How to Print to PDF

A newsletter reader asked today, “How can I save an image on a web site, such as a census page image, as a PDF file?” I decided to answer here in the newsletter in case someone else has the same question.
The short answer is, “there are several methods of saving images to PDF files.” However, I will expand on that with longer answers below. First, you need to save the image to your computer’s hard drive in almost any format. With most web pages, that means saving it in the same format that is used on the web site. Then you need to convert it to PDF. In many programs, that is called “print as PDF.”



The following is for converting specific images, not for saving entire web pages as PDF files. I will later tell how to save entire web pages as PDF files.

Saving the image

In most web browsers, go to the web page of interest, move the mouse icon over the image you wish to save, right click with the mouse, and select “Save image as…” You will then need to select where to save it and also give the newly-saved file a name. On my Mac computer I keep a folder called Downloads where I place all newly-downloaded files. This is also the default folder for downloads on most Windows computers. Then I can later convert any file in that folder to whatever format I wish and save it to an appropriate folder for long-term storage. Every few weeks or so I delete all the older files in the Downloads folder as I no longer need them. You might want to do something similar just to keep things organized.

Macintosh

Apple includes all the needed PDF software with every Mac. Use Finder to go to the Downloads directory (or wherever you saved the image), double-click on the image and wait for it to display on your screen. Unless you have changed your system settings, the image will be displayed in Preview. Within Preview, select FILE in the upper left corner, then select PRINT. A new pop-up window will appear. Click on PDF, and then select “Save as PDF” from the selection list that appears. Follow the menus, and your new PDF file will be saved wherever you specified.

Windows

Microsoft does not include PDF software in Windows although some companies that manufacture computers that use the Windows operating system have added this capability to their systems. Microsoft created the company’s own version of portable document files, called XPS. However, XPS files never became very popular, and you rarely find XPS files on web pages. In any case, a number of third-party companies have created software to add the capability of creating PDF files on any Windows computer.

Probably the most expensive and full-featured solution for creating PDF files on Windows is to install Adobe Acrobat.

NOTE: You will need the full version of Adobe Acrobat, not the free Adobe Reader that only displays existing PDF files.

Adobe Acrobat sells for $449, or you can opt for a monthly subscription for $19.99 a month. Due to Adobe’s high prices and the available products from Adobe’s competitors, I would never purchase Adobe Acrobat. However, if you are interested, you can learn more at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat.html.

doPDF is a FREE Windows program that will create PDF files. Once installed, it creates a new, “virtual printer driver” in your computer that is called doPDF. You print to this “printer” exactly as you print to a regular printer: with the desired document open on your computer, click on File –> Print and select doPDF from your list of printers. When you then click on Print, the result will be a PDF file, not a printed piece of paper. You can find doPDF at http://www.dopdf.com.

CutePDF Writer is a popular free “print to PDF” product that operates in much the same manner as doPDF. The same company also sells (for $49.95) CutePDF Professional, which adds capabilities such as the ability to create PDF booklets, combine multiple PDF files into one, add watermarks, edit forms, add comments, add headers and footers, rearrange pages, security, digital signature, scan, FTP, and more. I suspect most genealogists will be satisfied with the free version. Details may be found at http://www.cutepdf.com/.

PrimoPDF is also a very popular free program to create PDF files with Windows. The company’s web site claims that PrimoPDF has been downloaded more than 27 million times. The company also sells other products to convert PDF files to Word format, to edit existing PDF files, and more. Again, I suspect most genealogists will be satisfied with the free version. Details about PrimoPDF may be found at http://www.primopdf.com/.

You can find quite a few other programs that will create PDF files on a Windows computer. The above list is simply a list of the more popular products and are ones that I know will work well. A quick Google search will undoubtedly find other PDF products as well although I may not be as familiar with each of them.

If you have any of the above products, you can convert almost anything that appears on your screen into a PDF file, including web pages. In fact, the same will usually work for Microsoft Word, Excel, Facebook, and many, many more applications. In most cases, use the web browser (or Word or Excel or whatever application you choose) as normal. To save to a PDF file, select FILE in the upper left corner, then select PRINT and choose “Save as PDF.” (The exact wording might be slightly different, depending upon which print-to-PDF product you have installed. However, the wording should be close to “Save as PDF.”)

Save an entire web page as a PDF file

If you have none of the above products installed but wish to save a web page as a PDF file, you can use the Web2PDF web site to create PDF files for you. This free, cloud-based service will read any publicly-available web page and convert it to a PDF file which you can then save on your own computer. It won’t save password-protected pages, however, as the service has no method of logging onto such pages. You can learn more about this free service at http://www.web2pdfconvert.com/.

The Chrome web browser also has a built-in method of saving web pages to PDF files. You do not have to install any special software in your computer nor any extensions in your browser because Google Chrome itself acts as the PDF writer. Open any web page inside Google Chrome, press Ctrl+P (or Cmd+P if you are on a Mac) to open the Print dialog, and change the destination. The entire web page will be saved to your computer as a PDF file. My experience with creating PDF files from the Chrome browser is that resultant PDF files often are not an exact copy of the original. Formatting tends to be erratic. I would suggest using one of the above programs instead of the Chrome browser whenever possible. I bet you will then be happier with the results.

