We always boast about Able2Extract’s ability to let you work the way you usually work with applications. And so far, our Able2Extract Windows users have had the luxury of keeping their work right at their fingertips with keyboard shortcuts.
But our software isn’t just for Windows users anymore!
For all the Mac OS X users out there, we have a handy keyboard shortcut cheatsheet that will let you quickly access all the newest features of Able2Extract 8.
Accessing the File Menu Commands
Admittedly, the File menu is perhaps the main menu you’ll go to when you need to open, close, print, convert or save your file. By using a few shortcuts, major PDF tasks can be managed without even activating the menu at all.
Accessing the Edit Menu Commands
Able2Extract’s Edit menu provides you with options that allow you to decide which PDF data you want converted. You can select your PDF content faster via a few quick keystrokes.
Accessing the Document Menu Commands
Navigating through pages in your PDF is probably one of the most widely performed tasks when it comes to working with PDFs. This is one area where the keyboard can help you avoid fumbling around with the mouse and get straight to the point at hand.
Accessing the View Menu Commands
In addition to customizing your conversion, Able2Extract’s View menu also lets you customize your view instantly. Moreover, it offers shortcuts for working with Excel conversions even faster.
Accessing the Help Menu Commands
The Help menu is there in case you should need some extra guidance here and there along the way. Need to get some quick info? Use the shortcuts below.
Visit the Able2Extract 8 support page for more details on each of these functions. Hope these shortcuts help!
There are tons of college hacks that can make your academic life easier. From saving money to improving your study routine, building up efficient habits is key to surviving the year. But have you ever considered developing a few PDF hacks to survive through an assignment?
For instance, take stock. How do you manage? Do you print up PDF files for taking notes and highlighting or do you read them off of your computer screen? How do you use PDF notes and research? Could you use a few PDF workarounds yourself?
Able2Extract has a few features that can do wonders on a PDF when you’re looking for a quick way to get things done. Here are some simple tips for some effective features.
1. Take Only the PDF Content You Need
As you know, professors oftentimes use the PDF format for handouts that can contain anything from related articles to lecture notes that can help you with your projects or research. Problem is you’ll usually need only certain sections, not the whole document.
Needing to take advantage of the material though, you’ll probably think of converting the entire file and deleting the chunks you don’t need. With Able2Extract you don’t need to do that. Use the mouse to highlight and select the content to convert. You can choose which pages, lines, or paragraphs you need while eliminating what you don’t want at the same time.
2. Work with PDFs AND OpenOffice
Not everyone has MS Office. In fact, you may choose to use a free alternative like OpenOffice. So what do you do when every PDF converter you come across only does PDF to MS Office conversions? Able2Extract can help you there, as well. You can get your PDF content in open source formats in just a few clicks.
Able2Extract can convert from PDF to Writer, Impress and Calc just as easily as it can convert from PDF to Word, PowerPoint and Excel. The conversion process is the same. Just open, select and choose the PDF to OpenOffice conversion option on the toolbar.
3. Get Social by Creating Publications with PDF content
Involved with a few department clubs or student organizations? Throwing a fundraiser or setting up an information booth? If so, you’ll probably need to get the word out or advertize your cause effectively. For most users, a DIY solution like Microsoft Publisher is all that’s needed to create high quality publications like newsletters and advertisements.
Well, you’ll be interested in knowing that Able2Extract can convert PDF to MS Publisher (.pub). This means you can edit and create quality brochures or handbills yourself without having to start from scratch. It’s a cost effective way to publish finalized advertising proofs in PDF format or quickly updating existing PDF fliers for your next student event.
4. Create PowerPoint Presentations Quickly
There are also the PDF files that are made from PowerPoint presentations conducted in class. If your professor sets up a bulletin board on the web, he or she will more than likely post those PDFs online for easy access, building up a great resource for your own future presentations and assignments.
If you see a chart or slide you can refer to in your own presentation, why not convert the PDF to PowerPoint? Able2Extract lets you convert either selected content or whole files. For entire PDF conversions, each PDF page you have will convert to a single individual slide. You can then edit and add as much as you need in MS PowerPoint itself.
