Forms Printed From Within Adobe Acrobat Products: Fill & Download for Free

IntroductionThe paperless office. Remember that buzz word that never seems to vanish completely even though history has proven that the use of computers has until now only lead to an increase in the use of paper?PDF started off on the dream of a paperless office, as the pet project of one of Adobe’s founders, John Warnock. Initially it was an internal project at Adobe to create a file format so documents could be spread throughout the company and displayed on any computer using any operating system. In his paper which led to the development of PDF, John Warnock wrote: ‘Imagine being able to send full text and graphics documents (newspapers, magazine articles, technical manuals etc.) over electronic mail distribution networks. These documents could be viewed on any machine and any selected document could be printed locally. This capability would truly change the way information is managed.’Adobe already had two more-or-less fitting technologies: PostScript as a device and platform independent technology to describe documents and Adobe Illustrator as an example of an application that ran on several platforms (OK, actually on two: Windows and Mac but that is 99 percent of all computers) and could open and visualize fairly simple PostScript files, even if they were created using other applications. The engineers at Adobe enhanced these two technologies and created both a new file format (PDF, which is really a kind of optimized PostScript) and a set of applications to create and visualize these files.PDF 1.0The first time Adobe actually talked about this technology was at a Seybold conference in San Jose in 1991. At that time, it was referred to as ‘IPS’ which stood for ‘Interchange PostScript.’ Version 1.0 of PDF was announced at Comdex Fall in 1992 where the technology won a ‘best of Comdex’ award. The tools to create and view PDF-files, Acrobat, were released in on 15 June 1993. This first version was of no use for the prepress community. It already featured internal links and bookmarks and fonts could be embedded but the only color space supported was RGB.The original code name for what later became the Acrobat software was ‘Camelot’, later renamed to ‘Carousel’. That is why the file type of a PDF file on Macintosh was ‘CARO’.Adobe asked a steep price for the tools to create PDF files. Acrobat Distiller was available in personal and network versions, priced at $695 and $2,495 respectively. You even had to pay 50 dollar for Acrobat Reader. This approach didn’t exactly turn PDF into a popular format overnight. Later on, Adobe dropped the price of Acrobat and launched the free version of Acrobat Reader.PDF 1.1Acrobat 2 became available in November 1994. It supported the new PDF 1.1 file format which added support for:external linksarticle threadssecurity featuresdevice independent colornotesAcrobat 2.0 itself also got some nice enhancements, including a new architecture of Acrobat Exchange to support plug-ins in and the possibility to search PDF files.Adobe themselves were one of the first big users of PDF. They distributed all documents for developers as PDF files. Another early adopter of PDF were the US tax authorities who distributed tax forms as PDF files.Acrobat 2.1 added multimedia support with the possibility of adding audio or video data to a PDF document.In those days, PDF was not the only attempt at creating a portable device and operating system independent file format. Its biggest competitor was a product called Common Ground. Envoy and DejaVu were two other competing products.In 1995, Adobe began shipping Acrobat Capture for a rather steep 4000 US dollar. At the same time, Adobe also started adding PDF support to many of its own applications, including FrameMaker 5.0 and PageMaker 6.PDF 1.2 – the prepress world wakes upIn November 1996, Adobe launched Acrobat 3.0 (code name: Amber) and the matching PDF 1.2 specifications. PDF 1.2 was the first version of PDF that was really usable in a prepress environment. Besides forms, the following prepress related options were included:support for OPI 1.3 specificationssupport for the CMYK color spacespot colors could be maintained in a PDFhalftone functions could be included as well as overprint instructions.The release of a plug-in to view PDF files in the Netscape browser increased the popularity of PDF file on the booming Internet. Adobe also added the possibility to link PDF files to HTML pages and vice versa. PDF also slowly began to get accepted by the graphic arts industry. Initially the black-and-white digital printing market began using PDF for output on fast Xerox digital presses.In Acrobat 3, the open architecture of Acrobat Exchange finally began to pay off and a lot of interesting prepress extensions appeared in ’97 and ’98, including several essential prepress tools.PitStop and CheckUp from Enfocus software and CrackerJack from Lantanarips were some of the early Acrobat plug-ins.Global Graphics had already added native PDF support to their Jaws RIP in 1993. In 1997 they added the same capability to their much more popular