Making PDFs in Bridge CS4
This article will cover how to use Bridge CS4 to create and customize PDFs. PDF’s are just first of two output types, along with Web Galleries Bridge creates from within the new OUTPUT Workspace Preset.
With the Output workspace selected click on PDF and the PDF Presets and 5 groupings of controls become available. Each group of inputs gives the user additional methods to customize the PDF to suit their needs. But before that is covered the supplied templates may be enough to cover your needs.
.
Supplied PDF Templates
The supplied templates can be used as is or modified. If more images are selected than can be put on a single page in the template additional pages are filled out with the remaining images. To see a preview of your selection make sure you have selected images from the Content panel. Images selected can be contiguous or non contiguous by using the control key on the PC or command key on a Mac.
Then hit the Refresh preview button, a status window will come up while the PDF preview is being generated then the output preview panel opens with your current setting as the example.
2-UP Greeting Card
A word of caution with the presets is that whenever a template is selected all the options are reset to the original settings. Whenever you make a change in the Document, Layout or Overlays the template will change to custom. Meanwhile if you make changes to Playback or Watermarks than will be included in the presets.
At this time there is not an easy way to create and save custom templates. This does make the output ability more work than it should be since you have to manage the options manually to ensure the output you want beyond the templates Adobe offers. But it is a perfect lead in to go over the controls to customize your PDF output to match your needs.
The first set of options control the overall document, paper standards and size, quality and background and the ability to put a little bit of security on the PDF. Depending on the Page Preset different submenu ouptions are availbe for selecting size.
Document Controls
The more useful options are for US paper size, Photos, and Web. But again as with any preset they are a starting point. Below the Size menu are Width and Hight input boxes that alow dirtect input as well as a menu to choose an approriate measurement.
US Paper Size
Photo Size choices
Web Size in Pixel Dimensions
An ability to choose between High and Low quality is below the size. If you are printing a draft pick Low quality otherwise for better output use High Quality
Below that is the chance to password protect the PDF. If you plan on disseminating the output electronically and would like to restrict who can open, change or print your PDF you can assign the appropriate password and use the Disable Printing checkbox. But please don’t be fooled into thinking this is some high level security. It may keep the casual user from breaking the protection but it is relatively easy to strip security off your work.
Layout Controls
The Layout group of options control the position and structure of your images. The first menu tells the bridge whether for feed images into your layout left to right across the document first then fill-in in downwards in rows , Across First (by Row) or top to bottom first in column then fill out the page left to right, Down First (by Column).
The ability to control the number of rows and columns is simple. To position and space the image you can input spacing for the top, bottom, left, right and horizontal and Vertical. Get your ruler out or have some else share the exact dimension desired. The measurement dimension is preselected depending on your document selections. The quick and easy approach is to turn on auto spacing to maximize the number of images desired with the layout structure.
Also you can turn on or off the ability to rotate the image from landscape to portrait or vice versa for maximizing utility and if you need to limit one picture per page there is a check box to activate that.
Overlay Controls
The ability to automatically label each image with its filename and extension is controlled with overlays. Here you can use the check boxes to turn on or off the display of either. Along with this is the ability to select any font and the corresponding styles available for that font, as well as controlling the font size and color of the text.
Playback Controls
PDFs Slideshows can also be created and customized in the Playback Group. You can have a PDF open to full screen mode and control the duration for each slide. Also you can make the slide show repeat endlessly until the victim escapes out. You also have a different variety of transition types and control than the slide show transitions built into Bridge (Ctl/Cmd + L).
Watermark Controls
The last group of controls the creation and stamping each page with a custom watermark. Create a text entry and select font, text style, size and color. To make the text less obtrusive you can control its opacity, I usually select Black and drop the opacity to 20%. You can place the text on top of the images by selecting foreground or use background and have it behind the image. There is not a way to position the watermark or rotate it on an angle.
The last checkbox will automatically open your creation in your PDF viewer after you save your PDF.
The most important button, the ability to save the PDF is at the lower right. To actual create your PDF file you need to save it. Name the file and place it into the location desired.
The PDF output lacks the ability to truly customize PDF files and levels. It controls layout of the particular pictures selected and is limited in adding other information and customizing beyond contact sheets. Another weakness it the need to move to another program to printout the PDFs whether as contact sheets or other output types. In the Contact Sheet II automation from CS3 the ability to save as a layered graphic file allowed rearranging and additional options as well as outputting to multiple file types.
While it is nice to see the PDF output abilities, this is definitely version 1.0 and improvement is needed to make this a truly useful tool for more than the causal user.