Summation

The above methods are quick and easy solutions to creating PDF files. However, once created, PDF files can be changed, appended to, converted, extracted, and more. One resource that I use frequently is the PDF Tutorial at http://www.labnol.org/software/adobe-pdf-guide-tutorial/6296/. It has very brief descriptions of things that can be done with PDF files and, in many cases, links to more detailed descriptions of the various tasks.

Have fun with PDF!
(Dick Eastman Newsletter)

Vintage Devil's Food Cake Recipe 1945

Who doesn't love a thick slice of Devil's Food Cake ? This recipe from the 1940's was a favorite in my parent's household. My mother's hand written note included , "this recipe takes time to make but worth it." Today's quick cake mixes are great for convenience, but 'back in the day' I'd bet this cake graced the table of many special occasions.

Devils Food Cake

Vintage Devil's Food Cake 1945

1 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Cocoa
1 Cup Milk
1 Egg

Combine sugar and cocoa. Add well-beaten egg. Add milk. Cook in a double boiler until thick and smooth. Cool.

1 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
2 Cups Cake Flour
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking-Soda
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Flavoring

Cream shortening and sugar. Add well-beaten eggs. Beat thoroughly. Sift flour, measure, and sift with baking-soda and salt. Add alternately with milk to creamed shortening and sugar. Add flavoring. Add cocoa mixture which has been well cooled. Beat thoroughly. Pour into well-oiled layer cake pans. Bake in a moderaye oven (375 F) about 20 minutes. Use seven-minute icing or fudge icing between the layers and over the top.
(MSH/The Household Searchlight Recipe Book)

Throw-Back Thursday: Eunice Mae Hennington

Eunice Mae Hennington

This lady, Eunice Mae Hennington, was my aunt and was the first child born to Fletcher and Ella Mae Burdette Hennington, on 14 May, 1897 in Meridian, Bosque County, Texas. She was their first child, and a sister to my dad.

I don't know when this photo was taken, but looking at her style of clothes, and the buggy, would estimate circa 1912-1915.

This is an amazing photo of that era.

Never Forget

Preserving Family Quilts

Among the many things that family historians preserve, include preserving (and identifying) family photos, recipes, family records and personal memorabilia. Don't forget to check for any needed repairs in old quilts that have been passed down in the family.

This weekend, I repaired and restored three old family quilts - and I have been very surprised and pleased with my results. The first quilt, I had to replace the binding and repair a few blocks. This was one of my mother's quilts and is about 50 years old.

The second quilt was another 50 year plus quilt. This is a Sunbonnet Sue pattern, and brought back many memories of old dresses, aprons and some of my daddy's shirts.

My third quilt needed a great deal of repair. The quilt top of this diamond pattern, was originally pieced by my great grandmother, Arizona Delay for my mother. I'm guessing that's more than 50 years ago. The binding and back are still in good condition, but I had to replace an entire row on the top. Look in the center, next to the yellow diamonds (one of Mom's old dresses) and you'll see material that has small red watermelons on it. That's the row I had to replace - and luckily, it fits in perfect !

I have another Sunbonnet Sue quilt to repair. The binding was once a brilliant turquoise, but not so much now. I also need to replace some the "girls." It's twin size, and when I was a young girl, it was my bed cover.

This is my first attempt at repairing quilts - and who knows, maybe Mom and Little Granny were guiding me. I like to think that. Hope you enjoy my weekend preservation project.

 -

Meridian Park - 1895

Meridian Park 1895

A glimpse from the past - Meridian Park, in Meridian, Texas. This photo was taken in 1895. My grandfather, Fletcher Woosley Hennington proposed to my grandmother, Ella Mae Burdette, under one these massive oak trees. Families through out Bosque county, gathered here for picnics, hot air baloon rides, the circus, church socials, and of course "courting your sweetheart."
Ella Mae was fourteen years old when she married Fletcher in Meridian, on 25 July 1895. Most of the oak trees are gone now, as the park was moved to a new location many years ago. Precious memories of a by gone era.

Fletcher and Ella Mae Hennington

Delay/Dunlea Ancestors from County Cork, Ireland

I have been working on my Delay ancestral line for many years. My fifth great grandfather, Lt. James Delay born 1747, was from Ireland. This information was confirmed from Revolutionary War pensions of men who served under him. I have always suspected the Delay's may have come from County Cork, Ireland.

Last week I visited the Scottish Tartan's Museum in Franklin, North Carolina, and discovered from clan books on Ireland, that the surname DELAY was originally DUNLEA, and the majority of those were in fact from County Cork, Ireland.

Very happy, that as I suspected...it was likely County Cork. This post is actually a query to any that read this post. Do you have Delay family ties - or Dunlea ? Do you have County Cork ties or information. I would be pleased to trade any Delay information with any direction you have. Great discovery ...but plenty more to do ! Please email me at gaylevanh   at   frontier.com
(photo/County Cork tartan)