Freeware draw with pdf

Michael · Nov 23, 2005

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to link
to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a circle
and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid capability
as well.

Anything come to mind?

THANKS.

Bruno Lowagie · Nov 23, 2005

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to link
to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a circle
and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid capability
as well.

Anything come to mind?

Use any program that produces an SVG file (Scalable Vector Graphics);
then convert it to PDF using Apache Batik+iText(Sharp).
Maybe Apache FOP is also able to convert SVG to PDF too.
br,
Bruno

Hans-Werner Hilse · Nov 23, 2005

Hi,

On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 13:35:08 +0100
Bruno Lowagie <bruno@nospam.lowagie.com> wrote:

Michael wrote:
Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?
[...]

Use any program that produces an SVG file (Scalable Vector Graphics);
then convert it to PDF using Apache Batik+iText(Sharp).

My suggestion would have been inkscape (http://www.inkscape.org/), from
which I had been able to create rather good results. It's multiplatform
and supports PDF as output format. It's not perfect doing this when it
comes to font embedding, but basically works. It's using SVG as its base
format.

-hwh

Ralf Koenig · Nov 23, 2005

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to link
to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a circle
and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid capability
as well.

Anything come to mind?

OpenOffice Draw. Capable of much more, with native PDF export.

Ralf

Gandalf · Nov 23, 2005

On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 07:23:08 -0500, "Michael" <newszz10@yahoo.com> wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to link
to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a circle
and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid capability
as well.

Anything come to mind?

THANKS.

OpenOffice 2.0 - Free. Has drawing, document, spreadsheet, slideshow and
database built in. Exports to PDF.

Get it here-
http://www.openoffice.org/

Ian Bell · Nov 23, 2005

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

Open Office

Ian

JeffM · Nov 23, 2005

drawing program
that would be able to "save as pdf"?
Michael

OpenOffice Draw. Capable of much more, with native PDF export.
Ralf Koenig

Yup.
NOTE: Once you save something as PDF,
you can't edit it any more.
Keep your primary copy in a standard format.
..
..
OpenOffice.org's ~75MB download can be daunting for some.
(That part is all-or-nothing.)

If, however, all you need from the suite[1] is *Draw*,
then only **install** the component you need.
..
..
If you find a drawing package with a slimmer download
or a drawing package whose handling you like better
(ASSuME-ing you're running Windoze),
these are print drivers whose output can be redirected to a file:
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:9tth6GJT4gwJ:leoville.tv/radio/pmwiki.php/ShowNotes/Show170+Previous-coverage-*-this+PrimoPDF+Go2PDF+Download-size+pdfcreator+CutePDF+%22PDF+Creator%22+Paperless-Printer

Why Some PDF Creators Are Huge:
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_frm/thread/4b6918ddda25e750/3da8ccba51b2caf0?q=No-third-party-programs-need-to-be-installed-*+Neither-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-put-these-programs-where-*-*+GhostScript-had-to-be-installed-*-before-CutePDF-Writer-could-work+install-GhostScript-separately+*-*-already-has-GhostScript-installed
..
..
..
[1] OOo also includes modules that are replacements for
M$ Word (and FrontPage), Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

keith bowers · Nov 23, 2005

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to
link to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a
circle and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid
capability as well.

Anything come to mind?

THANKS.
Take a look at http://www.pdf995.com

Use any Windows program with pdf995's pdf converter (it installs as a
printer and appears to spit out a pdf file). The free version pops up ads.
I haven't tried it; just saw it mentioned on a newsgroup recently. They
also have a program that allows extracting pieces from a pdf file. YMMV
--
Keith Bowers - Thomasville, NC

Robert Baer · Nov 24, 2005

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to link
to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a circle
and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid capability
as well.

Anything come to mind?

THANKS.

One could use Postscript and the freewaer Ghostscript which converts

in either direction, along with bitmap conversion.
Get GhostView for PS the viewer, and an older version of Acrobat if
on POTS.

Jasen Betts · Nov 25, 2005

["Followup-To:" header set to sci.electronics.cad.]
On 2005-11-23, Michael <newszz10@yahoo.com> wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

The Gimp, not exactly simple and more of a paint thant a draw program.

xfig (which is a drawing program) and ghostscript (which can convert
postscript to pdf) for a two-part sollution.

Bye.
Jasen

John Devereux · Nov 25, 2005

Jasen Betts <jasen@free.net.nospam.nz> writes:

On 2005-11-23, Michael <newszz10@yahoo.com> wrote:
Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

The Gimp, not exactly simple and more of a paint thant a draw program.

xfig (which is a drawing program) and ghostscript (which can convert
postscript to pdf) for a two-part sollution.

It has alreeady been mentioned once, but I was really impressed by
Inkscape. It's a general purpose vector drawing program (a bit like
like Adobe Illustrator), and can save in PDF, as well as its native
SVG and about a dozen other vector formats.

--

John Devereux

Jim · Nov 26, 2005

I have found a program that acts as a printer but it actually converts the
print job to PDF

http://www.cutepdf.com/

Or, just search for CUTEPDF and you will find the program. It is free
and I have been using it for quite some time.

The draw program, well, that depends on how complex you want to get, but I
find this a convenient way to get PDF from any program that would normally
print the file.

Jim Pennell
Nov 25 2005

Michael · Nov 28, 2005

thanks for all the response.....open office draw looks like what I may need
but you have to download the whole suite.

I still would like to find something.

Something more advanced than windows "paint" (junk) and a cad
program.....even the "elementary" cad programs are tedious to learn.

I just need to do rectangles and circles and be able to place text anywhere
on the drawing grid.

