PDF Mapping – Michael Bufkin - Adobe Acrobat and PDF for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction - page 204

print directly to PDF, most notably AutoCAD, ArcGIS, and Microstation, and this may be the easiest route
for those using these products.
With other products the best practice is to output to PostScript or Encapsulated PostScript, and use
Adobe Distiller to create the PDF. Even users of products that print directly to PDF may want to use the
PostScript option, as Distiller gives much more control over certain output parameters that can impact on
PDF fidelity, file size, and performance.
Figure 14.2 A Layton Graphics GeoPDF (GeoPDF © 2005 Layton Graphics. All rights reserved.)
Using Distiller For PDF Map Production
Distiller is a powerful and complex product for converting PostScript and Encapsulated PostScript (EPS)
files to PDF. The Distiller Parameters Guide alone is 122 pages, and there are many pages of Distiller
references within the Acrobat Help Guide.
Much of the Distiller Guide relates to the use of PDF for high-end printing applications, which may in
fact be required for your finished map. Many of the commands and parameters are also useful in creating
smaller, faster, better PDF files from PostScript source files.
Distiller allows the user to create and save custom settings, using the dialog box and panels shown in
Figure 14.3.