Harlequin RIP.Agfa was the first major company that promoted the use of PDF for full-color commercial printing with their Apogee system, launched in 1998. Other manufacturers followed soon after.Although vendors pushed hard to get PDF of the ground, the market was a bit slow to react. This was mainly due to the fact that the use of PDF required additional tools as well as some know-how on the file format, its limitations, and curiosities. People also got disappointed of PDF when they discovered that it is a very open standard. Although the PDF standard was usable in a prepress environment, there were simply too many ways in which a perfectly valid but unusable PDF-file could be created.PDF/X-1 – a (very) slowly emerging standardTo solve the reliability issue, a consortium of prepress companies got together and released the PDF/X-1 standard in 1998. PDF/X-1 is based on the PDF 1.2 file specifications but it is a very well defined description of what a PDF file should look like to allow for blind transfers. A PDF/X-1 file is a file in which you are sure that all fonts are included, all high-res images are embedded and so on.Although PDF/X-1 is based on PDF 1.2, a number of extra operators were added. They are described in Adobe technote 5188 and include:the possibility to embed extra data like copydot filessupport for ICC-based colorsthe definition of a bleed, trim and art-boxa key that documents whether the file has already been trapped.You can find more information on PDF/X on this page and this one.PDF 1.3 – Listening to prepress needsAcrobat 4, internally known as ‘Stout’ within Adobe, was launched in April 1999. It brought us PDF 1.3. The new PDF specs included support for:2-byte CID fontsOPI 2.0 specificationsa new color space called DeviceN to improve support for spot colorssmooth shading, a technology that allows for efficient and very smooth blends (transitions from one color or tint to another).annotationsAcrobat itself also had its fair share of novelties, including:support for page sizes up to 5080 x 5080 mm, up from 1143 x 1143 mmWebcapturea series of preset configurations in Acrobat Distiller, making it easier to create valid PDF-files.a very confusion change of names: the former Acrobat Exchange was renamed to Acrobat, which also happens to be the name of the entire software suite.easy integration in Microsoft Office.The initial version of Acrobat 4, aptly numbered 4.0, contained quite a lot of bugs that limited the usefulness of the software for prepress purposes. Users got quite upset when Adobe tried to charge for the bugfix, Acrobat 4.05. Luckily Adobe listened to its users and send a free copy to registered users (We did have to wait 4 months or so for it in Europe).By the time Acrobat 4.05 was released, it could hardly be disputed that PDF had become an accepted file format for information exchange. More that 100 million copies of Acrobat Reader had been downloaded from the web. In prepress, few people still doubted the usefulness of PDF for file exchange, troubleshooting, and/or softproofingIllustrator 9 and PDF 1.4 – Acrobat will have to waitMid 2000, Adobe did something weird: they released Illustrator 9. Although launching a new version of a drawing application is not that bizarre, Illustrator 9 did have one amazing feature: it was the first application to support PDF 1.4 and its transparency feature. This was the first time Adobe did not accompany a new version of PDF with a new version of Acrobat. They also did not release the full specs of PDF 1.4, although technote 5407 documented the transparency support in PDF 1.4.Acrobat 5 (codename: Brazil)In May 2001 Acrobat 5 did finally show up and PDF 1.4 became a reality. The file format itself had not changed that much. For prepress, the things worth mentioning included:the addition of transparency support, which allows an object like text or an image to see through.improved security, including 128-bit encryption and the option of setting the quality of printing (you can define that a PDF can be printed but only in low resolution)For non-prepress users, Adobe also added some goodies to the PDF 1.4 file format:There was improved support for JavaScript, including JavaScript 1.5 and better integration with databases.‘Tagged PDFs’ are PDF files that also contain structural information about the data that are represented by the PDF document. This means that meta-information like defining titles, blocks of text,… can be part of a PDF-document.This makes it easier to create PDF-files that can adapt themselves to the device they will be used upon. This new feature is mainly meant for the emerging market of ebooks, since it allows PDF files to be repurposed so they can be used on a wider variety of systems. Adobe has started shipping a version of Acrobat Reader that runs on PalmOS PDA’s.It will also make it easier to repurpose contentMost users were more pleased with all of the new features that Acrobat 5 itself offered. Prepress users enjoyed the following enhancements:Acrobat 5 itself can correctly display overprints. So if a user puts a yellow box in overprint on a cyan background, Acrobat 5 can display