JeffM · Nov 28, 2005

I just need to do rectangles and circles
and be able to place text anywhere on the drawing grid.
Michael

Any program that can *Print*, can create a PDF.

(See my earlier post and follow the link.)
Keith Bowers and Jim Pennell each suggested a program of this type.
The smaller programs require GhostScript to be installed;
the larger ones are payware
and do not require a separate GhostScript install.

To *Save As PDF*, you do a Print and select a different printer;
that "printer" is the PDF Converter.[1]
..
..

even the "elementary" cad programs are tedious to learn.

Yeah, but the vector-based drawings are

1) tiny files (compared to the "raster" produced by "paint" packages)
2) easily scalable with no loss in quality.
Ever hear the phrase "Bite the bullet"?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/b52956fe88f32511/6d4e846b29e8eb7b?q=My-very-favorite-bonehead-simple-*-*-drafting-program+Draft-Choice-*-*+*-works-quite-well+no-longer-supported+*-introduction-to-CAD+most-intuitive+zzz-zzz+A-previous-thread-on-this
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/msg/40ecf161866a6d7a?q=Turbocad+Intelicad+Qcad+zzz+zzzz+macros+performance-cost-ratio+DXF+near-infinite-size
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/b52956fe88f32511/ab5e9a344de2c01f?q=Qcad+very-large+not-like-most-windows-progams+DXF-files+user-interface
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/b98ba73c926f09d9/7d2b303dab4f5d16?q=Varicad+Qcad+IntelliCAD+Turbo-CAD+ProCAD+QuickCad+DesignCad-express
..
..
[1] You may have done something similar to fax from your computer.

PDFrank · Nov 28, 2005

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to link
to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a circle
and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid capability
as well.

Anything come to mind?

THANKS.

PDFDraft sounds exactly like what you're describing, but I don't think
it's available on the web any longer, unless someone archived it
somewhere. It was a product of the PubSTec Corporation; PDFTree was
another one of their good programs. Their web page is gone.

PDFDraft was a freeware program for windows. It consisted of only one
file, 473 KB (they knew how to write small programs back in those days).

Let me know if you're interested and I'll try to post it to
alt.binaries.freeware.

PDFrank · Nov 28, 2005

JeffM wrote:

NOTE: Once you save something as PDF,
you can't edit it any more.

Not necessarily so.

You can, if you have the right tools.

Robert Baer · Nov 29, 2005

Michael wrote:

thanks for all the response.....open office draw looks like what I may need
but you have to download the whole suite.

I still would like to find something.

Something more advanced than windows "paint" (junk) and a cad
program.....even the "elementary" cad programs are tedious to learn.

I just need to do rectangles and circles and be able to place text anywhere
on the drawing grid.

In one word: PostScript!

Anton Erasmus · Nov 29, 2005

On 28 Nov 2005 11:05:23 -0800, "JeffM" <jeffm_@email.com> wrote:

I just need to do rectangles and circles
and be able to place text anywhere on the drawing grid.
Michael

Any program that can *Print*, can create a PDF.
(See my earlier post and follow the link.)
Keith Bowers and Jim Pennell each suggested a program of this type.
The smaller programs require GhostScript to be installed;
the larger ones are payware
and do not require a separate GhostScript install.

The quality of these PDF files are often incredibly poor and
unsuitable for use as the input to a printing house. Applications that
can generate PDF directly normally generates MUCH better quality PDF
files.

[snipped]

Regards
Anton Erasmus

Michael · Nov 30, 2005

Thanks Frank.

I tried to email you but it came back.

Sounds what I may be looking for and sure would appreciate a copy.

"PDFrank" <pdfrank@some.com> wrote in message
news:9Ladnd1ltoeGPxbeRVn-pQ@rcn.net...

Michael wrote:

Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a
very simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

My second choice would be 2 programs, a draw and a pdf creator....(both
freeware).

I need freeware as I'd like (with the authors permission) to be able to
link to the download on my web site.

The software simply needs to be able to draw a rectangle--a line-or a
circle and be able to use the computers fonts.....with some sort of grid
capability as well.

Anything come to mind?

THANKS.

PDFDraft sounds exactly like what you're describing, but I don't think
it's available on the web any longer, unless someone archived it
somewhere. It was a product of the PubSTec Corporation; PDFTree was
another one of their good programs. Their web page is gone.

PDFDraft was a freeware program for windows. It consisted of only one
file, 473 KB (they knew how to write small programs back in those days).

Let me know if you're interested and I'll try to post it to
alt.binaries.freeware.

Jahagirdar Vijayvithal S · Dec 1, 2005

* Jasen Betts <jasen@free.net.nospam.nz> wrote:

On 2005-11-23, Michael <newszz10@yahoo.com> wrote:
Would anyone be able to lead me to a freeware program that would be a very
simple drawing program that would be able to "save as pdf"?

The Gimp, not exactly simple and more of a paint thant a draw program.

xfig (which is a drawing program) and ghostscript (which can convert
postscript to pdf) for a two-part sollution.
xfig can export directly to PDF so ps2pdf is not required.

Bye.
Jasen

Regards
Jahagirdar Vijayvithal S
--

Freeware draw with pdf

Michael

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Bruno Lowagie

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Hans-Werner Hilse

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Ralf Koenig

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Gandalf

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Ian Bell

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JeffM

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keith bowers

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Robert Baer

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Jasen Betts

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John Devereux

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Jim

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Michael

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JeffM

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PDFrank

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PDFrank

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Robert Baer

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Anton Erasmus

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Michael

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