also @ TechSpot: Initial findings suggest Foxconn plant conditions are above average
Welcome to the TechSpot OpenBoards. Please read the FAQ if you have any questions. Sign up or Login to participate.

Go Back   TechSpot OpenBoards > Software > Software Apps

Collaborate in the cloud with Office, Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync

Free Adobe Acrobat alternative?

Thread Tools Search this Thread
  #1  
Old 04-23-2009
mae mae is offline
Newcomer, in training
 
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Member since: Jan 2009, 20 posts
System specs
Free Adobe Acrobat alternative?

I need to combine a few PDF files together into one file. My understanding is that you can do this if you have Adobe Acrobat, and I googled on the Web and I did see some free downloads of other software that will let you have this capability. Any suggestions? (At this point, I do not want to purchase Adobe Acrobat.) Thx.
  #2  
Old 04-23-2009
lopdog's Avatar
TechSpot Booster
 
Location: Bolivia
Member since: Sep 2007, 377 posts
System specs
I recommend PDF Combine 1.01, download from http://download.cnet.com/PDF-Combine...-10429191.html.
It is shareware, but you should be able to do what you need. If you only have a few documents (10 or less) you can also try the free online merge tool MergePDF. A few of my pdf-files didn't merge correctly, but most of them did.
  #3  
Old 04-23-2009
Ex-TechSpotter
 
Member since: Dec 2007, 18,354 posts
PDF Combine Demo version limitations
Quote:
1. You can only use 50 times in the trial version;
2. A Red watermark in the created PDF files;
Info from here: http://www.globalpdf.com/pdfpg/help/help.html
  #4  
Old 04-24-2009
lopdog's Avatar
TechSpot Booster
 
Location: Bolivia
Member since: Sep 2007, 377 posts
System specs
You're right. I hate it when they add that ugly watermark, but that's how shareware works, right?

@mae: where do you get your pdf-files? If you create them yourself you probably have a free/commercial PDF printer. They often have an option called "Append" that lets you print a document into an existing .pdf file.

If you don't have a pdf printer you could try Bullzip pdf (http://www.bullzip.com). This freeware pdf printer lets you create pdf-files from any printable document.
A not-so-elegant way to merge pdf-files would be to open your pdf-files and print them to the same file with the "append" option checked.
I'll keep looking for that freeware pdf merge tool, though.
  #5  
Old 04-24-2009
Ex-TechSpotter
 
Member since: Dec 2007, 18,354 posts
This one was free 8 days ago: http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/abou...a-software-01/
Where were you then
  #6  
Old 04-24-2009
lopdog's Avatar
TechSpot Booster
 
Location: Bolivia
Member since: Sep 2007, 377 posts
System specs
OK, I think I found one that works: PDFsam (PDF Split and Merge) from http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FK8TRDD8. I found a lot of broken downloads from SourceForge.net, but this link from megaupload should work. Filesize is 5.6 MB.
This is freeware, no watermarks, no limitations. Worked fine on my Vista x64.
  #7  
Old 04-24-2009
Ex-TechSpotter
 
Member since: Dec 2007, 18,354 posts
Why use mega when you can just download this open source from the home site: http://www.pdfsam.org/?page_id=32
  #8  
Old 04-24-2009
lopdog's Avatar
TechSpot Booster
 
Location: Bolivia
Member since: Sep 2007, 377 posts
System specs
I tried that, but none of the files worked. I got an error message (see attached image).

Quote:
Originally Posted by lopdog View Post
I found a lot of broken downloads from SourceForge.net, but this link from megaupload should work. Filesize is 5.6 MB.
For some reason I only got a 2.32 MB file from that page.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg pdfsam.jpg (22.3 KB, 2 views)
  #9  
Old 04-24-2009
Route44's Avatar
TechSpot Ambassador
 
Location: The Socialist Republic of New Jersey
Member since: Sep 2006, 11,805 posts
Have you tried Foxit? I'm not sure if it does everything you need since I only use the free PDF reader but even the full version is no where near the bloatware Adobe is.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/
  #10  
Old 04-24-2009
mae mae is offline
Newcomer, in training
 
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Member since: Jan 2009, 20 posts
System specs
Thanks for all the suggestions. I don't know how I'd survive without Techspot : )

Since I only had a handful of PDF files to merge, I used lopdog's recommendation of the online tool, MergePDF. That definitely worked to seemlessly merge my documents. However, now I am having trouble uploading them onto the Website where my application is being submitted. I don't know if it is just my slow dial-up service or problems with the Web site. In any case, thanks for the link. It definitely worked to merge my PDF files, without watermarks.

@mae: where do you get your pdf-files? If you create them yourself you probably have a free/commercial PDF printer. They often have an option called "Append" that lets you print a document into an existing .pdf file.

I scanned my documents from my Canon printer/scanner and saved them in PDF format. But, I could not save them all together in one document. At least, it appeared this was not an option.

Last edited by kimsland; 04-24-2009 at 08:16 PM.. Reason: merged recent consecutive posts. please use EDIT instead of replying to yourself
  #11  
Old 04-25-2009
SNGX1275's Avatar
TechSpot Forces Special
 
Location: Rolla, Missouri, USA
Member since: Feb 2002, 10,815 posts
System specs
Another possible alternative would be to convert them out of pdf to something else, like Word, then pasting them together. Then you could even convert back to pdf if you wanted.
  #12  
Old 04-25-2009
Tedster's Avatar
Techspot old timer.....
 
Location: Petersburg, VA
Member since: Feb 2005, 10,005 posts
System specs
go to sourceforge.net if you want to look for free open source software.
  #13  
Old 04-25-2009
Bobbye's Avatar
Helper on the Fringe
 
Location: Florida
Member since: Mar 2007, 15,052 posts
Yeah Route44! I can't believe this thread got all the way up to 9 posts before FoxIt was mentioned!

For the uninformed, FoxIt has a free version that will do everything the Adobe Reader does, without the bloat!

There are also 'suites' available for more intensive PDF work.
  #14  
Old 04-25-2009
lopdog's Avatar
TechSpot Booster
 
Location: Bolivia
Member since: Sep 2007, 377 posts
System specs
FoxIt is one of the best pdf-READERS, I use a portable version on my USB stick, but can it be used to merge documents without watermarks? I thought not, that's why I didn't mention it. But I might be wrong, haven't tried.
Closed Thread

Similar Topics
Topic Replies Forum
Adobe Acrobat alternative? 23 Software Apps
Adobe Acrobat 8.1.1 won't uninstall 9 Software Apps
Adobe Acrobat 8 Software Apps
Adobe Acrobat Problem 0 Windows OS
Adobe Acrobat 6 in May 0 General Discussion

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:15 AM.