Grade Keeper: PDF tools

Showing posts with label PDF tools. Show all posts

Monday, January 9, 2012

Free PDF Annotating and Managing tools for Organizing your Research.

As researchers you always try to keep track of your resources and organize your data in the best way possible. Part of the data you might be working on is PDF documents and ebooks. This format is largely used by educators and scholars all around the world. It is user friendly and offers a comfortable readability. I personally prefer to read PDF files to any other type of docs. Unfortunately, PDF documents do not offer so much freedom to their readers, for in most of the times one can not tweak, highlight or crop any portion from within without using some third party tools.Worse even is the fact that these tools are not always free and you have to pay to start using them. But this is not the case with the tools below. They are free and offer a wide range of features that are practically useful for researchers.

1- PDFEscape

PDFEscape is a great PDF editor and form filler offering several awesome features such as :

It lets you edit your PDFs
Load PDFs from your computer or URL
It provides a number of annotation tools( hide parts of a PDF, insert links,insert arrows,sticky notes, checkmarks...etc
It does not require any registration
It works on the major browsers like IE, Chrome, Firefox and Safari

2- Crocodoc

Crocodoc is both a PDF viewer and annotator. It covers not only PDF but MS Word, MS Powerpoint, PNG, JPG files. Among the features it offers to its users:

It does not require any registration
It lets you annotate PDFs and pictures too
It allows you to share your marked-up PDF using a shortened link oe embed codes
You can collaborate with others so that you can all view and annotate the file
It lets you download the original files as well as the annotated version

3- FoxyUtils

FoxyUtils is a tool that can help you manage your PDF files without the installation of any PDF editing program. It provides several services to its users :

It is free
It offers a tool kit with various PDF tools
It lets you merge multiple PDF files into a single one
You can split PDF pages from a single PDF file
It lets you unlock the editing password on a PDF file
You can also use it to assign a password to a PDF file

4- Mendeley

Mendeey is a popular scientific research management tool and academic social network. It allows its users to perform several tasks such as :

Index and organize research papers and PDFs into a digital library
It lets you highlight and annotate your PDFs
It also let you sync documents across different platforms
You can use its app to add notes to PDF files
It extracts bibliographic information from your PDF docs
It requires a sign up and download

5- Zotero

Zotero is a research tool that is free and easy to use. It allows its users to :

Collect, organize, cite and share your research sources.
Build your their own bibliography
Keep track of their references
Provides a library where to store and organize PDFs
It can sync citations and entries across operating systems and mobile platforms
It also lest users bookmark, highlight and add sticky notes to pages
It lets them assemble mailing lists, index full-text from PDFs
It stores users PDF files,images, links and entire web pages

Here is a short list of online converter in case you want to convert files into PDFs

1- PDF Filler
This tool lets you upload and fill out any PDF form online. When filled you can then print it out

2-Neevia Document Converter

It converts any Word, spreadsheet, presentation and image docs to PDF or image files

3- RSS2PDF

This one converts RSS, Atom or Opml to PDF

4- DoPDF

This tool lets you print to PDF from any running program

5- PDF Creator

It is like DoPDF but has an added set of features such as merging multiple PDF files into a single file

If you want to explore more PDF tools to use with your students or for your own research check out the section called Free PDF Tools.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

BookletCreator – turn your PDFs into Awesome Booklets

BookletCreator is a great web application that we can use in educations. As its name entails , it enables users to easily and quickly convert any PDF document to a printable booklet. We, sometimes, love to read docs in paper format and PDF is one of the best ones available but today i am introducing BookletCare that will add another touch to your reading experience. This app does all for you , it reorders the pages in such a way that when you print your documents they will be easily folded into a booklet.

Some features of BookletCare

here are the main features that BookletCare offers to its users:

It offers a free download

It is easy and simple to use

It has intuitive interface

It allows you to turn docs and PDFs into awesome booklets

It does not require any sign up

PDF document should have “Portrait” paper orientation

If you have a large document you can use “pages per booklet” feature to split the document into multiple booklets

How does BookletCare work ?

First you need to make sure that the documents that you want to turn into Booklets are in PDF format and if they are not then you need to convert them into PDF using PDF Conversion tools.

Upload your PDF document

Run the BookletCreator to process the docs

Download the ready file

Print it out and follow the given instructions to turn pages into a booklet

Here is a detailed list of the instructions you need to follow to turn docs into a booklet.
That’s it about BookletCreator – turn your PDFs into Awesome Booklets.

PageFlipFlap - Convert PDFs and Docs into Flip books

PageFlipFlap is a great software that we can use in education. It allows its users to convert any Word or PDF document into a flip book. I personally like the sleek and clean format of flip books. They are such an enjoyment to read. So if you are fed up with scrolling down pages every time you are about to read a doc or PDF then you can use PageFlipFlap to change your reading experience.

PageFlipFlap also allows you to turn even images and pictures into a flip book. The final version of your book will be sent to your email address. The link included in this email can be used to view your flip book or share it with others using Facebook and Twitter.

