Most of us don’t have the tools to easily create PDFs – particularly with advanced options -- and don’t want to learn a complex application like Adobe Acrobat to do so. Softland's novaPDF is an easy-to-use tool to create PDFs from any application that supports printing. NovaPDF for Windows isn’t just another way to print to PDF – it’s full-featured PDF creator with support for password protection, document permissions, digital signing, and other advanced features.

This week we’re giving away 25 copies of novaPDF Professional Desktop 7 worth a total of $1250! Read on for your chance to enter our giveaway and win your own copy!

File Conversion & Office Integration

While novaPDF installs itself as a virtual printer, there are also other ways to use it. You can launch the novaPDF application to load a file from your computer and directly convert it to PDF. You can also use the included Microsoft Office add-in – just click the novaPDF tab on the ribbon and use the Save as PDF button.

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Creating a PDF From Any Application

Open any application’s Print window and you’ll see novaPDF available as one of your printers. You can even make it your default printer.

print-dialog-with-novapdf

Print with the novaPDF printer and you’ll see the novaPDF save dialog, which allows you to adjust your settings. By default, novaPDF will create a new PDF file and open it with your default PDF viewer afterwards. From here, you can also have novaPDF add your document to the beginning or end of an existing PDF file, apply a password to the PDF file, or send the PDF file via email -- the PDF can be send via email automatically or attached to an email in the system's default email client. You can also click the PDF/A-1b check box to create a PDF/A file. PDF/A is a PDF standard designed for long-term archiving – for example, it embeds fonts rather than linking to them on the system and doesn't allow passwords that may impede viewing in the future.

novapdf save pdf file as

Click the Change Options button to adjust settings for the current PDF print operation. You can set the title, subject, author, and keywords – particularly useful if you’re posting the PDF online, as these fields will be indexed by search engines. You can also change the default options PDF viewers will use when they open your PDF file – for example, you can have the PDF automatically open on a specific page. The other tabs allow you to change the graphics compression settings and the email server that will be used when sending the PDF by email.

novapdf-print-options

On the Security tab, you’ll find encryption, password, and permission settings. The permissions check box lets you control whether users can print, modify, and perform other actions with the PDF. You can set different user and owner passwords – when someone opens the PDF with the user password, they won’t be able to adjust the document permissions.

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NovaPDF ships with an informative help system, so you can always click the Help button if you’re not sure what an option does. The help system provides in-depth explanations of each option.

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Printing Preferences

NovaPDF also has many more options than appear in its default save dialog. To access more novaPDF options, click the Preferences button in the print dialog.

novapdf-print-preferences

You’ll find a dialog with a variety of tabs for every possible type of PDF option you’d ever want to configure in novaPDF’s print preferences window. You can adjust settings for page sizes, font-embedding, and a wide variety of other options. NovaPDF attempts to automatically detect and create links and bookmarks – you can customize that behavior here, too. You can also automatically apply a watermark or overlay to created PDFs. If you don’t like the save dialog that appears every time you create a PDF with novaPDF, you can define your settings and set novaPDF to automatically create PDFs without prompting you.

novapdf-printing-preferences

NovaPDF can also sign each PDF document you create with a digital signature. This allows others to verify that the document is authentic – they'll know you created it and that it hasn’t been modified after creation. This can be particularly important for professional communications.

novapdf-signatures

NovaPDF also includes support for profiles. If you have different groups of settings you want to use, you can create a profile for each. NovaPDF can also show a Select Profile dialog while printing, so you can quickly choose groups of settings without the hassle of adjusting settings back and forth or toggling between profiles in the preferences dialog.

novapdf-profiles

You can download a trial version of novaPDF Desktop Professional to test it out for yourself. The trial version doesn’t have a time limit and includes all the features of the full version, but it adds a notice to the footer of each page. To create PDFs without this notice, you’ll have to buy a copy ($49) – or win one in our giveaway! This week we’re giving away 25 copies of novaPDF Professional Desktop worth a total of $1250!

How do I win a copy of novaPDF Desktop Professional 7?

It's simple, just follow the instructions. Please note that we've included a new entry method which utilises your MakeUseOf points.

Step 1: Fill in the giveaway form

Please fill in the form with your real name and email address so that we can get in touch if you are chosen as a winner.

The giveaway code required to activate the form is available from our Facebook page and our Twitter stream.

The giveaway is over. Here are the winners:
  • Alex Toth
  • Amanda O'connell
  • Andrea Bonini
  • Arkajyoti Jana
  • Craig Hunter
  • Dany Bouffard
  • Jan Taylor Mcintyre
  • K V Vighnesh
  • Kelly Buchanan
  • Ken Kucas
  • Larry Shoemaker
  • Le Mon
  • Lew Golden
  • Lindsey Grande
  • Lucille Leitz
  • Mark Almojera
  • Mark Dyson
  • Ren Levally
  • Rhonda Burgin
  • Sal Rances
  • Shanyz
  • Shaurya Boogie
  • Sohel Zaman
  • Stephen Dickey
  • Tim Page
Congratulations! If you were selected as a winner, you would have received your license via email from jackson@makeuseof.com. If you require any assistance, please get in touch with jackson@makeuseof.com before July 13. Enquires beyond this date will not be entertained.

Step 2: Share!

You're almost done. Now, all that's left to do is to share the post!

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This giveaway begins now and ends Friday, June 29th. The winners will be selected at random and informed via email.

Spread the word to your friends and have fun!

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