Technical FAQ
Answers to common questions about creating a PDF ETD.
If you are using Word 2007, see this page with updated information and screen shots.
- How do I create sections (for page numbering)? To
use different page numbering within your document, you need to insert section
breaks. Each section can have a different kind of page numbering.
- Why are the margins in my printed PDF wrong? Your version of Acrobat may be set to scale the page when printing. See this explanation about how to change this setting.
- How do I format page numbers differently in the different sections? By
default, the footer in a new section is "Linked" to
the previous section. If you want to change formatting for each footer
independently, you need to break that link. Click on the View menu and
choose Headers and Footers. The "Link to Previous" button is
on the toolbar:
- How do I insert a landscape page with portrait page
number orientation? This
can be accomplished using text boxes and frames. See this page for detailed
instructions: http://www.uky.edu/etd/Page_number.pdf.
Also see this page for more information: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/LandscapeSection.htm.
- How can I set up my Word document so that the PDF bookmarks are
generated automatically? If
you use Word Headings appropriately
(e.g., mark chapter titles and subtitles with a Heading style), your bookmarks
in PDF (required by the Graduate School) will be generated automatically.
Bookmarks can also be edited in Acrobat after the conversion. See this
page for more information: http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/UseBuiltInHeadingStyles.html.
To choose which Headings are used for bookmarks, alter your PDF Conversion
Settings:
Using headings in Word will also let you generate your table of contents automatically.
- What software do I need to convert a Word document to PDF?
To create a PDF, you need to have the full Acrobat product installed (not
just the reader). A "convert
to PDF" button will appear on your Word toolbar:
If the PDF toolbar is not available, try re-installing Acrobat. Or try this:
"In Word, click on View | Toolbars. Is PDFMaker a choice, and is it checked? If not, click on Tools | Templates and Addins. Is PDFMaker.dot listed as a choice, and is it checked? If not, then reinstalling may fix the problem. Word must be installed before Acrobat in order for the Acrobat buttons to be installed into Word."
Full Acrobat is available in all the student computer labs on campus.
- How do I set my PDF to open to Bookmark View? In
Acrobat, select Document Properties:
- Any other good sources for help?
- BYU's ETD site has an excellent PDF guide and video clips with "how to" help.