The following are questions or issues you may have regarding which file format to choose for downloading and printing of a document, and questions specific to the Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
Q1. What file formats are available?
Microsoft Word Document Format:
Microsoft Word 95 (Version 6.0) is the format for these documents.
This ensures reasonably wide compatibility with most newer Microsoft
Windows-based word processing software written since 1995, including
Word Perfect.
Rich Text Format (RTF):
If you are using a Windows-based word processing software written
prior to mid-1995 (e.g. older Word or Word Perfect versions, or
any other Windows 3.X- based software) the Rich Text Format (RTF)
offers another formatting option that very closely resembles the
Word-based format.
Web Page Format (HTML):
The HTML format is the basic native format of documents interpreted
by World Wide Web browsers, like the one you are using to view
this Web page. The most widely used browsers are Microsoft Internet
Explorer or Netscape Navigator.
If the document looks fine on your monitor screen and prints out OK, this is a convenient format to use. However, differences in the type and version of Web browser used on each PC and differences in printers and setups (e.g. default margins, fonts installed, etc.) may produce unpredictable results when the same document in HTML format is displayed or printed on other workstations.
Portable Document Format (PDF):
This format reproduces documents precisely as they were composed
in the original document preparation software. This format is
supported by popular operating systems, and is compatible with
nearly any recent printer. The PDF format is modeled after the
PostScript language and is both printer and resolution independent.
The format provides a workable alternative for those using other
than a PC workstation.
Files in the PDF format can be viewed, navigated, and printed from a workstation using the freely available Acrobat Reader software from Adobe Systems Inc. Versions of Acrobat Reader run on Windows 95, Windows NT, Windows 3.1, Macintosh, LINUX, IBM AIX, Sun SPARC SunOS, Sun SPARC Solaris, SGI IRIX, HP-UX, Digital Unix, and OS/2 Warp.
Text Format:
The Text format is very simple and may be viewed or printed by
virtually any type of PC or workstation software, old or new.
The actual layout of the document differs somewhat from the other
format types, and is primarily intended to facilitate loading
of the document into a database such as a resume management or
contact management system.
Q2. When printing the document in PDF format, all the words run together with no spaces between them, however, everything looks fine on the screen.
This issue can usually be resolved by obtaining and installing the most recent print driver available for your particular make and model of printer. Most printer manufacturers, including Hewlett Packard, provide free printer driver updates from their web sites.
Q3. When downloading a PDF form, my web browser window goes blank and I never receive the file.
Should you experience PDF files appearing as a blank window within your web browser after downloading, follow the appropriate steps below to resolve the issue:
Adobe Acrobat Reader
If you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader version 3.0 or earlier,
upgrade to version 3.01 or later.
Internet Explorer
Please see Article ID: Q177321 in the Microsoft
Support Online database for a possible
resolution.
Use the "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." option to download the PDF file directly to your hard drive and bypass the Acrobat Reader plug-in.
Q4. Adobe Acrobat Reader claims the PDF file is damaged when I try to open it after downloading.
The file(s) have been checked prior to posting on the web site. Sometimes the process of communicating a file may corrupt it. Try downloading the file again.
Q5. How can I download a PDF file directly to my hard drive and bypass the Acrobat Reader plug-in that normally displays the form in my web browser window?
Below is the procedure to use for Internet Explorer with Windows 95 / 98 or NT 4.0. If you are using Netscape, substitute "Save Target As..." with "Save Link As...".