the resulting green box. Please note that this option is switched off by default.Acrobat 5 can also perform batch operations which can be used, among others, to export folders full of PDF files to EPS-es.Distiller 5 can compress images that use DeviceN colors. This means that PDF files containing multitones will be a lot smaller.Acrobat and Distiller 5 also use an improved color management engine, known as ‘ACE’, which provides finer control.Annotating PDF-files is more flexible in Acrobat 5 and can also happen across the internet.Acrobat 5 was a more significant upgrade for non-prepress users:The forms-functionality was enhanced a lot.The user interface of Acrobat resembled Microsoft Office applications a lot more. The integration of Acrobat within Office had also improved.You could start Distiller or Catalog from within Acrobat.Thumbnails are created automatically when a PDF file is opened in Acrobat 5.There are more and improved export-filters, including an option to export data from a PDF to the RTF file format. This made it easier to maintain the appearance of files when exporting them to word processors.Interestingly enough, Acrobat 5 was also a downgrade for some users: Adobe replaced the ‘Paper capture’ plug-in that could OCR scanned pages to create a true text-based PDF by a fairly limited Web servicePDF 1.5 & Acrobat 6 – More choice for already confused usersIn April 2003, Adobe announced Acrobat 6 which started shipping late May. The internal codename for Acrobat 6 was ‘Newport’. As usual, the new version of Acrobat also brought along a new version of PDF, version 1.5.PDF 1.5 brings along a number of new features to will probably take a pretty long time before they get implemented or supported in applications. The new stuff includes.Improved compression techniques including object streams & JPEG 2000 compressionSupport for layersImproved support for tagged PDFThe Acrobat software itself actually offers far more immediate advantages than the new PDF file format.Acrobat Reader got renamed Adobe Reader and now also includes the functions of the Adobe eBook Reader. Unfortunately this application has also grown and now has a file size that is perhaps over 1000 times larger than most office type PDF documents that people want to look at.Acrobat Professional is the high-end version of Acrobat 6, geared towards prepress use. It offers a plethora of new features.Integrated preflightingPDF OptimizerRulers and guidesJob ticketsPDF/X supportSeparation output & a separation previewTransparency flattenerLayersMeasurement & magnifying toolsA new user interfaces which closer resembles other Adobe applications2005: another year, another PDF revisionIn January 2005 Adobe started shipping Acrobat 7 (original code name: Vegas). Of course it offered support for a new PDF flavor. PDF 1.6 offers the following improvements:NChannel is an extension of the DeviceN mechanism for defining spot colors in a PDF document. It is backward compatible with DeviceN and enables more accurate handling of color blending by including additional dot gain and color mixing information.Improved encryption algorithmsSome minor enhancements to annotations and taggingOpenType fonts can be embedded directly into the PDF, they no longer have to be embedded as either TrueType or PostScript Type 1 fonts.PDF 1.6 files can be used as a kind of ‘container’ file format by offering the possibility to embed files into a PDF.The major new feature is the ability to embed 3D data. At first I though this feature would only be interesting for architects or the CAD-CAM crowd. Then a colleague showed me a PDF he had created using ArtiosCAD, a design application for packaging. Within a PDF you can look at a box from all angles, check the graphic design and the positioning of images or bar codes. That’s when I understood that this technique can also be useful for graphic arts, specifically for people working in packaging or display.PDF 1.7 – Adobe goes ISOProbably the most ‘unexciting’ PDF-version to ever be released, PDF 1.7 contained improved support for commenting and security. Support for 3D also got improved, with the possibility to add comments to 3D-objects and more elaborate control over 3D animations. A PDF 1.7 file can include default printer settings such as paper selection, the number of copies, scaling,… You can download the full specs here.Adobe Acrobat 8, code name Atlas and made available in October 2006, introduced one interesting new feature: instead of using PDF 1.7 as its default file format, it sticks to PDF 1.6. It has also become easier to save documents as an older PDF version. This is probably Adobe’s acknowledgment that most people don’t need the latest PDF release to get things done. For printing and prepress, PDF 1.3 or PDF 1.4 are just fine. Other new features include improved support for PDF/A, better organized menus & toolbars and the ability to save forms in Adobe Reader 8. The fact that the preflight engine can also handle a number of corrections (called fix-ups) is another nice touch. Most people seem to think the enhanced performance, especially on Intel Macs is the biggest