5. Keep Research, References, and Quotes Digital
There are a lot of torrents and sites where you can find PDF versions of text books and novels for classes. If you find the version you need, you can then easily cut down on your work by keeping your research, references, and quotes digital. You can even convert them without having to actually “convert” anything.
Instead of re-typing whole sections from the physical book into your essay, you can quickly use Able2Extract to copy and paste the text you need. Select a portion of text by using either the Copy option in the Edit menu or using Ctrl+ C, and paste it into the document you’re working on.
Try a few of these basic tips next time you come across a PDF and see how they work out for you. If you’re looking for more specific user tips, let us know what you’d like to see. There’s always an easier way to do something with Able2Extract.
Last week, we gave you a couple of tips on how to incorporate a few of our tools into your daily study grind. Those were tools you could seamlessly fit into your existing list of handy resources to help you get your work done.
But for the most part, as a student, you’ll be using digital documents as a major resource that can, indeed, make your school work (and learning) much easier. Yet, the only real problem is getting those digital documents to suit your needs. As they are, they may be difficult to use.
Students are no stranger to PDF PowerPoint notes from a professor, nor are they strangers to the obstacles they pose. Luckily, Sonic is up for tackling such a task.
Sonic PDF Creator has a feature that lets you combine those multiple PDF pages onto a single page for quick overviews that are perfect when it comes to group studying, delivering presentations, or providing more compact resources.
If you’re unsure of how to get started, here’s a look at the handout creation options in Sonic that will let you format your PDF content into a handout.
1. Open your PDF file in Sonic PDF Creator
2. Go to Tools > Create Handout . . . . You’ll be given the n-Up Pages dialogue box where you can then customize and create your own handout.
3.Select the paper size of the handout
The very first thing to consider is the paper size and the orientation. Each PDF is different and no single handout formatting is a one-size-fits-all deal. Deciding which one is right for your content is easy.
From the drop down boxes you can choose from a wide range of paper sizes for your printed handout (including popular sizes: A4, Legal, 11×17, etc.). Then designate whether your pages will be in portrait, landscape, or Auto (according to custom width and height, which you can set manually).
4.Set the scale for your handout pages
When dealing with scaling options, you get to assign how those PDF pages will fit onto the page of your printed handout, whether letter size, legal, or 11×7.
The Auto feature lets Sonic calculate how to fit those PDF pages according to the paper size you selected. If you’d like to use the original size of the page, select Use Original Size. Or if you’d like to set the scale of your PDF content yourself, you can easily designate the width and height yourself.
With the Proportionally box checked, your destination area on the handout will remain proportional to the original page size.
5.Decide on the layout
Now that you have the content scaled down to the paper size and orientation you’ve selected, you get to decide the layout of that content.
When creating your layout first make sure you decide on the measurement unit (point, inch, or mm) you need Sonic to use in order to accurately space the content for your handout.
For the layout, you can designate a different number of PDF pages per column and row along with the margin spacing around them. The gutter measurements (in case you need to bind the handout) can easily be customized to any length you wish.
You can then designate how many pages you want repeated in the hand out and the order of the pages. Note that if the pages of your original PDF content are numbered, depending on your column/row layout and if you want double sided pages, you may want to carefully plan out how your pages can be effectively ordered.
When deciding on the order of the pages, you have 3 options:
Across: Runs from left to right, then top to bottom. Down: Runs from top to bottom, then left to right. Stack: Runs from top left of each page, then to right, then to next row.
6. Draw crop marks on your handout pages
Crop marks can also be drawn onto the handout. You can choose from drawing crops in the corners, center, or both (with the Draw Crop Marks option). After you decide which crop marks you want, you can adjust and customize them manually.
7.Allow for bleed allowance
For handouts that will need cutting, the Bleed Allowance options will let you specify your own measurements to allow for any deviations in cutting the paper to the finished page size.
You can choose from :
None: No bleed allowance. From original PDF: Use the bleed information from the original PDF file. Specified: User specify the bleed allowance amounts.
8. Once all your settings in place, click on OK . Sonic will generate a preview of the new handout for you.
9. If all looks okay, you can then save it using the Save or Save As options under the File menu, and then print it out.
If you created a handout with Sonic PDF Creator before, which creation options did you use to make your PDF content look like a professional handout?
