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Chuck727 Author

Level 1

2 points

Saving PDFs on iPad

Am I missing something or did Apple forget to make a way to save PDF files on the iPad. On by far the best platform to read the tons of PDF files I receive there is no way on day one to do this. I'm all for developers, but this should be standard on the iPad. Even after downloading pdfHD from iTunes app store NO LUCK !

I need to save PDF files to the iPad to read offline..... Period and we shouldn't have to pay extra for it.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Apr 4, 2010 6:58 AM

86 replies

iinsic

Level 1

0 points

Apr 16, 2010 1:05 PM in response to Geoff Kaiser

Geoff Kaiser wrote:
I agree that a 'save to PDF' option would be great to have, although you guys have to remember that it would need to be added to every app; Apple DOES include this feature in Pages and Keynote for the iPad. (Maybe Numbers too but I haven't tried it). You then can sync those PDFs back to your computer and print them.

"Print to PDF" doesn't exist because there is no printing mechanism for the iPad; don't expect Steveo to add one, because I think in his mind the whole point of the iPad is to get into the 21st Century and stop using paper. Besides, do you really want the iPad to be cluttered with drivers for thousands of possible printers? Because that's what the 'Print to PDF' option is attached to on the Mac.

For now, there are apps that do wifi printer sharing on the iPad, but they usually are in file browser type apps.

Actually, Print-to-PDF (PTP) is the exact opposite of using paper. It is, for me at least, the pathway away from clutter. I am evolving into a completely paperless records storage system, so PTP has allowed me to make sure that no document created from my computer is - at least in my house - committed to paper.
I can buy apps that allow the iPad to wirelessly print to one of my printers, but I almost never use them anymore. I want to PTP all output and, although apparently you do not utilize that capability within the Mac print utility, I can assure you it does not require compatibility with even one printer to work on the iPad/iPhone/iTouch - anymore than it requires compatibility with any printer on the Mac.
Sorry, but if "Steveo" wants to promote 21st-century green with a paperless product, he surely did a poor job by not giving us the ONE option that exists on the Mac to accomplish exactly that: Print-to-PDF.
To reiterate - there are apps to READ PDFs already available (including one that is standard on the iPad/iPhone/iTouch); and there are apps to send documents generated on the iPad/iPhone/iTouch wirelessly to a PRINTER for generating pre-21st century HARDCOPY. There is NO app, native or 3rd party, that will allow one to convert anything viewable in a screen to a PDF document, such as exists with the PTP function of the Mac Print utility.
P.S. - The PDF function of Pages, et al, for the iPad allow you to create a PDF from those applications that can be attached to an email for transfer. Good luck getting an email, Web page, photo, etc. from every other source made into a PDF attachment using any of those three iPad-specific applications.

Chuck727 Author

Level 1

2 points

Aug 8, 2010 9:50 AM in response to Dan Berliner

Goodreader is the best app so far on the ipad for managing pdf s. That's until apple buys the program from goodreader and incorporates it into ipad or develops a reader for itself.

Aug 12, 2010 4:55 AM in response to virtualgeo

Although people are "technically" correct in saying there is no print-to-xx facility. iOS DOES in fact contain the capability to create PDF's just as it has the ability to read them.

The problem is that Apple have not created a common UI to do so. I understand that many of the applications that have a save-to-pdf capability use the built-in save mechanism?

lisfolks

Level 1

134 points

Aug 18, 2010 8:41 AM in response to iinsic

I'm with you, iinsic. And, the one thing I haven't been able to get via GoodReader is receipts. Whenever I try to save a web purchase receipt, the resulting PDF just says something about the server not being found or the content being expired. I know this is because the content is generated from a server. If one were to attempt to refresh the page, they would lose the receipt - regardless of browser.