advantage. Some people don’t like the new user interface.One interesting development with PDF 1.7 is the fact that it became an official ISO-standard (ISO 32000-1:2008) in January 2008. The official specs were released on 1 July. James King from Adobe posted some interesting background information about this on his blog.2008: Acrobat 9 sticks to PDF 1.7 ‘Adobe Extension Level 3’Since the ISO-organisation now controls the PDF-standard, Adobe couldn’t introduce a new PDF 1.8 file format with the release of Acrobat 9, code named ‘Nova’ in June 2008. The PDF file format is pretty flexible however and it allows for the use of extensions – data that might have value to a certain application but that other software can simply ignore. Acrobat 9 PDF files are enhanced with such extensions, called Adobe Extension Level 3. This extension can be used to embed geospatial data in a PDF file, something that is useful for maps. At the moment of writing, the Acrobat 9 SDK hadn’t been released yet so I don’t know which other features Extension Level 3 has.It seems logical that Adobe will keep adding new features to PDF using such extensions, simply to add extra value to new releases of Acrobat. They may propose that some of them make it into new ISO-certified PDF releases. Of course other companies can do the same or may request changes to Adobe’s proposals. The PDF standard will continue to evolve but since more companies & organizations can now get involved and committees by nature work much slower, there won’t be a new PDF version every 18 months.I haven’t been using Acrobat 9 long yet but according to sources, such as this thread on the b4print forums, the Professional version is an interesting product for prepress professionals:Acrobat 9 Professional offers good support for industry standards such as PDF/X-4 and GWG.The application allows you to embed multiple files and data types into a Portfolio, which is similar to a ZIP file. It is unclear if this way of bundling data will become popular.For a whole slew of common issues, there is no longer a need to revert to plug-ins as Acrobat 9 itself has the tools on board. A few examples:The Touch Up Text Tool now supports word wrap (even though using it is still a hit-and-miss affair).The Crop Tool lets you define the ArtBox, BleedBox, CropBox or TrimBox.The ‘Convert Colors’ tool is more powerful and faster. It also seems to have fewer issues with transparent objects.Using the ‘Examine Document’ menu option you can delete all objects that are completely outside the page are (CropBox) or trim area (TrimBox).‘Output preview’ can simulate the effect of varying press conditions.The application seems to run faster on Macs.One small thing to keep in mind: ‘Overprint Preview’ is set for ‘Only for PDF/x files’ as default. Changing this to ‘Always’ is more reliable but slows down the application. Check out this blogfor more background information.Of course there are also a number of features that target other markets besides print. Support for AES-256 encryption is an example of this.2010: Acrobat X & PDF/VTAcrobat X started shipping in late 2010.The Acrobat and Reader user interface went through a major overhaul.The Portfolio function is been greatly extended, allowing users to embed audio, video and other rich media files in a PDF Portfolio.Given all the security flaws that showed up in previous releases of Acrobat and Reader, Adobe implemented a Protected Mode for version 10. This ‘sandboxing’ technique should minimize the risk of opening infected PDF files by accessing them in an application that is confined to its own private execution environment.Adobe Acrobat X and Reader X remain 32-bit applications but running them on 64-bit systems is supported.The document comparison function has been enhanced, making it easier to import multiple versions of the same PDF and discover the differences.One odd change is that Adobe now markets a version called Acrobat X Suite which includes Photoshop CS5.As far as I know Adobe did not create any Acrobat X-specific proprietary extensions for the PDF file format. In 2009 they did publish the specs of PDF 1.7 extension level 5 – some new PDF functions that were used in Acrobat 9.1.In the fall of 2010 the PDF/VT standard was published as an official ISO standard: ISO 16612-2. PDF/VT is a special flavor of the PDF file format that is specifically geared towards variable data printing (VDP) in a variety of environments, from desktop printing to digital production presses. The V and T in PDF/VT actually stand for Variable and Transactional.2012: Acrobat XIIn October 2012 Adobe started shipping Acrobat XI. This release focused on PDF editing and integrated cloud services. Redesigned Edit Text and Images tools let users update text directly in PDF, automatically wrap paragraph text, search and replace words in a PDF file, and crop, adjust, or replace images. Files can be exported to Microsoft PowerPoint. The update also added improved support for tablets and better interoperability with Windows 7 and 8.2017: PDF 2.0The ISO-committee is finalizing work on the specifications of PDF 2.0 (ISO 32000-2). This standard is expected to be released in mid-2017. It will apparently be a minor refinement of the existing PDF 1.7 specifications. I have been told that PDF 2.0 will not incorporate any of the ideas from Mars. Mars was an Adobe project which focused on using XML as the internal data format within PDF documents. The main advantage of using XML as the internal format for PDF files would be that programmers would be able to use the incredible number of XML-tools and technologies that are available on the market to create or process PDF files. PDF 2.0 will however include improvements regarding transparency, spot color definitions and output intents.feel free to contact us :https://www.quora.com/profile/Trina-Stenston?share=073b7444&srid=OYIx6

