PDF Server

A PDF server is a piece of software installed and running on a local-area network server to convert files of various formats into PDF.

A PDF server essentially is a virtual printer. Therefore, once it is installed, a new printer shows up on the LAN server. Users with access to server may send there any documents. The documents will then be converted to PDF and saved to a local hard drive or a specified network storage location.

A PDF server has all the advantages of a virtual printer. First, it can help convert almost any source file, as long as it has an associated editor or viewer with a print function. Secondly, a PDF server is very convenient for the end users. Converting documents using a PDF server is as easy as printing them to a conventional printer.

A print server also has two additional advantages. The first one is centralized configuration. To change conversion settings, an administrator only needs to modify them on the server as opposed to each individual computer. The other advantage of a PDF server is that the conversion function is moved from the end users’ PCs to a network print server. This is important, especially if the size and/or number of documents to be processed is large. Moving the conversion function to the server frees up user computer resources, thus increasing efficiency.

  • Arthur Rabatscher

    Arthur Rabatscher

    AR-Soft Widnau GmbH, Switzerland

    «On a Delphi-Developer-Homepage we found an example how to convert Word- or Excel Documents into PDF. Within this source code the use of the OCX of the Universal Document Converter was shown. This was the easiest way, how we could convert all kinds of documents into the PDF Format.»