how to Optimize and Reduce PDF File Size with the Help of Adobe Acrobat

I noticed How to use Adobe Acrobat to Optimize and Reduce PDF File Size lists two PDF version tutorials,
PDF version tutorial of Adobe Acrobat 6 solution to optimize and redue file size,
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/acrobat/articles/acr6optimize/acr6optimize.pdf
PDF version tutorial of Adobe Acrobat 7 solution to optimize and redue file size,
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/acrobat/articles/acr7optimize/acr7optimize.pdf
and I just wonder why they do not release the tutorials for Adobe Acrobat 8 and Adobe Acrobat 9.

using pdfsizeopt to Optimize & Reduce PDF File Size

pdfsizeopt is open source project hosting on Google Code, the main feature is PDF file size optimizer. it bases on the following tools,

• pdfsizeopt.py
• Python
• Ghostscript
• Java
• sam2p
• jbig2
• png22pnm
• pngtopnm
• Multivalent.jar
• PNGOUT

pdfsizeopt is a collection of best practices and scripts for Unix to optimize the size of PDF files, with focus on PDFs created from TeX and LaTeX documents. pdfsizeopt is developed on a Linux system, and it depends on existing tools such as Python 2.4, Ghostscript 8.50, jbig2enc (optional), sam2p, pngtopnm, pngout (optional), and the Multivalent PDF compressor (optional) written in Java.

for details, please visit pdfsizeopt-a Free and Open Source PDF Manipulation Tool to Reduce PDF File Size

references,

pdfsizeopt home page
Convert JBIG2 to PDF with free and open source software agl’s jbig2enc
Windows version JBIG2 Encoder-Jbig2.exe

 

How to Freely Convert PDF online

Pdf Portable Document Format – A proprietary format for the transfer of designs across multiple computer platforms. Pdf is a universal electronic file format, modeled after the Postscript language and is device- and resolution – independent. Documents in the pdf format can be viewed, navigated, and printed from any computer regardless of the fonts or software used to create the original.

As now, almost all of us use PDF file, sometimes it’s easier to have a PDF converter online, so we don’t need to install any program. Just connect to the net and search for PDF utility for free. Here’s some of them.

1. PDFTextOnline – Extract text from PDF and makes these text copy-able.
2. ShowPDF – A PDF-to-HTML converter.
3. FreePDFConvert – Convert MS Office, Images, Web Pages, Vector Graphic Formats files to PDF orConvert PDF to Word (doc) or Excel (xls) document, extract Images from PDF.
   
4. Document Converter eXPress – Convert files to PDF or Image without the need of installingspecial software.
   
5. Web2PDF Online – A free HTML to PDF Conversion service for your websites that allows your visitors to quickly save useful information in your blogs and websites to PDF files.
   
6. Lettos – DOC to ODT & PDF, ODT to PDF a DOC, PDF to TXT
7. PDFIt – A Firefox extension that allows you to convert any page into a PDF through a online service provided by Touchpdf.com.
8. htm2PDF – A service to convert your webpages to PDF
9. Zamzar – A free online file conversion that able to convert PDF to many document formats.
   
10. PDFOnline – Convert documents to PDF, PDF service for iPhone, web to PDF and PDF to word.
11. KoolWire – Just send your documents to pdf@koolwire.com, then you will receive a converted file in PDF format.
    
12. HTML2PDF.BIZ – Web Service & API that converts your Website into PDF.
13. ExpressPDF – ExpressPDF is an online service that lets you convert your Microsoft Office documents to PDF.
14. Online PDF Converter – You can convert you PDF file to text or image (JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF) absolutely free.
15. PDFText – Converts your PDF (Acrobat) file to plain text.
16. RSS2PDF – Free Online RSS, Atom or OPML to PDF Generator.
17. PDF-o-matic – A simple PHP script that uses HTMLDOC to convert the web page of your choice.
18. LOOP – A free web-based service that allows you to convert and combine files to PDF.
19. FeedJournal – Convert RSS and Atom feeds into PDF newspaper.
20. BookletCreator – A free online tool that allows to create a booklet from a PDF document.

