Converting your Pitt ETD to PDF format
This document reviews the necessary steps involved in converting your document to the
accepted format for the ETD Online System (D-Scholarship@Pitt) at the University of
Pittsburgh. This document will address word processing documents written in Microsoft
Word. Features of Adobe Acrobat® are also discussed. Information in this document is
subject to change without notice. For more information, please see
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/etd/
I. Introduction
When your thesis or dissertation is complete and revisions have been made to the
document, you will need to convert your word processing document to Adobe’s Portable
Document Format (PDF) in order to submit your file electronically to the University of
Pittsburgh’s institutional repository, D-Scholarship@Pitt, at http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/.
It is your responsibility as the author to completely review the PDF document for
conversion accuracy, and to adhere to requirements for the electronic version. Refer to
the ETD Format Guidelines Manual for details on PDF requirements.
PDF is the cross-platform standard for electronic document distribution. PDF is a
universal file format that preserves fonts, formatting, graphics, and color of any source
document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it. You can convert
any document to PDF using Adobe Acrobat software or some other service or third party
application that can generate PDF files. Adobe Acrobat will provide the best results and
greatest capabilities for converting your documents. You can view and print PDF files
using the Adobe Acrobat Reader or a Web Browser that has the Adobe Acrobat Reader
plug-in.
1
II. PDF Considerations and Requirements for ETDs
A. Bookmarks
The PDF version of your thesis or dissertation must include bookmarks for various items
in the Word document (as outlined in the University of Pittsburgh’s ETD Format
Guidelines Manual.
Specifically, bookmarks must be made for:
• Every item listed in the document’s Table of Contents
• All figures listed in the document’s List of Figures
• All tables listed in the document’s List of Tables
• Or indeed for any captioned items such as equations or media clips etc.
• And for the TITLE PAGE, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ABSTRACT, and
APPENDIX
Bookmarks can be automatically created from your Word document if you’ve formatted
it with the correct styles. Refer to the ETD Template Guide and on-line help within your
word processor for information on using heading styles. Refer to page 13 of this manual
for assistance on manually creating bookmarks within Adobe Acrobat.
B. ETD File Names
Consideration should be given to the file name of the PDF version of your thesis or
dissertation. An appropriate naming scheme for your PDF file should include your last
name, or a combination of last name, first name and middle initial, date/year, and should
not contain any spaces. Example file names include smithja_etd.pdf, mithja_etd2008.pdf,
and smithja_etdPitt2008.pdf.
If you have multiple files that constitute your entire work, naming them with a numeric
sequence (e.g., smithja_1.pdf, smithja_2.pdf) will allow you to link the files in the correct
order and guide readers through the document in a concise manner.
Electronic theses and dissertations can have multimedia objects linked to the ETD.
Audio, video, or other types of files can accompany your text-based document, but will
need to be linked to the PDF file. Any files that will be linked to the PDF file should have
file names that identify the object as it is identified in the document (e.g., audio1.wav,
figure1.jpg, video1.mpg). ProQuest’s Guide to Publishing states that if multimedia
elements are used in the document, file formats should be identified in the
dissertation/thesis abstract. 1
1
Taken from
http://www.proquest.com/assets/downloads/products/UMI_PreparingYourManuscriptGuide.pdf. Students
are encouraged to review this web site.
2
C. Graphic Objects
Graphics (i.e., photographic images, graphic objects, charts) can appear in either color or
black and white in the ETD. However, black and white or crosshatched objects may
render the best during the microfilming process for archiving dissertations. Crosshatching
can be used to differentiate colors within an object (e.g., an Excel graph) if the object is
not in full color. If black and white graphics are used, a link can be set up in the PDF file
to a color copy if desired. Refer to the ETD Format Guidelines Manual for specific
details on graphics within an ETD.
III. Converting Microsoft Word Documents to PDF
A. Acrobat PDFMaker Conversion Settings
Important Note: Users trying to convert using MS Word for Mac OS
will not be able to automatically create bookmarks from the Word
document during conversion. The Print to PDF tool featured there will
not do this. Converting on a PC does automatically create bookmarks,
even if you wrote the document on a Mac.
Checklist before converting to PDF:
-Update your table of contents and lists of tables and figures
-Delete any blank pages
-Check page numbering
-Proofread
-Make sure all graphics display properly
3
You will need to review the Acrobat preference settings within Microsoft Word before
converting documents to PDF. Select the Acrobat tab, and the click on the Preferences
button (second option on the Acrobat ribbon). The Acrobat PDFMaker dialog widow will
appear. Review each tab; Settings, Security, Word, and Bookmarks.
