Using PDF Services, revisited

Dec 27, '04 08:58:00AM

Contributed by: Fofer

This hint reminded me that PDF Services might not be getting the attention or respect they deserve. So here's a simple yet very effective tip that makes saving PDFs fun!

Create a folder on your desktop called "PDFs to Read" or create one in your Documents folder called "Online Purchases and Receipts." Now make aliases to those folders and put it them in ~/Library -> PDF Services. If the "PDF Services" folder doesn't exist, then create it first. You may also want to rename the aliases to something like "Save as PDF to read later" or "Save to Receipts folder."

Now all you have to do is select Print on a web page (or in any app, for that matter), and select the appropriate choice from the PDF Services pop-up menu, and it will save the PDF immediately to the right folder. This makes it super easy to save PDF copies of long articles to read later ... or to archive receipts of your online purchases. The resulting PDFs in these folders can, of course, be searched by their textual content in the Finder.

Thanks to 43 Folders and bbum's rants, codes and references (scroll down or search for "pdf workflow" to find the actual entry). As an aside, aliases to applications (like Mail or Entourage), or even AppleScripts can also go into PDF Services for all sorts of PDF timesaving creations. I'd love to see an AppleScript guru run with this tip and allow the PDFs name to be modified before being saved to it's destination!

[robg adds: We discussed this back in 2003, but both OS X and the PDF Services feature itself have come a long way since then. Apple's Scriptable Applications: Printing & Print Center page includes an example AppleScript that lets you set the filename before attaching it to a Mail message ... along with some other useful info on PDF Services. The ability to put AppleScripts, aliases to actual applications, aliases to folders, and even folders themselves, makes the PDF Services feature a great timesaver. The only downside, as you can see in the screenshot, is that you're stuck with icons for what used to be the Preview and Save as PDF buttons.]

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Mac OS X Hints
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