“Screenwriting Software: The 5 Best Programs ComparedComparing all the best screenwriting software options out there can be overwhelming. When each program has multiple cool-sounding features, different price points and different levels of usability, knowing which screenwriting software to choose can be super confusing.That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you make up your mind which is the best screenwriting software for you. We’ll be breaking down and comparing each of the five biggest and best script writing software programs on the market.The Five Best Screenwriting Software Options Are:♦ Celtx♦ Fade In♦ Final Draft♦ Movie Magic Screenwriter♦ WriterDuetThere are of course more programs out there, but we think these are the five best screenwriting software options currently on the market. Here you may also learn more information about a screenplay format. We’ll be assessing each under the following headings:♦ An overview of each movie script writing software♦ Products & prices♦ Compatibility with other operating systems and screenwriting software♦ 5 best features of each program♦ Pro screenwriters who use each screenwriting softwareHopefully, this will help you make your choice on which is the best screenwriting software choice for you.Click to tweet this post.5 Best Screenwriting Software Programs: An OverviewLet’s kick off with a short introduction and some background information on each script writing software. Who founded them? How long have they been around? What was the motivating factor in their development? etc.Celtx Screenwriting SoftwareCeltx (an acronym for Crew, Equipment, Location, Talent and XML) is an online screenwriting software built by the same community who gave us the Mozilla Firefox browser.It began life as a desktop only software, but soon switched to the cloud and has become an all-in-one platform for the writing, planning, and production management of film, video, and digital media projects.Through the Celtx Studios, teams of users can collaborate in real time to accelerate the pre-production and production cycles, from screenwriting to budgeting to scheduling.Fade In Screenwriting SoftwareWriter/director Kent Tessman began developing Fade In back in 2010 in response to writers like himself being frustrated with certain screenwriting software issues, such as crashing, glitchy display, lack of Unicode, etc.By 2012, Fade In was in full release to the public and, due to championing by well-known screenwriters, it has become a prominent choice for working and aspiring writers alike.Final Draft Screenwriting SoftwareThis script writing software was co-founded way back in 1990 by Marc Madnick and Ben Cahan and grew and advanced over the years, even winning a Primetime Emmy Engineering Award in 2013.Today it’s still the “big daddy” of screenwriting software. We’ve even had writers email us to ask if it’s okay to use anything other than Final Draft, which just goes to show how popular the program is.Movie Magic Screenwriting SoftwareAfter retiring their Academy-award-winning script formatting software Scriptor in 1995, Write Brothers Inc. introduced Movie Magic Screenwriter in 1996. This was as a script writing software companion to the industry standards Movie Magic Scheduling and Movie Magic Budgeting.After a rebranding and significant quality assurance testing, Movie Magic Screenwriter quickly became one of the bestselling screenwriting software programs on the market and remains a dominant presence within entertainment industries worldwide.WriterDuet Screenwriting SoftwareWriterDuet was developed initially to be the real-time collaborative solution for co-writers because there was no solution in that space. But as the company grew, the founder, Guy Goldstein, realized that there were many problems that could stand to be solved with a new, more powerful, and more intuitive standard for screenwriting.Since then, the screenwriting software has worked especially toward creating a tool that takes zero brainpower to use, but still has everything that your creative, chaotic process will find itself needing, just one click away.Screenwriting Software Products and PricesWhen it comes to how much money to spend on screenwriting software, the choice can range from “free” to “two-hundred and fifty dollars.” Going for the free option might seem like a no-brainer, but there are certain technical differences