How to make a multi-page document and convert it to PDF in Illustrator

[heartofcooking]

I need to make a multi-page document in Illustrator and then convert it to a PDF.

I figured out how to tile the pages so that I have multi-page document. I figured this out from a tutorial I found.

The same tutorial said that if I want to make a PDF, I will need to use Adobe Distiller to do this. Otherwise, if you use another PDF program, it will only do one page at a time.


I tried downloading Adobe Distiller yesterday from two different sources yesterday without success. I don't even know if this is going to work.

Another tutorial didn't mention Adobe Distiller. Here is the link:

http://vector.tutsplus.com/designing/publishing-a-multiple-paged-pdf-document-using-illustrator/

However, I get stuck on #3. My version of Illustrator does not have the option to print using Adobe PostScript, or use Adobe PDF.

I have the educational version of Illustrator, is this why?

I am reading that InDesign can handle multipage documents better than Illustrator. Please let me know if you have experience in this area.
thanks
sarah

 

[spamjim]

It does not matter if you have the educational version. It is identical to the retail version.

You can have access to Distiller (or multipage PDF assembly) by downloading the 30-day trial of Adobe Acrobat.

Choose the right tool. While InDesign and Illustrator share some features, they are different tools.

Illustrator is for making individual illustrations.

InDesign is for designing publications.

 

[heartofcooking]

I don't know why I didn't have certain options in my print option then. The tutorial to create the PDF from ai. is very long and some of the comments at the end said they would just do it with InDesign, to why bother with the 30 steps.

I am thinking that InDesign may be better for me all around. The kind of document I am trying to create is mostly text. It does have a cover that I created in photoshop, but I am assuming I can still input images into InDesign as well.

Can you create a PDF from InDesign very easily?
Where can I find a good price on an older version so I don't have to pay full price for the lastest one?

thanks again!

 

[apepp]

...firstly you don't need distiller to create PDF file from any of the Adobe Creative Suite applications, you need to have Acrobat installed though to have the Adobe PDF PPD installed...

...the latest version of illustrator (CS4) does now allow for multiple art boards to be created, however illustrator is still not the best tool for long document work and is best avoided in most cases...

...indesign exports to PDF much the same way as illustrator does and really the process is just as easy as one another...

...if your entitled to academic versions of adobe software you can have a look at provantage, assuming you are in the USA?

http://www.provantage.com/adobe~880EMRL.htm

andrew

 

[apepp]

..the best price i have found in the UK for the non-academic is via king of software:

http://www.kingofsoftware.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=208

andrew

 

[apepp]

...have a look through google shopping search for other possible purchases:

http://www.google.com/products?q=indesign+cs3&hl=en

andrew

 

[apepp]

...just be careful when searching it is the full version and not the upgrade price...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...probably also worth noting you get more for your money if you buy the full suite, and their might not be a great deal of price difference between the full suite CS3 and CS4...

...you can also have a search through nextag for comparison:

http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buyer/OutPDir.jsp?search=cs3&psort=12&node=300471

andrew