space for Asian fonts (optional);
• CD-ROM drive.

Mac:

• Power PC processor;
• Apple Macintosh OS 8.6, 9.0.4, or 9.1;
• 32 MB of RAM (with virtual memory on) (64 MB recommended);
• 105 MB of available hard disk space;
• Additional 70 MB of hard disk space for Asian fonts (optional);CD-ROM drive.