each of these screenwriting software that provide further context to this gulf in pricing.A free screenwriting software program may be passable when you’re initially starting out as a writer and only two things matter: 1) putting something down on the page and 2) saving money. Free screenwriting software checks both of those boxes.However, when you feel it’s time to buckle down and start taking your writing career seriously, we would highly recommend purchasing one of the higher gradescreenwriting software below. (All prices are in US dollars.)Celtx Screenwriting SoftwareUsing just the Celtx script editor is free, but following a 7-day trial of all Celtx features, you have the option of purchasing one of three distinct plans to match your individual needs.The Story Development plan provides access to the Premium Script Editor, along with several writer-focused tools including Script Insights analytics, Revision Mode, Integrated Index Cards, and Storyboards. This plan is $14.99 per month (billed annually.)The Full Production plan includes all Story Development features in addition to the full suite of production planning tools, including the production catalog, budgeting, and scheduling modules. This plan is available at either $29.99 per month (billed monthly) or $19.99 per month (billed annually.)The Episodic Production plan includes all Story Development and Full Production features along with the ability to create multi-episode projects with integrated master planning documents, a Client Approval system, and dedicated support. This plan is available at either $49.99 per month (billed monthly) or $39.99 per month (billed annually.)Fade In Screenwriting SoftwareThis screenwriting software program retails at a flat one-off fee of $79.95. All current version updates are free. (Although to date all major version upgrades have been free, too, and the company has no plans to charge for one.) So basically you pay once for it and that’s that.This makes it easy and affordable to jump right into and removes any worry about waiting a year for an update or having to pay for it.Final Draft Screenwriting SoftwareThe standard version of Final Draft is $249.99 and allows two activations per user. Students and educators get 50% off with an “Educational Version” which is the same product but priced at $129.99.There is also a portable version of the screenwriting software, “Final Draft Mobile,” for iPhone or iPad which is $9.99. Finally, there’s also a free “reader” version on which you can read scripts, but not edit them.If you have a previous version of Final Draft, you can upgrade to the latest version for $99.99. Upgrades don’t come very often, and you usually need to purchase the next version up to take advantage of any new features.Movie Magic Screenwriting SoftwareThe full version of Movie Magic Screenwriter allows three concurrent activations, has a price of $249.95 via the website, and a street price of around $169. There is also an academic version which allows two concurrent activations and has a website price of $124.95, and a street price of around $99.Write Brothers offers multi-seat licenses from 5 to 200 seats that require a special order and receive quantity discounts. They also offer deep discounts to guild members(e.g. WGA, SAG, Dramatists Guild, etc.), studios, educators, and has a successful grant program for academic institutions and their computer labs.WriterDuet Screenwriting SoftwareThis screenwriting software has a free version, in which writers can create up to three full-length scripts. Beyond that and for offline writing, collaboration, time-travel, and Pro tools, WriterDuet Pro is available for $11.99 per month or $79 per year. They also offer a one-time-only Lifetime price of $199 that includes all updates for free, forever.For the fully offline, file-based, more traditional app experience (not cloud-based) WriterSolo is also available for $40 per year or $99 Lifetime (that said, WriterSolo is included with Pro.)Screenwriting Software CompatibilityWhat computer operating systems are each screenwriting software compatible with? How easy is it for each one to import and export files to and from other programs?We list all these below, but if a particular file is missing from an import or export list, there are often workarounds involving yet more software.(Please note: Unfortunately, the amount of technical factors to take into consideration here is beyond the scope of this blog post. If you have any queries it’s best to contact the product’s support team directly.)Celtx Screenwriting SoftwareAs a browser-accessed screenwriting software, Celtx is universally accessible but for the best possible experience, they recommend using Google Chrome.There is also a selection of Android/iOS mobile apps that synchronize with your Celtx Studio, allowing you to take aspects of your Celtx workflow on the go.Currently Celtx can import the following file types:♦ Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)♦ Final Draft (.fdx)♦ HTML (.html)♦ MS Word (.doc and .docx)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)Celtx can export