The Otter Tail County web site features a number of documents in Portable Document Format (PDF). A PDF file is a file that will look the same on the screen and in print, regardless of what kind of computer or printer someone is using, and regardless of what software package was originally used to create it.

Although PDFs contain the complete formatting of the original document, including fonts and images, PDF files are highly compressed, allowing complex information to be downloaded efficiently. The Otter Tail County web site uses the flexibility of PDF to make forms, applications, newsletters, bulletins, and other "print" documents readily available online.

Links or documents with the logo indicate the portable document format. Simply click on the link or the graphic associated with the PDF file.

Accessing
An Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed in order to download and read PDF documents. The Acrobat Reader is commonly bundled with popular graphics and publishing software, and is also available as a free download (viewer only) via Adobe Web site. You may to access the Adobe Acrobat Reader download Web page, http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html.

The Otter Tail County web site uses Adobe Acrobat version 5.0 to create and distribute PDF documents.

For assistance with downloading and/or installing this software, see Adobe Acrobat Reader Troubleshooting Guide at Adobe's Web Site.

Adobe also has information about PDF and the visually challenged.

Once the Acrobat Reader software is properly installed, just click on a link to a PDF file and it will be loaded for viewing on your computer. Note that the file is sent to your computer as a temporary file that will be deleted when you exit your browser.

How to print
When printing Adobe Acrobat PDF files from within your web browser, do NOT use the web browser print facility. Instead, use the print button at the left end of the special Adobe Acrobat tool bar, which appears immediately above the viewing window (see illustration to right).

How to save
To save the file for later use once you have loaded it for viewing, on most browsers you just select "File" then "Save As..." from the menu bar. To just save without viewing, place the cursor over the link to the PDF file, hold down the shift key and click the mouse. This will bring up the "Save As" window.

Troubleshooting
I'm unable to open and view a PDF file from the Otter Tail County Web site.
You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 4.0 or later to view and print PDF files from the Otter Tail County Web site. If you have Acrobat Reader version 3.0, you will not be able to open, view, or print the PDF files.

I can open and view a PDF file, but am unable to print it successfully.
Choose File > Print, and check the "Print As Image" option in the Print dialog box, and try printing again.

I'm able to print a PDF file, but the page prints slightly smaller in size than expected.
Choose File > Print, and make sure that the "Shrink Oversized Pages to Paper Size" option (Acrobat 5) or the "Fit To Page" option (Acrobat 4) in the Print dialog box is NOT checked.

Additional resource may be found at Adobe's Web site, Acrobat technical support, http://www.adobe.com/support/products/acrobat.html.

Adobe, Acrobat, and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.