Here is some generic advice for faculty when posting scanned PDF files online in Blackboard or Moodle or the web: make them small and short.

Make them small

Make them small by scanning in the lowest possible resolution. High resolution scans make it MORE difficult to view on a computer screen, which needs a high contrast document.

The usual high resolution mode of scanners for text is 16 million shades of gray, which makes a document much harder, not easier, to read on a computer screen, as opposed to paper. High resolution works fine for images, but is detrimental to text.

Compare the two samples on the image above: on the left is a high resolution scan with many shades of gray, and on the right is a low resolution, high contrast scan with few shades of gray.

Make them short

Make the selections short: 10 to 12 pages of text is about the maximum you want in one scanned file.  This makes it quicker to download, and it is far more likely to be read.  Long articles and book chapters can usually be split in two pretty easily when scanning.

Optimal size for a PDF would be under 10 Megabytes. Anything over 20 is starting to get big. Anything over 50 will be a big problem and should be avoided.

More…

• How to Create PDF files directly from Word and other documents
• How to use the Scanners in the Media Lab in the Tech Center

We often hear that faculty would like to upload documents to Blackboard in PDF form, rather than in an editable Word document (students, of course, cannot upload changes they make, but PDF avoids Word altogether, and both PC and Mac users can open and view them easily).

Click here to read a crash course on creating PDF files for both PC and Mac users.

You might see this message when you try to open a PDF through Blackboard.

Don’t worry, the file you are trying to open is not actually damaged.

This error message is misleading, the file is not actually damaged. The error message appears on some computers and not on others — it has nothing to do with the file itself. It tends to happen on larger files.

The HelpDesk is aware of the problem and is working to fix it. It is caused by a conflict with Microsoft updates that effects the way browsers open PDF files in Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8.

The Fix:

Campus lab computers have been upgraded to Adobe Reader version 9, which fixes this.You can do this on your own computer by visiting the Adobe website.

If you find this error on a lab computer, call the HelpDesk at x8585.

The Workaround:

The workaround to this is to SAVE the file to your computer instead of trying to open it inside the browser. Do this:

1. Right mouse click the link that is the title of the file you want to open.
2. Choose Save link as from the menu and save the file to your desktop as an Adobe Acrobat Document.

Some faculty have expressed a desire to have documents such as syllabi and assignments to be in a read-only format instead of a word processing format, so when downloaded from Blackboard, Moodle, or web sites, they cannot be edited or accidentally changed. This could also be true of student submissions.

One solution is to convert such documents to PDF format. (See here for info on size and scanning from paper.)

Mac OS

Mac OSX has built-in support for creating PDF files from any application.

• In any application, from the menu bar choose File > Print
• When the Print box comes up, click the PDF button at the bottom left
• Choose Save as PDF then enter filename and location you want and click Save

Windows XP

Windows has no built in support for creating PDF files. You will have to install an application to do this.

We recommend a free utility called CutePDF Writer. It is good at turning files such as Word and PowerPoint documents into PDFs.

How To Get It

Download Cute PDF Writer here. Follow the instructions on the page how to install it Note: You must be an administrator of the computer in order to do this. If it’s your personal machine, you shouldn’t need to worry.

How To Use It

To turn a document into a PDF, open the file you want to turn into a PDF in the application you are using, such as Word.

1. On the menu bar, choose File > Print.
2. When the print box comes up, select the printer called “CutePDF Writer”.



3. Then click the Print button and a box will come up prompting you to choose a place to save your PDF and to give it a name. Once you’ve done that, hit Save to create the PDF version of your document.

How do I scan a document and save it as a PDF file?

For the HP Scanjet 4570c scanner

1. Left mouse click START
2. Move to All Programs
3. Move to Media Applications
4. Move to Hewlett-Packard
5. Move to Scanners
6. Move to and click Photo & Imaging Director
7. Click Scan Document

Note: there are several ways to scan using the HP scanning program

8. Select Editable Text or Editable Text with Graphics
9. Select Destination: Microsoft Word
10. Click SCAN
11. Misaligned papers in the scanner should automatically straighten. Adjust border around image if needed using cursor.
12. Click Accept
13. Do you want to scan another page into the current document? Click YES or NO

Scanner will display PROCESSING.

14. Edit finished document at this time if you wish. Processing has difficulty with large font.
15. Save to file of your choice or to disc.
16. If you have more than one page you would like to save into the same .PDF file. Save both files, then go to insert and insert pages.
17. Find the .PDF files you would like to add, and then choose to add either ‘before’ or ‘after’ the current page.
18. Save the compilation .PDF file and delete the other .PDFs