Some features of PageFlipFlap

Here are the main features that PageFliFlap offers to its users:

It is free

It is easy and simple to use

It has a web-friendly interface

It lets you make a flipbook from documents , images or movies

It does not require any sign up

It allows you to upload your docs and receive URL in email

It offers different options such as : searching , zooming, and downloading, display in full screen or thumbnail view.

You can share your flipbook with your friends

How can i get started using PageFlipFlap ?

As i said before, it is very easy to use PageFlipFlap. All you need to do is

upload the documents or images

provide an email address to receive the link to your flipbook

Use that link to view your flipbook and share it with others

The only inconvenient you might notice in this application is that the interface is cluttered with ads but the functionality stays intact.
You can check out the other PDF tools and File Conversion Applications that you might need in your classroom .

Monday, July 11, 2011

Sparchive – Convert Documents into PDF

Splarchive Is a cool website for educators. It allows its users to easily convert documents into PDF files for free. Splarchive, besides its PDF conversion utility, also enables its users to keep a record of their documents which means that you will never loose a document you have converted. This tool is really great for educators for it can save them all the hassle created by the other conversion tools. I highly recommend it for everyone of you.

Some features of Splarchive

Here are the main features that Splarchive offers to its users:

It is free

It is easy to use

It requires a registration

It allows you to convert documents into PDFs

It lets you read converted PDF files

It allows you to download converted files

It supports documents as large as 10 MB

How does Sparchive works ?

To get started using Splarchive all you need to do is to:

head over to their main page and open your free account with them.

email your documents to upload@splarchive.com ( remember The documents you email should not be larger than 10MB and must be commonly used Office file formats )

The file is then converted into PDF format with a link for download.

Watch this video to learn more about Sparchive

What is Splarchive? from David Vogler on Vimeo.

If you want to discover more of the conversion tools you can use in your classroom or at your work then i invite you to check Documents conversion Tools
That’s it about Sparchive – Convert Documents into PDF.

Monday, June 27, 2011

I Love PDF - merge or split PDF files

I love PDF is a great tool for educators. We all love portable document format files for they are easy to read and do not drain our eyes as other formats do. Today i am introducing you to I Love PDF which is a free service that allows its users to either merge several PDF files into one or split them. This tool is very easy to use and does not require any download or installation software. Everything is done online and it takes only a few clicks to get your PDFs both merged and split.

How can istart using I Love PDF ?

Head over to I Love PDF main page then you can either :
click on merge PDF files

then click on select PDF files
You can select multiple files by maintaining pressed 'Ctrl'
a new link will be generated for you to see your merged PDF files
You can merge up to 10 PDF files in one and each PDF can be up to 8MB
Click on Split PDF files

now follow the same steps as will be provided for you
Remember The download link is available for 15 minutes.
If you like this post then you can check other awesome PDF tools together with their tutorials.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Print What You Like – Control what you Print

Print What You Like is a free online editor that lets you format any web page for printing. You can now control what you want to print and avoid printouts that are full of ads and empty space. How many times we want to print an article but we end up having so many printouts that have nothing else but junk ? . As educators, we can use this handy tool to crop what we want from a webpage or even merge two pages into one before printing and sharing with students. Print What You Like is browser based and does not require any installation or download. It is really one of the great PDF tools educators should be aware of.

Some features of Print What You Like

Here is a list of the main features that Print What You Like offers to its users:

It is free (up to this moment )

It is very easy to use

It requires a sign up which is very quick

It allows you to modify WebPages and select what you want to print

It lets you combine multiple web pages - edit & print them as one document

You can customize the webpage by changing the size and type of the fonts and also removing the background

You can save your modified page as a PDF or HTML document

It removes ads and other junk you don't want.

How can i get started using Print What You Like ?

Head over to Print What You Like main page and sign up for a free account
Enter the URL in the box and hit start
You can play with the commands on the left
watch this video to learn more

That’s it about Print What You Like – Control what you Print.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

PDF to Word: Turn your PDFs into other word formats

PDF to Word is a great web2.0 tool that allows it users to quickly convert their PDFs into other word formats. We all love PDF format and probably all of you have PDF files stored somewhere online or in a desktop for a later reference , but what if i want to make some changes to these PDFs and take just the parts i want from them and include them in other word formats , This is exactly PDF to Word‘s job. “Using PDF-to-Word conversion technology, you can quickly and easily create editable DOC/RTF files, making it a cinch to re-use PDF content in applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, OpenOffice, and WordPerfect.Best of all, it's entirely free!”.

Some features of PDF to Word

Here are the main fearures that PDF to Word offers to its users:

It is completely free

It is very easy to use

It has a very interactive interface

It allows you to turn PDFs into other word formats

It uses the full range of formatting and layout tools available — including paragraphs, columns, tables, and margins — making pages much easier to edit and manipulate.

It is designed to convert and accurately re-position pictures, photos, vector images, and Excel charts upon conversion.

How can i get started using PDF to Word ?

As i said before the process is very simple and anyone can do it instantly
1 – Select PDF to convert

2 – Now select the file to which you want to convert your pdf

3 – enter an email address to get the file

As you can see the tool is dead simple yet very practical and helpful for us in education .
That’s it about PDF to Word: Turn your PDFs into other word formats.

