When generating a PostScript, via file print within an application, you have the option to pick a ppd (printer description file) for any output device (printer) that is loaded on your system. In my case the application InDesign CS3 on a XP. What importance/impact (if any) does the ppd selection play in the functionality of a resulting PDF created via distiller (v8.1.3 for me), using that .ps file? Should I pick a printer specific ppd, assuming the resulting PDF is destined to be output to it? Should I leave the ppd set to the Distiller 8 ppd?
My thoughts are it should not matter, because when you print the PDF via a print driver the ppd selected then will determine and describe the printer's properties. However, I'm not 100% certain and seek advise.
I did a comparison between a .ps file generated with the AdobePDF 8.0 ppd, and that of one created using my printer's ppd. There was a size difference in the small test .ps i created, 429KB to 1,651KB, the larger being created with my printer ppd. When each was distilled using the same .joboptions file, the resulting PDF's were slightly different in size 67.74KB 67.77KB respectively.
Any helpful knowledge is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
When creating postcript files, i will ALWAYS use the adobe print engine over printer PPD's as these will, more often than not, give you a PDF which doesn't look like how you intended such as colors and page parametres. Alot of PPD's have different color variations GREYSCALE/RGB/CMYK. With postscript PPDs it then enables the option to choose whether you want InDesign to handle the colors or let the postscript file handle it which i believe is the better choice. Choosing the Acrobat 8 PPD gives you the exact same options as previous method.
I would personally not choose any of the other PPD except for the Acrobat 7/8/9 PPD as these do the job perfectly, you have all options available to you in the print dialogue such as controlling the output color space, what fonts you send and how you send the image data
Also to bear in mind, is that in the distiller settings (Advanced tab) all presets are set to honor the postscript file over Distiller settings, which most of the time is exactly what you want. You might want to change this tho if you have a .ps file that you want to create different variations of the PDF to different clients etc
Hope this was helpful to you?