Expert: LizaL - 2/18/2005

Question
I created a .pdf file for a contract.
Is there a way on Photoshop 7.0 to create something similar to a text field where other people can write in the subect lines, such as Name: Phone Number: Address:....etc.
and then the customer can print it out in their printer.
With all this they cant actually change the wording on the contract.

I know i have seen this online before, but Im not sure how they create it.
thank you i really appreciate it.
Brandon  

Answer
Hi Brandon,

Well, the answer is yes, you *can* create such a thing in Photoshop, but I'm not sure it'd be what you want. What it sounds like you want is a true PDF file, one that can generate forms for people to fill in, yet not edit -- and those are best created in programs like Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe ImageReady. Those three applications have the best tools for creating true Portable Document Format files.

It's true, you can create PDFs in Photoshop. But the PDF you create in Photoshop doesn't have the options and features of those created in the applications I mentioned above. In fact, just about the only thing you can do with your Photoshop PDF is make it into a slide show presentation, and/or set its security. The security really only amounts to password protection when you try to open the document in Photoshop. In fact, the other security precautions don't even apply unless the PDF is opened in Acrobat.

Here's how you do it, though:

In Photoshop, if you go to the File menu and select Save As..., you'll see that one of the selections is Photoshop PDF. Select this and say OK, and you'll be asked where to save the document, and then the encoding -- whether you want JPEG or ZIP.

In this screen, you can also specify PDF security. If you check this, then click on the Security Settings button, you'll be taken to another screen that lets you set the level of security. You can add password-protection to the document, and also specify password-protection for changing the settings and permissions of the document.

But the catch here is at the bottom of this screen. Notice that it says that "... Other security restrictions (such as printing) are applied to file only when it is opened in Adobe Acrobat."

So that means you can create a PDF in Photoshop, but anyone can edit it, as long as they have the password (if you password-protected it). Only if they open it in Acrobat will they be UNable to change it, if that's how you set it up originally, in Photoshop.

Does this make sense? Here's a little movie of the steps you take to make a Photoshop PDF:

http://little-works.com/all_experts/pdf.mov


You can also make a PDF presentation in Photoshop, if you're ever so inclined -- just go to the File pulldown menu, select Automate and then PDF Presentation, from the submenu. Then choose the files you want to go into your presentation by clicking on the Browse button, navigating to the file you want, and clicking Open.

If you add several files, you then have the option of making this into a slide show.

I know this presentation option isn't something you asked about, but I just thought I'd throw it in -- maybe for consolation, since you can't generate a true PDF in Photoshop!

If I were you, I'd stick to Acrobat, Illustrator or InDesign for creating forms and then making PDFs out of them, especially if you want it so that no one can edit the form when they fill it out.

Hope this helps! And please post back if I need to clarify anything. I won't be available for questions this weekend, but feel free to email me at lizal@little-works.com.

Lisa