Settings
The Preference Settings dialog box opens with the Settings tab displaying. There are
seven Conversion Settings to choose from: High Quality Print, PDF/A:Draft, PDF/X1a:2001, PDF/X- 3:2002, Press Quality, Smallest File Size, and Standard. These settings
are designed to balance file size with quality, depending on how the Adobe PDF file is to
be used. Select Standard in the Conversion Settings window for your document. Setting
explanation can be seen under selected Conversion Setting.
4
Security
Review the options on the Security tab. ETD files do not require any security settings on
the PDF copy (passwords should not be required to open the document).
Word
The Word tab lists various Microsoft Office preference options. Many word processing
elements, such as footnotes, endnotes, and hyperlinks should be retained when you
convert to PDF as long as these options are selected on the Word tab.
5
Bookmarks
The Bookmarks tab provides settings for converting text formatted with styles to
bookmarks within the PDF file. The PDF version of your thesis or dissertation must
include bookmarks for items such as the table of contents, list of figures, list of tables and
appendix. Headings will convert to PDF bookmarks as long as Word Heading Styles
have been used.
In the Bookmark Options section make sure Convert Word Headings to Bookmarks
and Convert Word Styles to Bookmarks are selected. The Element Bookmark boxes
selects Heading 1 thru 9 styles to be converted; you will need to select the Appendix,
Caption, and Heading styles check boxes under the Bookmark column so that each of
the items in your list of figures, list of tables, Appendix, and Bibliography convert to
bookmark entries.
6
B. Running the Conversion
1. Make sure the conversion settings are correct as described above.
2. Select the Acrobat tab, and then click the Create PDF button.
3. The Save As Adobe PDF File window with appear
4. Select your desired folder location in the Save in box. In the File name box, Type
your document name (do not use spaces in the file name). In the Save as type box PDF
Files should appear.
5. Click the Save button, and Acrobat will begin the conversion process. The conversion
process can take a couple of minutes, depending on the length and nature of the contents
in your document.
7
6. Acrobat PDFMaker dialog box will appear, indicating the progress of the
conversion.
You can use the Show Details button to view stages of the conversion process (use the
Hide Details button to return to the original dialog box).
8
7. Confirm that the PDF file has been created. Acrobat will launch, so that the new PDF
file can be viewed. You can also use the Start, All Programs menu to locate
the Adobe Acrobat or Reader application and then open the PDF file from the open
button of the toolbar.
8. Print or review the PDF file on screen to make sure that all text and graphics have
converted correctly. You can edit the PDF file in Acrobat if there are any problems with
the text, but this is rather cumbersome on a large scale. It is advised that major changes
take place in the word processing file.
9
IV. PDF Review and Settings
Once you convert your word processing document to PDF, it is your responsibility as the
author to completely review the PDF document for conversion accuracy, and to make
sure that the document adheres to requirements for electronic theses and dissertations. If
the document contains links to web site addresses, test the links within Acrobat/Reader to
confirm that they are still active. You should print or review the document on screen to
make sure that all components of the document (e.g., text, formulas, and graphics)
converted correctly. University of Pittsburgh ETDs must include bookmarks for the table
of contents and lists of figures and tables.
A. Acrobat Help
Use the online help for Adobe Acrobat as a quick reference for working with Acrobat.
Click on the Help button (it’s a question mark icon) located on the far right of the tab bar.
The Word Help window will appear. Type Acrobat in the Search box.
10
B. Editing Text in Adobe Acrobat
You can make corrections to PDF documents using the Edit Text and Images tool. Find
it on the Tools menu on the right side of the Acrobat window. It works best for minor
changes, such as fixing a letter or two. Once a document is converted to PDF there is a
limited amount of editing that can be done.
Be sure to check your paper after using this tool on text, since it can create unusual
spacing effects. If you see this, you’ll have to fix the text in Word instead.
11
C. Bookmarks
Bookmarks are links that enable the reader of an ETD to easily navigate through the
document chapter by chapter that allows the reader to link to tables, figures, and charts.
The Navigation pane in Acrobat/Reader will list any bookmarks on the Bookmark
button.
12
Your documents may automatically create bookmarks through the PDF conversion
process for items such as the table of contents and list of tables and figures. Pages such as
your TITLE PAGE, COMMITTEE MEMBERS and ABSTRACT not listed in your
table of contents will not appear as bookmarks. APPENDIX is often missing from the
bookmark list as well. It is required that you create bookmarks for these items in the
capitalized formats shown above to match existing bookmarks. The following
instructions review the process of creating bookmarks in a PDF file using Acrobat.
NOTE:
Carefully review each bookmark to make sure that the appropriate text is associated with
the correct page reference.
Bookmark vs. Link:
Bookmarks provide a table of contents and usually represent the chapters and sections in
a document. Bookmarks appear in the navigation pane. Clicking on a bookmark
thumbnail (miniature preview of the document page) will take you directly to that page
within the document.
Links in a PDF document are similar to links on a website. Clicking on a link takes you
to another location in the current document, to another PDF document, or to websites.