to:♦ Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)♦ Fountain (.fountain)♦ Plain Text (.txt)Fade In Screenwriting SoftwareFade In screenwriting software is compatible with Mac, Microsoft Windows and Linux. There’s also a mobile version (a separate $4.95 app) for iOS and/or Android.Fade In can import and export files from:♦ Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)♦ Adobe Story (.astx)♦ Celtx (.celtx)♦ Final Draft (.fdx or .fdr)♦ Fountain (.fountain)♦ HTML (.html)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)♦ ScrivenerFade In can also export:♦ Avid (.txt)♦ ePub (.epub)Final Draft Screenwriting SoftwareFinal Draft standard screenwriting software is compatible with both Mac and Windowsbut Final Draft Mobile is iOS compatible only and not suitable for Android devices.The screenwriting software can import the following files:♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)Final Draft can export to:♦ Avid Script-Based Editing (*.txt)♦ HTML (.html)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)Movie Magic Screenwriting SoftwareThe current versions of Movie Magic Screenwriter are compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1, or 10, and MacOS 10.10 and higher.Movie Magic Screenwriter has slightly different file import/export features in its Mac and Windows versions. Here is the full list for each.Movie Magic Screenwriter for Mac can import:♦ Dramatica (Mac)♦ Dramatica /StoryView Exchange (.dsw Windows)♦ Final Draft (.fdx)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Previous Saved Versions (.bk)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)♦ Screenwriter (.mmx)♦ Screenwriter 4.x and 2000 (.scw)♦ Timed Backups (.tmb)Movie Magic Screenwriter for Mac can export:♦ Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)♦ Avid Editor Format (.txt)♦ Final Draft (.fdx)♦ FrameForge 3D Studio (.txt)♦ Grolla Scheduling (.sex)♦ Movie Magic Scheduling Export (.sex)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)♦ Screenwriter (.mmx) Mac only♦ Screenwriter 6 (.mmsw) Mac and Windows♦ Screenwriter 4.x and 2000 (.scw)Movie Magic Screenwriter for Windows can import:♦ Dramatica / StoryView Exchange (.dsw – Windows)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Previous Saved Versions (.bk)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)♦ Timed Backups (.tmb)♦ Screenwriter 4.x and 2000 (.scw)Movie Magic Screenwriter for Windows can export:♦ Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)♦ Avid Editor Format (.txt)♦ FrameForge 3D Studio (.txt)♦ Grolla Scheduling (.sex)♦ HTML (.html)♦ Movie Magic Scheduling Export (.sex)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)♦ Screenwriter 4.x and 2000 (.scw)WriterDuet Screenwriting SoftwareSince WriterDuet is cloud-based, it can work from any browser and, like Celtx, works great on Google Chrome. The screenwriting software also has desktop apps for Mac, Windows, and Linux and free mobile apps for iOS and Android.WriterDuet can import:♦ Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)♦ Adobe Story (.astx)♦ Celtx (.celtx)♦ Final Draft (.fdx or .fdr)♦ Fountain (.fountain)♦ MS Word (.doc and .docx)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)And the screenwriting software can export:♦ Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)♦ Celtx (.celtx)♦ Final Draft (.fdx)♦ HTML (.html)♦ Plain Text (.txt)♦ Rich Text Format (.rtf)5 Best Features of Each ProgramNow that you’ve got a broad overview, let’s dive into the five reasons that make each program one of the best script writing software options on the market.Celtx1. Real-time collaboration. In Celtx, multiple writers can work together simultaneously in a fully-featured script editor.2. Incremental cloud backup. Celtx is constantly saving your writing to the cloud, meaning you never have to worry about losing your work. This also means you are able to instantly revert your script to any number of previous versions.3. Productivity tools. With Script Insights, you can set and track writing goals, analyze your writing performance, as well as view graphical breakdowns of your script’s content.4. Concept-to-camera workflow. The script content you create will automatically pre-populate the other production planning modules, setting the groundwork for taking your story beyond the page.5. Celtx Gem. This is the screenwriting software program’s latest offering: a one-of-a-kind nonlinear narrative design platform built for writing video games, VR, and other interactive experiences.Fade In1. Stability. This is a big one for users. If it drives you nuts when your screenwriting software crashes or doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, Fade In have worked tirelessly to make sure this happens as least often as possible. Users really notice—and appreciate—this, which is probably why Rian Johnson mentions it four times here.2. Functionality. Fade In tries to concentrate its new feature/function development on things that professional writers actually use. Things like, for instance, the Dialogue Tuner (allowing you to see all of a character’s dialogue in one place), scene versions, and alternates for all elements (not