Macintosh OS 9

To create a PDF file you must have Adobe Acrobat software, not the free Adobe Reader, installed on your computer.

1. To create a PDF file first create your document in the software of your choice.
2. Go under the Apple menu and select Chooser.
3. Once the Chooser opens locate and click on the PDF Writer icon.This will change your print option from your regular printer to the PDF Writer.
4. After closing the Chooser window return to your document and select the print option. A window will open where you can select the whole document or a range of pages.
5. Click on OK and another window will open asking you to name the document and where you would like it saved. By default the document name will be the same as your original document title but you can change it if you wish.
6. Simply click on Save and your PDF file is now created.

To create a PDF file for NSF FastLane submission you cannot use the PDF Writer option in the Chooser.

You will have to use the Acrobat Distiller program that came with the Adobe Acrobat software. The Acrobat Distiller program is located inside the Adobe Acrobat folder on the hard drive of your computer.

1. After you have created your document in the software of your choice you need to create a Postscript file. To do this go into your document and select the Print command.
2. At the next window you will see an option for Destination in the upper right hand corner. Click on this bar and change it to File and click on the Save button at the bottom of the window.
3. The next window will ask you to name your file and select a location for it, after you do this just click on Save to create the file.
4. Launch the Acrobat Distiller program and make sure that the Compatibility is set to Acrobat 3.0(NSF only recognizes 3.0). If it is not selected as verion 3.0 go under the Settings pull down menu and select Job Options.
5. In the next window under the General tab click on the Compatibility bar and change it to Acrobat 3.0 and then click on the OK button to close the window.
6. Go under the File pull down menu and select Open to locate your postscript file that you previously created and then click on Open.
7. In the next window click on Save to create your PDF file. You can repeat the File Open process for numerous files or quit out of the program.

Macintosh OS 10

To create a PDF file in Macintosh OS 10 do the following steps.

1. To create a PDF file first create your document in the software of your choice.
2. Then go under the File pull down menu and select print.
3. In the print dialog box you will see a clickable bar titled Copies & Pages, click on this bar and select Output Options.
4. The window will change and you will see a box titled Save as File. Click on this box to place a check mark in it afterwhich the PDF option will highlight. Then simply click on Save to create your PDF file.

Windows

To create a PDF file you must have Adobe Acrobat software, not the free Adobe Reader, installed on your computer.

1. To create a PDF file first create your document in the software of your choice.
2. Then go under the File pull down menu and select print.
3. In the next window click on the Name bar and select Acrobat PDFWriter and then click on OK.
4. In the next window you will be asked to name the document and select the location of the PDF file then click on Save to create your PDF file.

To create a PDF file for NSF FastLane submission you cannot use the PDF Writer option. You will have to use the Acrobat Distiller program that came with the Adobe Acrobat software.

1. To create a PDF file open the document that you have created and select the Print option from unde the File pull down menu.
2. In the next window click on the Print to File box and then click on OK.
3. In the next window name the file and select the location where you wish to place it. At the bottom of the window in the Format bar make sure it is set to Printer Files and that your document has an extension of .prn then click on OK to create the file.
4. Locate Adobe Distiller from within the Programs menu and select it to launch the program.
5. In the next window make sure that Compatibility is set to Acrobat 3.0. If it is not go under the Settings pull down menu and select Job Settings.
6. In the next window under the General tab click on the Compatibility bar and change it to Acrobat 3.0 and then click on OK to close the window.
7. Go under the File pull down menu in Acrobat Distiller and select open to locate your file. In the Files of Type bar at the bottom of the window select All Files so that you will see the postscript file you created earlier.
8. Click on Open and then Save at the next window to create your PDF file. You may then repeat the process for additional files or quit out of Acrobat Distiller.