Making pdf files

Portable Document Format (pdf) is a good way to make documents availble because it works well on all platforms (Unix, Linux, Mac, and even Windows) and it is relatively compact (unlike PostScript).

You can make pdf files from a PostScript file by using ps2pdf, on Cattell. If you did not make the file on Cattell, you need to upload it. Then, if the file is called myfile.ps, the command is:

ps2pdf myfile.ps

You might want to look at

man ps2pdf to see if you want to use the alternative command ps2pdf13.

Most word processors can make PostScript, if you ask them to print to a file, and if they are in a good mood.

You can also make PostScript by writing in LaTeX. If you do that, the National Science Foundation (which requires pdf files now) recommends that you use dvips -Ppdf myfile.dvi at the stage of making the PostScript file. (But N.S.F. will also accept the dvi file.)

Comments to baron@psych.upenn.edu