Re: Designing docs for PDF

Subject: Re: Designing docs for PDF
From: Dick Margulis <margulis -at- fiam -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2002 23:26:16 -0500

Rowena,

A big, fat "IT DEPENDS," of course ;-)

A few thoughts:

For a document that will be read as a document--such as a résumé or a journal article or a technical report--I'd start with the premise that the page size should be full screen (i.e., having an aspect ratio of 4:3). On the other hand, for something like a Help system, I'd want a little bitty page that I could scootch over to the side of the screen. I'm not sure I'd go with something as odd-looking as the Acrobat Help format, but the size isn't too bad.

For type, I'd go with fewer words per page than if I were designing for paper. That way, I could use larger fonts and feel somewhat more comfortable about using distinctive, perhaps even elegant, serif fonts rather than just defaulting everything to Arial (as I would in a small-format, low-resolution environment). I wouldn't go to the extreme sizes typical of a PowerPoint presentation, though, unless that was the sort of thing I was aiming for.

I'd keep line length to something under 65 characters or so, either through the liberal use of white space or by going to two columns. However, two columns is problematical if you think people might want to enlarge the page to read it (resulting in the need to scroll down to the bottom of column one and then up to the top of column two). Maybe it's best to avoid multiple columns of text, come to think of it.

I'd take advantage of the availability of free color to color-code different heading levels. I think this can be done in a way that enlivens the page without being garish. Just use a fairly muted palette. It's usually best to keep the body text black on white, though.

HTH,

Dick

Hart, Rowena wrote:

Hi all,

I'd like to hear from people who have strong
opinions about how to design documents so
they look good in PDF (when viewed primarily
on screen).

For example, an important design consideration
is page size. Smaller pages result in shorter
line lengths and paragraphs; this usually
increases on-screen readability.

In your opinion, what other design choices
improve the appearance and readability of PDFs?




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References:
Designing docs for PDF: From: Hart, Rowena

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