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There's little that's sexy or even slightly interesting about PDF creation, which is why PrimoPDF has become one of the better PDF-creation programs. In the past, it's done the job of casual PDF creation right the first time you use it, and with a minimum of fuss. It hasn't been without its drawbacks, but the latest version--PrimoPDF 5--addresses most of those.
PrimoPDF 5 looks a lot like PrimoPDF 4, but that's not a bad thing.
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)If you're unfamiliar with the program, it installs itself as a "PDF printer" so that you can use any program's print function to convert the document into a PDF. Version 5 comes with desktop icon that you can drag and drop files onto for quick conversion, as well as performance improvements and minor changes throughout the program. It also addresses another problem that Primo has had: visibility. In the past, you could only access Primo from your Start menu or by creating a PDF, but the icon allows you to easily jump in and adjust Primo's settings.
Users can now set a default folder to save PDFs to, or opt to choose a new folder for each new PDF. You can also Append or Overwrite an already-existing PDF, and more easily create and edit document properties and PDF security from the main PrimoPDF interface. According to Primo's publisher, NitroPDF, the program starts faster and converts faster, and we did notice that it launched quicker than before--note that this was an empirical judgment, though.
Primo's size has been reduced slightly from 7.49MB to 7.38MB. The four conversion quality settings are still exposed up-front, too, so you can easily toggle quality settings from Screen to eBook to Print to Prepress. There's a Custom setting, as well.
Other features include a password protection feature that can be used for restricting reading, editing, or printing the PDF. However, trying to create a PDF while the interface was already open resulted in neither a new PDF nor a warning that there had been a failure. The interface also sports an ad for other PDF-related software made by Nitro that takes up half the interface.
Those hitches aside, PrimoPDF is an effective tool for quick and casual PDF creation, and that doesn't change with the latest version.
Correction: PrimoPDF's file size has not been reduced to 1.1MB. It has been reduced to 7.38MB.
PrimoPDF converts just about any file type to a PDF, using the source program the file was created with and its print command. Two new changes make the program easier to use and more useful. The interface redesign is definitely easier to navigate, and users can now choose to e-mail the PDF instantly after its creation.
The conversion process from whatever document is on your screen to PDF is quick and efficient. Other features include secure formatting that allows the user to wrap the PDF in 40-bit or 128-bit encryption, PDF merging, and password protection. The user also can restrict editing of the new PDF, preventing comments and other changes from being made.
Primo's size is surprisingly large for such an unobtrusive app, and it's absolutely necessary to launch the read-me file at the end of installation, since the application loads no icons and leaves no other visible traces on your machine, except in the Start menu's All Programs. Other than that, it's a brilliant way to easily create the professional document you need.
Creating your own PDFs used to require purchasing a PDF-creator like Adobe Acrobat. With PrimoPDF and doPDF, though, all that's required is a program with a print function. Interestingly, while both Do and Primo do the same thing, one is stripped-down and simple, while the other adds an extra step and some extra features to attract users.
Both doPDF and PrimoPDF add PDF output to your Print options.
(Credit: CNET Networks)DoPDF is the more basic of the two programs. It's utterly bereft of features beyond its main function: to let users create PDF documents from within any program using the native Print option. Along with whatever printer you've got hooked up that shows up in the Print dialog box, doPDF adds an eponymous option. Select it, hit print, and you get the chance to change the name of the PDF you're creating. Hit enter and the PDF gets created, then automatically opens for you to proofread it.
Lacking any customization features and the control panel to manage them, doPDF is definitely meant for fast PDF creation with a minimum of fuss. However, not all PDFs are created equal, and that's where PrimoPDF comes in.
Primo uses the same mechanism to create PDFs as Do does: It lets users create PDFs via the Print function of most--if not all--programs that have a print option. However, the addition of extra features should appeal to more advanced users who need their PDFs to be of higher-than-average quality.
The PrimoPDF output and options menu
(Credit: CNET Networks)Whereas doPDF just gives a simple output dialog box for altering the name and saving location of the PDF, Primo lets users choose from four preset resolution levels plus a custom-set fifth one. The four others optimize the PDF for screen use, Web use, eBook, or prepress. The variations between them adjust image quality more than anything else, because that will instantly jack up or shrink the size of the PDF.
Three features within Primo's Options window should make it truly appealing to advanced users. Users can edit the document properties, which include adding meta info like title, author, subject, and keywords. You can also set two security levels, one for opening the document and another for making changes to it. The app comes with the ability to wrap up your PDF in 40-bit or 128-bit encryption. You can even specify access solely for text-reading programs for the visually impaired. The third feature lets users specify which program opens the PDF, even overriding your system's default PDF reader setting.
However, all these extras come with a cost: PrimoPDF uses about 40MB of RAM when running. That's not a major concern, except it's about 40 times what doPDF consumes. If none of Primo's features sound useful, doPDF is probably the PDF converter you want to use. But for any project requiring a bit more finesse, there's no reason you shouldn't be using PrimoPDF.
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