The PDF printer I use is called CutePDF Writer. Like many other software packages, they have free versions and pro versions. The pro version will cost you some money as it allows you to combine PDF files, add comments and watermarks, rearrange pages, add digital signatures etc. These are features that you don't need in order to create PDF files. Click on the following link to start downloading the free version.
http://www.cutepdf.com/download/CuteWriter.exe
Once you have downloaded the file, double click on it to run the installation. This process is very straight forward - simply click on OK to start the installation and follow the on-screen prompts. Once the CutePDF Writer is installed, you will find an additional 'printer' in your Devices and Printers section. It will look something like this:
So, now you should have the PDF printer installed, as shown above.
You will now be able to create PDF files from any document that you can print. This is how:
1 - Open the document that you would like to convert to PDF
2 - Choose to print the document, usually by clicking on File and then Print. You can also choose the keyboard shortcut, CTRL+P.
3 - When the Print window appears, make sure that you select the CutePDF Writer as the 'printer'. Here are two examples:
A Word document:
A website using a Firefox browser:
In my website example above, I simply selected to print my Google homepage.
So once you have opened the 'document' to print and selected the CutePDF Writer as the printer, click OK or PRINT (whatever option initiates the print). You will then find that the file is 'printed' to a PDF file and another window will popup which gives you the option to select where to save the PDF to:
In my example above, I chose to save the PDF in 'My Documents' and called it 'PDF Example File'. You can, however, call it what you want and it where you need to. So, there is no specified destination path or file naming convention. I like this feature because I can always choose where to save it and what to call it. This usually changes for every PDF I create, anyway, so it is more convenient for me.
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