–from 20 PDF Online Tool Converter for FREE

A Easy and Free Way to download Books From Google

Google Book Downloader is small utility(developed in .NET) which allows you to save book as PDF from google to your local filesystem and with many features,

• Download any book from Google Books marked as ‘Full view’
• Partially download any book from Google Books marked as ‘Limited preview’
• Access to any book available only for US citizens (instructions)
• Searching for hidden pages (not indexed by Google Books)

The Google Book Downloader application allows users to enter a book’s ISBN number or Google link to pull up the desired book and begin a download, fishing off with exporting the file to a PDF.

References,

• Google Book Downloader -a Easy and Free Way to download Books From Google
• How to download books from Google
• How to use Google Book Downloader
• How to use geolocation to download a book available only for US citizens?
• Google Book Downloader Homepage
• Google Books Library project

Convert RSS feeds to printable PDF newspapers

RSS has finally caught on to the point where even my non-geek friends have downloaded readers and subscribed to a few feeds. The thing is, you can’t really hand out RSS feeds at a rally, post them on a bulletin board, or leave them on a table where someone will pick them up and read them. That’s why it’s nice that fivefilters.org has provided a free way to turn your favorite feeds into printable PDF newspapers.

I’m as anti-paper as the next guy – heck, I haven’t owned a printer in years – but I know my mom’s not going to read my blog if I don’t hand it to her in paper form. I could do all the formatting myself, but Five Filters takes care of it automatically. The only major limitation is that it can only draw from one feed URL per PDF, but you can work around that by combining feeds using Yahoo! Pipes or a similar tool. It would be nice to pick and choose individual items from a feed reader to go into each newspaper, but this tool gets the basic job done, and the price is certainly right.

source: http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/13/convert-rss-feeds-to-printable-pdf-newspapers/

PDF Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools

PDF Hacks is ideal for anyone who works with PDFs on a regular basis. Learn how to create PDF documents that are far more powerful than simple representations of paper pages. Hacks cover the full range of PDF functionality, including generating, manipulating, annotating, and consuming PDF information. Far more than another guide to Adobe Acrobat, the book covers a variety of readily available tools for generating, deploying, and editing PDF.

Product Description
PDF–to most of the world it stands for that rather tiresome format used for documents downloaded from the web. Slow to load and slower to print, hopelessly unsearchable, and all but impossible to cut and paste from, the Portable Document Format doesn’t inspire much affection in the average user. But PDF done right is another story. Those who know the ins and outs of this format know that it can be much more than electronic paper. Flexible, compact, interactive, and even searchable, PDF is the ideal way to present content across multiple platforms.PDF Hacks unveils the true promise of Portable Document Format, going way beyond the usual PDF as paged output mechanism. PDF expert Sid Steward draws from his years of analyzing, extending, authoring, and embellishing PDF documents to present 100 clever hacks–tools, tips, quick-and-dirty or not-so-obvious solutions to common problems.

PDF Hacks will show you how to create PDF documents that are far more powerful than simple representations of paper pages. The hacks in the book cover the full range of PDF functionality, from the simple to the more complex, including generating, manipulating, annotating, and consuming PDF information. You’ll learn how to manage content in PDF, navigate it, and reuse it as necessary. Far more than another guide to Adobe Acrobat, the book covers a variety of readily available tools for generating, deploying, and editing PDF.

The little-known tips and tricks in this book are ideal for anyone who works with PDF on a regular basis, including web developers, pre-press users, forms creators, and those who generate PDF for distribution. Whether you want to fine-tune and debug your existing PDF documents or explore the full potential the format offers, PDF Hacks will turn you into a PDF power user.

About the Author
For over five years, Sid Steward has analyzed, extended, secured, cracked, authored, converted, embellished and consumed PDF. He maintained and created custom software for Thomson Financial’s Investext and then EBSCO. He then worked with SoftLock (d/b/a Digital Goods) to create their proprietary PDF security model and integrate it with their larger digital rights system. This project required pushing the envelope of Acrobat API programming. At the same time, he had been privately working on a semi-automated PDF to HTML conversion workflow. This toolset became the core of his PDF conversion service bureau: Boundless Books, Inc., d/b/a AccessPDF. He also performs PDF “finishing” which includes optimizing PDF file size and adding navigation features.