You might also like:

Bee PDF : Upload , Embed, and share your PDFs onli...

HTML to PDF ; Convert Webpages into PDFs

cometdocs; free file conversion

Docspal : free converter and document viewer

Free Online Converter :Convert media files online into any t...

Blogbooker : Turn an educative blog into pdf book...

Zamzar : the best file converting web2.0 tool in e...

Cute PDF Writer : convert easily your documents in education...

Monday, April 25, 2011

Bee PDF : Upload , Embed, and share your PDFs online

Bee PDF is a free hosting and sharing website . It allows its users to upload their PDFs and share them with others . I have always looked for such a website where i can get safe URLs for my PDFs and now here it is ; very simple and easy to use . Bee PDF does not charge you with any fee and it is completely free . Once you upload you PDFs into Bee PDF then you can use the generated URL to share with others and let them access your docs or you can use the embed code to include your PDFs into your website, wiki or blog . Bee PDF allows you to read and browse through PDFs published by others .

I am sharing with you this post because i know many of you need this tool in their work . You can upload PDFs you want to share with your students and give them their URLs or if you have a blog for your classroom then you can use Bee PDF to embed your PDFs there .

How can i get started using Bee PDF ?

Head over to Bee PDF main page and sign up for a free account . It is very quick and simple
Once signed in click on Upload and select the PDF you want to include
Once the Upload is finished click on Processed Files on top right side
You will see now your file you can either click on Edit to give it a title , description , and a category

Or click on its name to be directed to the page where you can view it and share it . Use the embed code on the left bar to embed it in your site .
That’s it about Bee PDF : Upload , Embed, and share your PDFs online .
You might also like :

Friday, April 15, 2011

HTML to PDF ; Convert Webpages into PDFs

Html to PDF is a free conversion tool that I will be adding up to the list we are compiling here under the Writing and Converting tools tab . HTML to PDF is a simple converter that can turn any web page or blog post to a PDF document in seconds . I really like this tool and have used it many times to convert blog posts to PDF documents that I print and share with my students and colleagues . It does not require any installation software and above all it is free of charge .

How can I get started using HTML to PDF ?

Head over to HTML main page
provide the URL of the page you want to convert
Click on make PDF

That’s it about HTML to PDF ; Convert Webpages into PDFs

I : Converting Tools :

Friday, March 18, 2011

cute pdf WRITeR : convert easily your documents into pdfs

Since 1993 when Adobe Systems launched the PDF format , this latter has become number one universal format worldwide . Many people are opting for PDF documents than ever before and educators too are using them on a wider range . Given the importance of this format and how helpful it is in education i decided to include this post which is a tutorial on how to use Cute PDF Writer to turn any document into PDF one .
Before we dive into the video tutorial on how to create a PDF document let me just brief you on the most important features and advantages of PDF documents as explained in Abby Randal in his article : Why to Convert Word to PDF: 10 Advantages of PDF Files
PDF documents are :

Compatible with most of the operating systems such azs Windows, Mac , Lunex , and even modern mobile phones and PDA’s
Compact and small : you can merge multiple spreadsheets , word documents, photos …etc into one single and compact PDF document
They can be created using a PDF Creator from any source document or application
They are securable and has an encrypted protection system that prevents people from modifying your docs
They are supported by many software viewers for free .
Viewable withing most browsers
They meet legal documents requirements
Compatible with modern portable reader systems .

How can get started using Cute PDF Writer ?

Log on to Cute PDF Writer main page and click on on free download on your left hand .
Download the file and execute it . It is very simple and quick .
Watch this tutorial to learn more .

Friday, March 4, 2011

Blogbooker : Turn an educative blog into pdf book

BlogBooker is a very cool and free web2.0 tool . It allows you to “ produce a high-quality PDF blog book from all your blog entries and comments . Archives can be generated from any blog running on Wordpress, Blogger , Live Journal and its derivatives . The whole process takes about 3 to 4 minutes depending on the size of your blog.”

How can i get started using BlogBooker ?

First log on to BlogBooker . You do not need any registration at all . All you need to do is to submit an export file provided by your blog system to BlogBooker :

1- To export your Wordpress blog
Follow the instruction in this tutorial : How to export your wordpress blog
2- To export your blogger blog :
follow the instructions in this tutorial : how to export your blogger blog
3- As for Live Journal
the export and back up are automatically handled .
When you finish exporting your file into a secure place in your hard desk , go back to BlogBooker main page and click on “ get your blog as PDF blog book” and select your blog system .

Type in your info and hit “ create your blog book”

Application of BlogBooker in Education

I think it is a very good idea to use Blog booker with your students . Introduce it to them and show them how they can use it to turn blog posts into PDFs . Provide them with blog and website urls and let them print the articles that you think might help them in their learning . They can also use it to save PDF books of educative blogs that they can check offline . As soon as they have a saved portable copy of a blog , then they can access its content without the need of internet connection .

You might also like :