Sounds like you already have Acrobat Distiller.
There's your PostScript printer.
Let me back up a moment and try to describe the difference between a
PostScript printer and the "others". I appologize if this comes across as "I
asked a simple question and he gives me a paegent" but I believe an
understanding of the nature of the thing is important.
About 20 years ago PostScript solved the problem of how do we get what we
see on the screen onto paper pretty much just like we see it. (and without
PostScript, Apple Computer might not exist today because the Apple
Laserwriter and PS pretty much saved their bacon at that time)
PostScript is a page description language...a programming language that is
optimized for describing things that can appear on a page such as type and
pictures. One could write an accounting program using PostScript, but it
would be easier and better to use something else.
When you print to a PostScript printer the printer driver (using information
gleaned from the PPD--"PostScript Printer Description") sends a stream of
PostScript codes to the printer. Inside the printer an interpreter reads the
incoming data and uses it to reconstruct the page in memory and then prints
it out.
If driving a laser printer were all that mattered, PostScript would be in
the dustbin of history because clever programmers have come up with other
Page Description Languages that work pretty well and they don't have to pay
royalties to Adobe for the privilege..,
But Desktop printers are not all that matters. The entire printing industry
relies on PostScript and upon complex devices that use PostScript to produce
virtually every printed (off a printing press) piece of paper you see today.
Your daily newspaper, magazines, brochures, etc.--all these products are
produced using PostScript language and devices.
That's the biggest difference between PostScript and non-PostScript. An
Epson printer driver will work only for that model of Epson printer. But a
postscript file can be made to work on almost any printer, via Acrobat and
PDF.
Then the PDF file format and Acrobat were introduced about 14-15 years ago
the objective was to take PostScript to a new level and allow anyone to (a)
create a document in any program and (b) process it thru PostScript and
Distiller to (c) produce a document that looked exactly like the original
but that could be viewed on virtually any computer anywhere and printed to
virtually any printer connected to that "anywhere" computer....all without
having to also distribure the creating software.
The mission of PDF has changed somewhat in the past 15 years. Today it is
also (for many) a preferred prepress format...meaning that you can hand off
a properly prepared PDF file to a print shop and they or their service
bureau (I am a service bureau) can then generate to film or printing plates
needed to put the job on-press.
To get a PDF you need a PostScript file. An Epson or HP driver won't do the
job.
Now...on to your question.
It sounds like you have Acrobat 4 installed, because you reference PDF
Writer.
PDF Writer was an attempt by Adobe, since abandoned, to generate PDF without
first creating PostScript. PDF made by this route seem to look fine and work
ok for the original idea of "this is what the document looks like--kinda
sorta" but since it does not properly handle the fonts and degrades images,
PDF made via PDF Writer are totally unacceptable in the prepress
envirnonment and enough of them made it there and the hollaring was loud
enough that Adobe pulled the plug on the idea. Bottom line, don't use PDF
writer.
Adobe also tried something called the DA or Distiller Assistant which
attempts to hide the creation process by seeming to print directly to a PDF.
In fact when you print to Distiller it makes a postscript file then it opens
distiller and then it feeds that postscript file to distiller and then it
drops that pdf file not where you can easily find it, but somewhere in
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat x\Distillr\xxx.
PDF so created have an excellent chance of being prepress ready (which is
what you need in order to get film output). BUT there is another step you
MUST make. Distiller has a huge number of settings and many of these are
inappropriate for the use you want. These settings are all boiled down into
a set of "job options" which make it easy for you.
Open Distiller and you will see a listbox titled Job Options. scroll thru
that list until you see one called "Press". That's the one you want. For
emailing stuff that's NOT to be used for prepress, then try one of the other
options...but do not expect PDF made with one of the other options to work
eiterh at all or as well as one made with the press job option. They guy
making the film may have his oen job option he would prefer you to use and
if so, he can tell you where to put it (C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat
x\Distillr\settings) and his version will then appear in the list box in
Distiller.
You are done.
If the autmatic process causes problems, and sometimes it does (I don't use
it myself) you can change the behavior.
1) In printer control panel, select Distiller, right mouse button,
properties. Ports tab. change the checked box to "FILE" and save/ok your way
out of the properties boxes.
2) now when you print to distiller it will ask you for a file name.
Depending on your operating sustem, it may be a simple box wherein you must
type the whole path and filename including extension. I dont' like to type
that much, so I have a folder i use all the time so i would type in
"D:\output\file.prn" or "D:\output\file.ps" (there's no real difference in
this case between the .prn extension and .ps). This creates a PostScript
file in the output folder on drive D.
A PostScript file is usually pretty big. You can then make a PDF from it.
3) open Distiller and make certain you have the correct job options listed
in the window. Then Either (a) use Windows Explorer to find the PostScript
file you made and drag it to and drop it on the Distiller window. Distiller
will than make the pdf and put it in the same place the PostScript file came
from (in this case, D:\output). OR (b) with Ditiller open, go to the FIle
Manu, Open and navigate to where the PostScript file is located. If you used
the "prn" extension you may have to go to the "files of type" list and
change it from "PostScript files (*.ps)" to "All files" for it to see the
..prn--this is not necessary if you use the drag and drop method.
That should about cover it. I hope<G>
