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How to produce a pdf score

Instructions for typesetters using graphical sheet music editors

The instructions below on installing printer drivers and postscript utilities are primarily meant for users of graphical sheet music editors under the Windows operating systems. Procedures for other operating systems like Apple MacOs may differ somewhat. The instructions for generating pdf output from sheet music editors are based on Finale but are probably not that different with other programs.

3 main approaches to producing pdf scores are described:

1. generating the pdf score immediately on your own pc - requires installing a Windows to-file pdf printer driver
2. generating the pdf score on your own pc based on an initial postscript score - requires installing a Windows to-file postscript printer driver plus Ghostscript/Gsview
3. generating the pdf score by means of an on-line pdf conversion service based on an initial postscript score - requires installing a Windows to-file postscript printer driver

Installing to-file printer drivers

• Installing a Windows to-file pdf printer driver
  • PDF Driver suitable for Windows XP
    • Point your browser to the web site of the freeware FreePDF XP printer driver
    • Click on the Download free link
    • Install the printer driver by double clicking on the icon of the installation software
  • PDF Driver suitable for other Windows versions
    • Point your browser to the web site of the freeware PDFCreator printer driver
    • Click on the Download PDFCreator link
    • Install the printer driver by double clicking on the icon of the installation software
• Installing a Windows to-file postscript printer driver
  • Activate Install new printer from Windows start menu
  • Press Next to start installation
  • From the list of vendors select IBM
  • From the list of printers select IBM 4039 LaserPrinter PS
  • Press Next
  • When asked whether to keep currently installed driver accept by pressing Next
  • From the list of printer ports select FILE:
  • Press Next
  • You are offered a printer name which you may accept as is or edit as you wish
  • Select answer No to the question whether the new printer should be the standard Windows printer
  • Press Next
  • Select answer No to the question whether you want to print a test page
  • Click with right mouse button on the icon of the newly installed printer to configure it
  • In the Graphics tab select resolution 600dpi
  • In the Fonts tab activate the radio button Send True Type Fonts to printer ...
  • In the Paper tab select your favourite paper format, e.g. A4 or Letter
  • NB Installing the to-file IBM printer driver does not require the corresponding printer hardware to be connected to your pc.
• Installing Ghostscript and Gsview postscript utilities
  • Point your browser to the web site of the freeware Gsview utility
  • Go to Obtaining AFPL Ghostscript and download a Ghostscript version appropriate for your operating system, e.g. version 8.53 for Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP
  • Go to GSview and download the Gsview version appropriate for your operating system, i.e. the Win32 self extracting archive
  • Alternatively you may download older Windows versions of Ghostscript and Gsview from the Werner Icking Music Archive
  • Install Ghostscript and Gsview. On Windows computers that is done by double clicking on the icons of the installation files

Generating a pdf score

• Using FreePDF XP and PDFCreator
  • Open your score source file with your sheet music editor
  • Select your to-file FreePDF XP or PDFCreator printer from menu item Page setup, Print or whatever appropriate
  • Activate print from the File menu or whatever appropriate
  • When prompted for a file name enter a suitable name ending with .pdf, e.g. adagio.pdf. Press OK to produce a Pdf file with that name.
• Using Gsview
  • Open your score source file with your sheet music editor
  • Select your to-file IBM 4039 LaserPrinter PS printer from menu item Page setup, Print or whatever appropriate
  • Activate print from the File menu or whatever appropriate
  • When prompted for a file name enter a suitable name ending with .ps, e.g. adagio.ps. Press OK to produce a postscript file with that name.
  • Open the postscript file with Gsview
  • Select Convert from the File menu
  • From the Device list select pdfwrite
  • From the Resolution list select 600
  • Press OK
  • Enter a suitable PDF file name ending with .pdf, e.g. adagio.pdf
  • Press Save. This will start converting your postscript score to pdf format
• Using an on-line conversion service
  • Generate a postscript score as described under using Gsview
  • Point your browser at the web site of the Ps2Pdf.com conversion server
    • Click the Browse button to select the postscript file to be converted
    • Click the button Convert to start converting your postscript score to pdf
    • Click on the link to the resulting pdf file appearing in your browser to open or save it

WIMA has merged with IMSLP

Music Archive Home | Other Composers