*Sigh* Shot down,

[ScriptNurse]

Here's one I recommend:  doPDF ... http://www.dopdf.com/

Main benefits for using this free PDF converter:

• It’s FREE — PDF converter free for both commercial and personal use.
• 64-bit Support — can be installed on 64-bit operating systems.
• No GhostScript — doesn’t require 3rd party programs to do PDF files (like GhostScript). This makes the setup file to be incredibly small compared to other free PDF converters.
• Customizable Resolution — you can choose any resolution from 72 to 2400 dpi.
• Predefined/Custom Page Sizes — choose a default page size (Letter, Legal, A4, A5, A6, ...) or enter your own custom page size.
• Searchable PDFs — you can search for text within the created PDF file (and search engines will also index the text from the PDF).
• Multi-Language — choose a language for the user interface from the 20 languages currently supported (credits).
• Save the Planet — instead of consuming paper to print your document, why not create a PDF file out of it and spare a couple of planet-saving trees?
• Low Computer Resource Usage — compared to other free PDF converters, doPDF barely uses any memory or CPU resources when doing the actual conversion to PDF.

doPDF is a FREE PDF converter, it is not a PDF viewer. To view PDF files you will need the free Adobe Reader.

[uncle_al]

A good PDF printer driver is PDF995, available as a free download at http://www.software995.com.

I've used several versions of it.

Cheers!

Al B.

[Chuck58]

Google around for a free PDF "printer driver" that you install and "print" to ... instead of printing, it generates a PDF, so you can use it with any program that prints to a printer.

ScriptNurse, that suggestion is so obvious it never occurred to me.

[ScriptNurse]

Google around for a free PDF "printer driver" that you install and "print" to ... instead of printing, it generates a PDF, so you can use it with any program that prints to a printer.

[Chuck58]

I think each program has a few features the other is missing. Saving the script in a mutually accessible format, I suppose you could make use of everything. Me, I'm just writing a spec script, so even the MM2K is more than I need.

I think I said, I don't have any criticism of FD. I just really like MM2K. FD7 has the ability to convert to PDF, which could be a plus so, When (not if) I finish and am besieged by production companies who want my script in PDF, I can move it into FD and convert it.

[uncle_al]

Hollywood Screenwriter is a pretty good program, but you don't need to bother with it if you're already using MMS2K.  (It's the "baby brother" version - MMS does the same things more thoroughly, and has a few things HS doesn't.)
I've got them both.
Personally, I'm still waffling between MMS and FD... they both do things I want done, in a reasonably efficient way.

Vista?  We don' need no stinkin' Vista...

Cheers!

Al B.
(who took five years to upgrade from MS-DOS 3.3 to MS-DOS 6.1)

[Chuck58]

I GOT MM2000 to run on my laptop, Vista Home Premium SP1. Unfortunately, I don't know how I did it. No crashes, and it seems to be saving my file somewhere. I've been running it all morning, since I did whatever I did last night. I've closed Movie Magic several times for a few minutes at a time, and when I open it, the script is there with my last work included. Now, I'm happy again.

No need to fool with Final Draft, although I haven't a single complaint other than I'm more comfortable with how Movie Magic does things.

I was sorely tempted to try Hollywood Screenwriter, but with Movie Magic 2000 running now, I can't find a way to justify giving it a trial - even if they allow trials.

[Chuck58]

I've never been able to get WINE to work for me. The reason could be that I'm running from a live CD. For screenwriting, Celtx has a Linux version. I don't know if Celtx is ready for the big league though. I still think either MM or FD are the standard.

I haven't tried Scriptware. It's one of an ever shrinking handful that I haven't fooled with.

[ScriptNurse]

My desktop is dual-boot to XP and Ubuntu. I do my screenwriting with either Scriptware or Movie Magic Screenwriter. On Ubuntu, Scriptware runs great on WINE and MMS won't load at all due to its restrictive copy protection scheme. Then there are my Linux servers (I have an interest in a web hosting company, www.forefrontinternet.com).

[Chuck58]

Mac's OSX is FreeBSD, with of course the Apple GUI. I ran Ubuntu Linux from a live CD on my desktop. Very nice, and it even found my printer, something no Linux OS has ever done. Those HP printers are just so rare, you know. If my desktop had lived, I'd probably have installed Ubuntu eventually. What I like about it, other than its finding my printer, is that it comes with what you need. Period. You can download whatever else you think you need quickly and easily. I also like that you might never have to open the command line. I put that behind when I stopped using DOS.

[uncle_al]

Well, having endured far too many computer problems dating as far back as CP/M and MS-DOS 1.1 in my time, I can empathize with you, Mister Chuck.

Vista may be a good system by now, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mind.  I may end up, for my next major upgrade, going to a Linux-based system with X.11 windowing.  Sure, it's based on UNIX, but UNIX is multi-user, multi-tasking, multi-threading, and much more reliable than either Windows or pre-OS X Mac systems.  (OS X is based on a UNIX-type kernel; I'm not sure if it's Linux or FreeBSD.)

Anyway...

Cheers!

Al B.

[Chuck58]

First, my desktop computer died, costing me the entire screenplay I was battling with, and two manuscripts for novels, because some idiot doesn't have the good sense to save things to CD.

Then, we got a call from a producer in Albuquerque. Albuquerque, NM, by the way, is turning into a mini Hollywood. They have a substantial motion picture production studio up and running, and the facility is still growing. Well, I'm not going to be a part of it right now.

We met the producer when he was in northern NM last year, talked to him, and he asked to see some of my work. After explaining that all I had was novel format, he said to send him a copy of the first chapter. Of course, I sent him the first chapter of my favorite novel - one I'd published a few years ago. It was published but nobody, including my wife, liked it. The producer didn't either.

The novel was mystery/supernatural as is most of my stuff. It involved a serial killer, in Albuquerque, who was killed by police in 1970. In 2000, a series of killings began again, bearing virtually the same MO. Eventually, my protagonist discovers that the current murders are being committed by the dead man, and the story goes on from there. I think, no matter what my wife or anybody else says, that it's a good, entertaining read and would make an interesting movie.

So, where was I.....my computer died and, rather than bother with a desktop, I've got a laptop now and am in the process of finding all my all bookmarks, then install Final Draft and begin my latest project again. My favorite, MM 2000 won't install on this Vista laptop. Oh, I've discovered that Vista is definitely NOT the dog everybody says. I have absolutely no complaints or criticisms. It's performing flawlessly, actually faster and better than XP.