1. Open the PDF file.
2. Click the Bookmarks tab in the navigation pane to bring the Bookmarks palette to
the front. Any items that converted from your word processing document to the PDF file
as bookmarks will appear in the Bookmarks tab. Click on a bookmark link to view the
page that it represents.
New bookmark entries that you create will be added at the end of the bookmarks list. If
you select an existing bookmark, the new bookmark will appear after the highlighted
entry, saving you the time of dragging it to the correct place from the bottom.
3. To create a new bookmark, scroll to the page and text that is to be set as a bookmark.
Bookmarks are even sensitive enough to detect specific locations on screen to be set as
the bookmark.
4. To quickly name the new bookmark you will create, click the Text Select Tool ,
then drag the cursor to highlight the desired text.
13
5. Choose New Bookmark option from the Bookmarks palette menu, or select the
Create new bookmark icon
at the top of the Bookmarks palette. If no text was
selected prior to this command, you must type in a name for the bookmark; bookmark
labels can be up to 128 characters long.
Or
6. The new bookmark will appear in the Bookmarks palette at the end of the bookmark
list or after the selected item.
7. To ensure that the user retains a consistent magnification level when clicking through
your new bookmarks, right click on each manually created bookmark and choose
Properties, then Edit, then Actions, then Inherit Zoom from the dropdown box. Click
okay to both windows.
7. Once you are finished creating bookmarks, return the cursor to normal mode. Click the
Hand tool icon
on the Basic Tools toolbar.
14
Arrangement of Table and Figure Bookmarks
During conversion Acrobat arranges Table and Figure bookmarks on the same
hierarchical level as your main chapter headings. You should use the mouse to drag them
within the bookmarks list nest them underneath the bookmarks for the List of Tables or
List of Figures pages. Holding down the Ctrl key while selecting the bookmarks will
allow you to move more than one at a time.
Above: Dragging a table from below Chapter 2.0 to the proper location underneath the List of Tables
bookmark.
15
Creating Hyperlinks in PDF Files
D. Hyperlink to a Web Site
Hyperlinks that are in a word processing document should retain their link qualities when
converted to PDF. The following instructions review how to create a hyperlink for text
within Adobe Acrobat, if you want to add any links after the conversion process. These
instructions are similar to create links to external files.
1. Locate the text in the PDF file that is to link to a web address.
2. Click the Add or Edit Link tool
as a plus sign.
on the Tools menu. The cursor will now appear
3. Drag the cursor to create a rectangle around the text that you want to act as the
hyperlink then release the mouse button. The Create Link dialog box will appear.
The Create Link dialog box will appear.
16
4. In the Link Appearance section click on the drop down arrow and select the Invisible
Rectangle option (this is the recommended appearance). If you still get a box around
your link, try setting the Link Type to Visible Rectangle, but with the Color set to White.
In the Link Action section select the Open a web page button, and then click the Next
button.
The Edit URL window will appear.
5. In the Enter a URL for this link box enter a URL (for example: http://www.pitt.edu),
and then click OK.
6. Once you are finished creating hyperlinks, return the cursor to normal mode since the
Link tool is still selected. Click the Hand tool icon
on the Basic Tools toolbar.
7. Test the new link. Position the cursor over the text that now contains a hyperlink, and
click the link.
17
8. If you receive a Specify Weblink Behavior dialog box, choose the In Acrobat or In
Web Browser option in the Open Weblink selection depending on the format of the
destination, and then click OK.
18
E. Supplementary Files
Large supplementary files that cannot be embedded, but that are related to your document
can accompany the ETD. Video files are the most common case. To include these, make
a thumbnail or other placeholder in Word that will serve as a link to your content. Next,
upload your supplementary files to D-Scholarship, which is the ultimate destination of
your main PDF file as well. If you haven’t done it already, you’ll have to log in and fill
out information about your paper. After that you’ll have the chance to upload files. Once
you do that and see the files in your D-Scholarship account, retrieve their URLs. There
should be a field that displays a link to each uploaded file. Once you have the link, use
the Link Tool described in Section D above to link your placeholder image or text to your
video or other supplementary file.
V. Upload Your ETD to D-Scholarship@Pitt
Once your document has been converted to PDF, reviewed for accuracy, and your thesis
advisor or dissertation director has approved the ETD, you should upload the PDF file to
the University’s Institutional Repository, D-Scholarship, http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu.
Go to http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/getstarted.html to learn how to submit your document.
Once submitted, the PDF version of your document must be reviewed for accuracy and
approved by the student services coordinator for your school. Once your student services
coordinator has approved the ETD in the system, it will soon thereafter be searchable
through PittCat+. Please note that no changes are allowed to approved ETDs.
Therefore be sure that your ETD is exactly as you want it prior to final approval by your
student services coordinator.
19