PDF as printer option in Illustrator CS3

[joesmall111]

I want to print to PDF on Illustrator CS3, this is not an option any longer. How do I get this back? thanks

[Nancy OShea]

From MS Word or any other application, I use File > Print > and select printer > Adobe PDF.

That's how I've always printed to PDF.

Nancy

[Nikolai.L]

Hi,

It's been awhile since I've used CS3, but have you tried Save As, then chosen PDF from the dropdown menu in the save dialogue box? I think that option has worked for quite awhile.

[joesmall111]

Sorry this is not what I need. I need it to work like it used to work in illustrator.

when printing there was an option for the printer to be PDF.

Saving the pdf before printing does not give me the ability to use illustrator for the output of color separations and printing each color separately.

[Nancy OShea]

Do you have Acrobat installed on your machine?

[Monika Gause]

jls525 schrieb:

Sorry this is not what I need. I need it to work like it used to work in illustrator.

when printing there was an option for the printer to be PDF.

Did you update the operating system to a newer Mac OS?

[joesmall111]

I had acrobat pro,  now that I played around with the pro, it doesn't work.

I just installed reader and now I can open my pdfs but still it is not an option as a printer in illustrator.

I have Yosemite and won't update it because nothing works when I did.

Actually, I see in print output the color separations but it's all greyed out and can't adjust anything.

At this point that's the main problem. Being able to manipulate the color separations.

Printing them separately and not from my printer, but saving it to a pdf.

What do I need to do to be able to do that, like it used to.

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

Printing to a PDF was in Mac OS 10.6 or the like.

It's not as simple to install  PDF printer on Mac OS nowadays. They don't belong to the default install anymore.

[joesmall111]

So updating illustrator or apple update still won't help me?

pdf is such a simple thing!

why is the color separations grayed out?

how can I get the ability to manipulate it?

changing my printer?

[Michael Riordan]

Are you talking about the color separations option in Acrobat Pro’s Print dialog box>advanced settings?

That is greyed out if your chosen printer is not a postscript capable printer.

[joesmall111]

the color separations in output of illustrator.

[Test Screen Name]

The PDF printer was NEVER anything to do with Illustrator. It was part of Acrobat Pro. Apple blocked it after Mac OS 10.6 so nothing will put it back. It has gone forever, I imagine, since you've upgraded Mac OS beyond that.

It has been noted why your separation setup is greyed out. It only works with a PostScript printer. Of course, Adobe PDF used to be a PostScript printer when it existed.

[Michael Riordan]

Hmmm…same problem then. The output mode in the print dialog box will read “composite” and it will be greyed out unless the printer chosen at the top of the dialog box is postscript capable. I’ve attached screen shots to illustrate. In the first image my printer is not postscript capable so the mode is composite and greyed out. In the second image I can access the separations options under mode because I’ve chosen  “Adobe Postscript® File” as  my Printer. Once you get a postscript file you should be able to run that through Acrobat Distiller to create a PDF if you still need to.

[joesmall111]

I think I'm almost there. I chose separations host based and I am able to change the frequency and angle of each color but still I can't change the dot shape.

Also how do I "run it through acrobat distiller"?

[Michael Riordan]

You’ll find distiller installed in the application folder with Adobe Acrobat Pro. Launch it, choose your pdf settings at the top of the dialog box, and drag your postscript file onto the window in the lower part of the dialog box. That should do it.

Creating and distilling postscript files is not the best way to make PDFs anymore though. Direct save as a PDF from Illustrator offers more flexibility and is compatible with the more modern PDF Print Engine. The upgrades you’ve done might be signaling this is a good opportunity to re-evaluate your workflow.

[joesmall111]

thanks for your help,

I can click on freq and angle but not dot shape.

[Ton Frederiks]

You will need a PPD that supports changing the dot shape.

But even if you can change the dot shape, the resulting separated PDF will not show the dots, just shades of grey for each plate.

You will need a RIP to screen the separations.

[Michael Riordan]

ah…beat me to it.

[joesmall111]

so I have to buy a new printer (even though I'm not using it)?

you show cmyk screens, but I am separating rgb spot colors only.

I never needed a rip before, is that still the case

[Michael Riordan]

No, you just need to get your hands on the ppd file.

Here’s a link to an old Acrobat PDF 9 ppd and instructions that might be of use:

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/kb/save-as-pdf-options-not.html