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: O’Reilly Media, Inc. (August 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596006551
• ISBN-13: 978-0596006556
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.7 inches

How to Sign Documents Electronically – No Ink or Paper Required

You are working hard to achieve that perfect paperless office but there are some things that still require paperwork. For instance, you just received a contract via electronic fax that you are supposed to sign and fax it back. Or there’s a PDF / Word document waiting in your email inbox that you need to print on paper, put your handwritten signatures, scan the signed copy and send it back to the client again via email.

That process is both time consuming and forces you to do something that you are trying so hard to avoid (i.e., use paper). So if you are looking to eliminate paper from the loop, here are some software tools, web services and workarounds that will help you capture your signature directly on the electronic file without requiring paper or ink.

How to Digitally Sign Documents

The first step is to create a digital image of your signature – there are multiple ways of doing that:

Option #1. If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or any touch sensitive mobile device, use an app like “Fountain Pen” or “Sketch Pad” to draw your signature using your fingers and then transfer the image to your computer.

Option #2. If you have don’t have access to a touch phone or a scanner, put your signatures on a white piece of paper and take a photograph of that paper using your digital camera or even the camera of your mobile phone (some tips).

Option #3. Alternatively, you can use any graphics software (like MS Paint), an online image editor (like Splash Up) or even Google Docs (see video) to draw your signature with the mouse pointer. I like the Google Docs options since it creates a transparent stamp of your signature.

Option #4. Go to Live Signature, draw your signature on the screen and click the “Create Signature” button to download your signature as an image.

Now that you have the written signature in image form, the next step involves putting that e-sign image into the document.

If the contract or agreement is in Microsoft Word or any other common editable format, things are pretty easy. Open the document in any Word processing software (or Google Docs) and insert the signature image inline. Save the document as PDF and email it back to the client.

How to Sign a PDF Document

If the initial document is in Adobe PDF format, you need to follow a couple of extra steps because, unless you have a PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat, editing PDF files is not always straight-forward.

Option #1: Convert the PDF document to Word using this free web service, add the image to the Word file (as in the previous example) and export the document as PDF to prevent editing. The PDF to Word service may not always replicate the exact formatting and appearance of the original PDF file but it’s still very close especially in the case of text documents.

To password protect your signed-PDF documents, open the document inside PDF Hammer, add a password restriction and re-export it as PDF.

Option #2: If the PDF document that you have to sign is long or includes complex formatting, conversion may not be the right option for you. In that case, you have two choices:

2 a: PDF X-Change – This is awesome PDF Viewer for Windows that also includes some very useful editing features.

Import the signature image into the Stamps Palette, open the PDF file that you want to sign and use the stamps tool (under Tools -> Comment & Markup) to sign anywhere in the document. You can then export the signed document as PDF and none of the original formatting should be lost.

2 b: OpenOffice Draw – The latest version of OpenOffice 3.1 along with this free Sun Extension can be used as a PDF editor.

Once installed, click the OpenOffice icon on your desktop and open the PDF document – this will auto open in OpenOffice.org Draw. Now choose Insert -> Picture -> From File to insert the signature image anywhere in the PDF file.

The good part about OpenOffice is that it is available for Windows, Mac and Linux platform but there’s no individual install for the Draw module so you’ll have to download the full 150 installer of OpenOffice.org but choose to install only Draw at setup.

Web Apps for Electronic Signature

The options discussed above are handy if you have to sign documents but what if you are on the other side of the fence and need another party to sign your document electronically.

In that case, you should consider using web based signatures services from either EchoSign or Right Signature – they both work on similar lines. You upload a PDF or Word document that needs to signed and also specify the email addresses of people who have to sign that file. The recipients can open the document inside their web browser, add their signature (with the timestamp) and done.

