How to View and Use pdf  Files

Some of the files on this site are saved as pdf files.  The reason they are saved that way is that pdf files are very stable when viewed because the page isnt' altered by the settings of different computers or programs. Sometimes when you view text or print  files and webpages on various computers, the programing moves page elements all over the place. Text lines end in different spots or look as if they are doublespaced. If this is done with a craft pattern, you may break a graph apart until it's not even useable. Pdf files do not change no matter what sort of computer or program you are using.
Another reason many designers use pdf files is that they may be set so that they cannot be altered by the viewer. They may be sav ed intact or specific elements may be copied but they cannot be changed. This is important to designers who want their patterns to be given the credit they deserve and not have the work misused.

To view pdf files you must have a 'veiwer'. This is simply a program on your computer that knows how to read and display this type of file. This is absolutely no big deal. Actually, it's uncommon for a computer not to have some form of this program already but you will want to have the latest version if possible to prevent glitches and give you the best results. Many people report that pdf files don't load well or don't print correctly for them. This can usually be remedied by downloading the latest version of the program. These programs are free, don't take up much room on the computer or take very long to download even on dial up connections and are entirely safe.

When you want to view a pdf file, you don't need to open any other program yourself. Just click on the link as you would for any other web page. Your computer knows that it needs a certain program to open to view that page/file. It (the computer) may take a few more moments to work because it is working to open a whole other program in order to show you the file. Don't be alarmed by this, it's completely normal. Sometimes your computer might ask you which program you want to use to view that file. Choose the program that you know you've used before to view pdf files and then let the computer do it's job.

Here is a list of links to a few of the most common programs to download and use to view pdf files.

Adobe Reader
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Foxit pdf Reader
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

A very comprehensive list of viewers to download for various opperating systems can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PDF_software

VisageSoft Reader
http://www.visagesoft.com/products/pdfreader/

eXPert Reader (I have to admit, this is a favorite. Very nice program)
http://pcwin.com/Business___Finance/eXPert_PDF_Reader/index.htm

Once you know that you have the program on your computer to read a pdf file, how do you actually VIEW and READ that file?

In order to simply see the document (file) on your computer, you don't need to do anything but click on the link as you would any other webpage. Your reader program will do the rest. You will notice that the page looks different than other basic web pages though. Most noticeably, there will be a tool bar across the top of the page that looks something like this:

You cannot cut and paste or save images from a pdf file the way you can from a regular webpage file. You will need to use these buttons to manipulate the page.
Save a Copy - Use this button to save the entire document to your own computer
Printer Icon - Using this button will give the best possible printed results. You can use your other print commands but they may not print the way you want the page to look
Email - Use this button icon to email the file to yourself or someone else. Selecting this icon will open your email program and insert the file into an email ready for you to address.
Search - One of the advantages of pdf files is that they are searchable. Want to find a specific word in a long document? Use this icon.
Hand Tool - With this icon selected, you can use your curser to 'grab' and 'pull' the file around. Just point your mouse over the document and hold down the left button to 'grab' on
Select - This icon changes your hand into a crosshair selector so that you can box in one specific area of a document to save to another file.
Snapshot Tool - This icon allows you to 'take a snapshot' of a specific area of the document to save elsewhere. Both the Select and Snapshot will save to your clipboard. You will then need to open a text or graphic program to paste your selection.
Zoom In, Zoom Out, and Fit Page Icons allow you to zoom in closer or pull farther out so that you can view the document in a way that is most useful to you.
Rotate Clockwise - This icon is pretty self explanatory. Sometimes a document is displayed sideways because that's how it was saved for some reason. You can move it around to help you view it more easily.

Sometimes you want to simply do a quick save of the file onto your computer to use later. When you see the link TO the pdf file on another page - in some of my pages it is a link that says 'Charts here' - you can place your curser over that link, right click your mouse, and a menu will pop up on your computer screen. Choose the menu option that says 'Save Target' and the computer will begin to download the file. You will need to tell your computer where to save that file, be sure you save it somewhere that makes sense and that you will remember.