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| Different File Formats |
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| Information about the different file formats used, including explanations, hints, and links to software. |
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| PDF Documents - What are they? |
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 PDF stands for Portable Document Format. This is a format that allows files to be stored and downloaded in an electronic format. There are many advantages of this format - it is commonly viewable by most computers on most platforms; is a good method of putting a document on the web without losing formatting and styles; it allows the viewer to keep a copy of a file; and the software needed to view the files is free and easily available. |
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| How can I tell if it is PDF file? |
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| Many files on the Southern Cross University website will be in PDF. The link will normally show the name of the file, state that it is a PDF file and show the size of the file, eg: Filename [pdf: 3k]. Note: This is only an example.
Why does file size matter? When you download material from the internet, the bigger the file, the longer it takes to download it. You can also tell if the file extension ends in .pdf and that the file is a PDF document. |
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| What do I do now? |
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| If you DO have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, you can set the Preferences in your web browser to automatically open this application when you select a PDF file to view and/or save to disk.
If you DO NOT have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your hard disk, you must download it to your computer before you can read the PDF versions of the specified materials. Please follow the instructions below. |
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| Download Adobe Acrobat Reader |
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| Downloading consists of transferring a copy of a program, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, to your computer. Once you have completed the download, you run the installer program to install the full program on to your computer, so remember where you put the installer on your hard drive!
Note: Downloading the Reader program will take several (or many!) minutes, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
You can go to the Adobe website and follow the on-screen instructions. |
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| Reading PDF Documents |
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| Ensure Adobe Acrobat Reader is properly installed on your computer. |
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Go to the web page that has the link to the PDF document you want to download. |
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Click once on the link to that file and a small window will appear. |
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Choose where you wish to save the file on your hard drive. |
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Click on OK. |
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The file will then be copied on to your computer. |
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Alternatively, the file may automatically be saved onto your computer. |
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| The Preferences section of your web browser can affect the method of downloading and viewing PDF files, so don't forget to look at that option. |
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| Where do I get more information? |
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| The Adobe website has an excellent source of information and user forums if you are interested in more information about this software and type of delivery. |
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| Problems downloading? |
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| Make sure your browser settings are correctly configured to download pdf files.
In Netscape select Preferences from the Edit menu and then select "portable document format" from Applications.
In "handled by" box make sure "plug-in" is selected for pdf viewer. |
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| Configure your Web Browser |
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| Web Browser Configuration |
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| At IBS we recognise that the Internet is the gateway to an electronic world of boundless and constantly changing information and services. |
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| Firstly, you will need to have your browser set to "Accept all cookies". |
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| There are a number of browsers freely available to the general public but Internet Explorer Version 6+ is the currently supported browser. |
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| For all navigation features to be fully functional, you will need to ensure JavaScript is enabled in your browser. |
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