You can then download the signed document on to your own computer. There’s no software to install and no sending fax messages back and forth. Both Echo Sign and Right Signature are paid services but trial users can send up to 5 documents for free.

Related: Your Guide to Adobe PDF Tools

[*] These electronic signatures should not be confused with Digital Signatures that can only be had from certification authorities such as Verisign. Electronic signatures on documents are also considered legally binding in most countries.

Source:http://www.labnol.org/software/sign-pdf-documents/9333/

Easy Way to Extract RPM with P7zip Under Linux

Red Hat Package Manager, abbreviated RPM, RPM is some sort of cpio archive.

P7ZIP is a port of 7za.exe for POSIX systems like Unix (Linux, Solaris, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, Cygwin, AIX, …), MacOS X and BeOS,it supports many formats:

• Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
• Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZH, CHM, MSI, WIM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS

so if you want to extract a RPM file, such as myrpm.rpm,you can do in this way

7z myrpm.rpm
7z myrpm.cpio

btw, under windows, you can use 7-zip to do the same job.

reference,

How to Unzip or Extract RPM under Linux

PZIP

7-ZIP

One line code to extract DEB packages

ar p mypackage.deb data.tar.gz | tar zx

DEB files are ar archives, which contain three files:

• debian-binary
• control.tar.gz
• data.tar.gz

As you might have already guessed, the needed archived files exist in data.tar.gz. It is also obvious that unpacking this file is a two-step process.

First, extract the aforementioned three files from the DEB file (ar archive):

ar vx mypackage.deb

Then extract the contents of data.tar.gz using tar:

tar -xzvf data.tar.gz

Or, if you just need to get a listing of the files:

tar -tzvf data.tar.gz

Again the -v option in both ar and tar is used in order to get verbose output. It is safe not to use it. For more information, read the man pages: tar(1) and ar(1).

Source: http://www.g-loaded.eu/2008/01/28/how-to-extract-rpm-or-deb-packages/

FCrackZip-Free Zip Password Cracker for Windows and Linux

FCrackZip is linux version Free/Fast Zip password cracker/recovery tool.  it also has a windows compiled version supplied by RubyPDF.

Features,

• FREE

It doesn’t cost anything, it will run on many architectures, and the source is freely available, so you can customise it to your needs. If you make improvements, don’t hesitate to mail them to me, and I will include them in fcrackzip!
One goal of fcrackzip was to provide a free but still fast zipcracker, so that other people can improve and contribute it further, in an open developement style.
Other programs, like fzc, come not only without source, but the executable is even encrypted, so improving it or customizing it is difficult at best. (Maybe the programmers of other crackers don’t want that people see how crappy their code actually is? Nobody knows for sure, but I see no other reason for this strange, but common, behaviour)

• FAST

On my old machine (a pentium-90), the portable C version is 12% slower than fzc, the fastest cracker I could find. Small parts of fcrackzip have been converted to x86 assembly, so it performs a bit faster (around 4%) than fzc now, on the same hardware (note: this is highly os/compiler dependent). Since the author of fzc claims that it is written fully in assembler, further improvements might well be possible. Incidently, on my new P-II machine, fcrackzip is almost twice as fast as fzc 😉

• PORTABLE

fcrackzip was written in ISO-C, and should run on most platforms, even 64 bit ones (maybe after some tweaking). I’ll be glad to hear about portability problems so I can fix them.

• FEATUREFUL

fcrackzip will, at some later stage at least, support many more useful operation modes than other crackers. It already supports multiple zip files with multiple files. Remember that the code is only a few hours old!
However, since version 0.2.0 fcrackzip also includes a mode to brute force cpmask’ed images, something no other program (that I know of) can do, so at least there is one feature other crackers don’t have.And you can always implement your own modes.

For source code, please visit http://oldhome.schmorp.de/marc/fcrackzip.html
Reference,

FCrackZip 1.0 Windows Version Releases

fcrackzip-1.0-win32

http://oldhome.schmorp.de/marc/fcrackzip.html