So, until we have a decent print-to-PDF function, I've got to make any purchases elsewhere than my iPad... ;(

Aug 18, 2010 9:02 AM in response to lisfolks

lisfolks - do you deal with many vendors that don't e-mail you a receipt confirm?

lisfolks

Level 1

134 points

Aug 18, 2010 10:47 AM in response to Al Doland

When I purchase items on the web, Al, I've found that it's a safe bet to print the web receipt for the item. That way if something goes wrong and their system doesn't record my purchase correctly, I have a copy to send them. It doesn't happen often, but it has happened a few times.

Also, there are some software vendors that display the license number they assign on the web receipt, but don't necessarily include it on the emailed receipt.

And, finally, the web receipt often includes links to support, the location to download software, etc, that is often not included in the emailed receipt.

So, I just make it a habit to print web receipts whether one will be emailed or not.

yeaIknow

Level 1

8 points

Aug 18, 2010 6:00 PM in response to lisfolks

You could do the print screen on the ipad - clicking the home and on/off button - that auto saves a screen print to saved photos

then your web receipt will be saved during a purchase transaction via the ipad

lisfolks

Level 1

134 points

Aug 18, 2010 8:12 PM in response to yeaIknow

yeaIknow wrote:
You could do the print screen on the ipad - clicking the home and on/off button - that auto saves a screen print to saved photos

Very nice - apparently this capability has been around for awhile and works on other stuff (like iPods and iPhones). I had never heard of it before, though! Thanks very much, yealknow!

(Still, printing to a PDF would be nice, especially for the links, but I least I can have an image now.)

Jul 10, 2011 7:00 AM in response to Chuck727

Hello everyone,

I'm the developer of 'Print to PDF', an iPhone/iPad app allows you to quickly save entire emails and web pages to PDF by using the built-in Print functionality on your device.

To print an email or web page you need to simply launch the app to start the printer, go to the Mail or Safari apps and use the 'Print' function to save your information as PDF!

Here is the link to the app:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/print-to-pdf/id444081172?mt=8

We hope you will find the app useful. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Cheers,

Enrique

Print to PDF

Sep 20, 2011 4:46 PM in response to Chuck727

iBooks. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4227

Oct 23, 2011 8:32 PM in response to Dan Berliner

What happened to being able to open them in iBooks and they were there whenever you wanted them and did not have to pay a dime?

This ***** big time and I wish I had never updated to iOS5. I had dozens of pdf files in iBooks.

Also, someone here says you cannot print from ipad. why is there a print feature then and why do I see and print to my printer? someone else also said you cant save pdf's. That is what I have been doing for the past year since I bought the ipad.

Sometimes all the "experts" scare me away from these forums.

I just want to be able to save and recall pdf's.

Oct 23, 2011 9:12 PM in response to captkenrea

You're jumping into a thread that started nearly 7 months ago. That's a lifetime in app development terms. The observations of the posters on this thread WERE accurate months ago, but new apps and improvements in previous apps have now substantially succeeded in providing a fairly comprehensive range of PDF printing and processing capabilities. iBooks, Goodreader, and numerous other apps not allow you to store, view, and in some cases, annotate and otherwise edit PDF docs. In addition, there are apps like Save2PDF that allow you to convert files and web pages to PDF on the fly, much like the previous Print to PDF function does on macs. And PDF Expert offers a nice set of additional PDF handling capabilities.

So the caution here is, note the dates of the advice being given before jumping to conclusions about whether it's safe to trust them.

Oct 23, 2011 9:14 PM in response to virtualgeo

That should be "NOW allow you to store", etc.

Oct 23, 2011 9:53 PM in response to virtualgeo

OK, cool, that explains the assumptions of misinformation on my part in this thread, this time. I still feel the same about most forums, you have to be carefull of what you believe.

However I am perplexed still by the new iOS5 which took away the option "open in iBook".

How do I get a pdf into iBook? I discovered that by downloading the iBook app I still have all my prior pdf's but I have a pdf manual from the internet and "open in iBook" is not available to me to save for offline viewing.

What do I do?

Oct 24, 2011 6:53 AM in response to captkenrea

Open iTunes, connect your device, drag your PDF file onto your device in iTunes. It will show up in iBook.

Saving PDFs on iPad