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How to Create PDF Files with PrimoPDF and Print them with mPrint [Windows]
This document tells you how to get and install the free PDF maker PrimoPDF for Windows, as well as how to use it to create PDF file so you can print with mPrint. To create a PDF file with PrimoPDF, you basically print the file to the PrimoPDF driver.
With mPrint, you can print from your own computer to printers in the Campus Computing Sites, printers in ResComp Sites, and other campus printers that are set up to provide printing as part of the Basic Computing Package (BCP).
However, because files printed through mPrint must travel from your computer through a web server to a printer, they must be in a file format that can make the transition and then be printed while maintaining your formatting. For this reason, you cannot print Microsoft Word files or other files created by other programs directly. First, you need to convert your files to either PDF, Postscript, or text-only format so you can send them through mPrint to a printer.
On a Windows computer, we recommend that you use either PostScript or PDF files for printing.
Table of Contents
About PDF Files
PDF stands for Portable Document Format. PDF is a file format developed by Adobe Systems that captures formatting information and allows the file to be displayed or printed on multiple computers and printers in its original format. You can view PDF files with PDF viewers, such as Adobe Reader.
How to Get and Install PrimoPDF
- Go to the PrimoPDF web site at http://www.primopdf.com/.
- Click the Download Now link.
- Your web browser will ask you what to do with the file. Select the option that allows you to save the file. (The dialog box from Firefox is displayed here. If you use a different web browser, the dialog box may look somewhat different.)
- Exit all open programs before you begin the installation.
- Double-click the FreePrimoSetup.exe file that you downloaded.
- At the Welcome screen, click Next.
- At the License Agreement screen, select the I agree to the terms of this license agreement radio button, then click Next.
- At the screen asking where PrimoPDF should be installed, click Next.
- At the Ready to Install screen, click Next.
- A the screen that tells you installation is complete, select whether you want to open the user manual for PrimoPDF and then click Finish.
How to Create a PDF File with PrimoPDF
Basically, you print the file to PrimoPDF to create a PDF file.
- Open the document that you want to make a PDF version of for printing with mPrint.
- From the File menu, select Print.
- In the Print dialog box, from the pop-up list of printer names, select PrimoPDF. Then click OK.
- In the PrimoPDF window, under PDF Settings, select the Print radio button. Then click the ... button to the right of the Save As box to select a location on your computer for saving your new PDF file.
- In the Save As dialog box, select a location, give your PDF file a name, and click Save.
TIP: PrimoPDF will automatically launch your PDF viewer and open your new PDF file after creating it unless you tell it not to do so. See the instructions below for setting this option. You only need do this once, and PrimoPDF will remember it every time you make a PDF.
- Back at the PrimoPDF window, click OK.
- The PDF file will be saved to the location you specified.
If You Don't Want Your PDF Viewer to Open After You Create a PDF
- In the PrimoPDF window, click the Options button.
- Uncheck the Automatically launch default PDF viewer upon completion checkbox, then click OK.
How to Print the File with mPrint
- Go to the mPrint web site (http://mprint.umich.edu). You will need to log in with your uniqname and UMICH Kerberos password.
- Select a printer to print to from the list in the Printer Selection pane. To see a list of printers from just one part of the U-M campus, select that area from the Printer Areas list on the left.
- Click the Upload Job button.
- Click the Browse button to select a file to print.
- Find the file on your computer, select it, and click the Open button.
- Select whether you want to print single-sided or double-sided, then click Submit.
- The Queue Display will appear. To check and see if the status of your print job has changed, click the Refresh button.
- When your job is listed as completed, you can pick up your print job from the printer.
- Remember to log out of mPrint when you have finished printing.
Additional Resources
The PromoPDF User Manual is available on the PrimoPDF web site.
It is also downloaded as a PDF file to you computer when you download and install PrimoPDF. To see the copy on your computer, click the Start menu, then select Programs, then PrimoPDF, then PrimoPDF_2.0 Manual.
Visit ITCS's
Information System to obtain ITCS computer documentation
and other resources. A list of relevant documents follows:
We welcome your comments; please send e-mail.
ITCS's Online Help Desk provides a variety of computing help resources.
For further help with mPrint, send e-mail or phone (734) 764-HELP. If you are at a staffed Campus Computing Site (that is, the Angell Hall and SEB sites), you can ask a Sites staff member for help. If you are at a ResComp site, you may be able to ask a ResComp consultant for help.
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