just dialogue.) These are things that many working writers find invaluable.3. Unicode. Fade In can be used in almost every language on earth, as opposed to many other screenwriting software which are limited to a Western European character set. This is significant, even if you’re just adding a few words or lines of dialogue in another language: this isn’t possible in other screenwriting software.4. Format support. Fade In tries to import/export every format it can, at least where it makes sense. That includes Final Draft, Fountain, Adobe Store, Celtx, Adobe Story, Rich Text Format, text only and more.5. Realtime collaboration. Instead of having a system where only one writer can actually modify the document as the others “watch,” Fade In allows multiple users to work in a collaboration session at once.Final Draft1. Beat Board. This feature replicates the process of plotting using index cards before you begin writing pages.2. Story Map. Similar to the Beat Board, the Story Map offers a bird’s-eye view of the screenplay’s pages rather than beats. This makes it easy to toggle around and preview certain scenes as well as outline your script.3. Alternate dialogue. This feature lets you swap out multiple lines for your characters so you can put various options on the page and then plug them in one by one to see which works the best.4. Collaborate. Both the desktop and mobile versions allow you to write in real-time with another writer and share files via iCloud or Dropbox.5. Getting the basics down. These are set up as the standard from which all other programs seem to stem from when it comes to macros and tab functionality. Basically, if it were not for Final Draft, all other writing programs would most likely work in a completely different way.Movie Magic Screenwriter1. Real-time formatting. With this screenwriting software, what you see on-screen is what you get when you print. Screenwriter fills in character names, locations, etc., and automatically adds other script elements such as MORE’s, CONT’Ds, page numbers, scene numbers, and conditional page breaks.2. Inline script notes. Jot down revision notes, casting suggestions, and research questions quicker than you can slap it on a Post-it and show or hide it right in the script text, not in a separate pop-up.3. Format flexibility. Movie Magic Screenwriter is completely customizable and supports most any form of script writing, from screenplays and teleplays to sitcoms, stage plays, musicals, graphic novels, comics, and more.4. Full-featured outlining. The outlining system lets you create elaborate outlines up to thirty levels deep. Use the navigation sidebar—the NaviDoc—to show, hide, edit, and move outline elements with ease.5. Built-in comprehensive production features. Movie Magic Screenwriter has all the production features necessary for complex production scripts and revision controls built-in and is compatible with the industry standard Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting.WriterDuet1. Collaboration. Collaborating is a joy in WriterDuet. Write together on the same line or on opposite ends of the script, or automatically follow your co-writer as they take charge. Chat together on the side or leave comments on any line, color each collaborator’s edits, accept/reject their changes, and more.2. Ghost mode. This lets you turn invisible until you’re ready to show your edits to collaborators. But even though they’re not seeing your writing, you’re still seeing theirs.3. Offline mode. This function lets you forget about your internet connection. The app works the same way whether or not there’s a connection, because it’s saving both online and offline all the time when it can, or just offline when it can’t. As soon as you reconnect, it starts syncing online again automatically, without mixing or overwriting edits from collaborators.4. The Graveyard. WriterDuet’s Graveyard function allows you to cut away content that doesn’t have a place in the script with a simple shortcut. When you find a home for it, simply open the Graveyard and toss it back in.5. Line alternates. These allow you to add as many versions of a line as you want and then hide them or choose a different winner with a simple shortcut. It’s especially a great feature for trying out jokes.As Used By…Let’s take a look at which professional screenwriters use and endorse each screenwriting software.CeltxWe couldn’t find any pro screenwriters who use Celtx but their website states it’s used by “5 million creatives in 190 countries” which is really cool.Fade InMany of the writers you know, and love, use this program and endorse it, including but not limited to Rian Johnson (Looper, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi), Craig Mazin (Identity Thief, The Huntsman: Winter’s War), Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball, Skyscraper) and more.Final DraftAs you can imagine many of the biggest screenwriters in the business use Final Draft. These include James Cameron (Aliens, Titanic), Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens), Nancy Meyers (The Holiday, Something’s Gotta Give) and many more.Movie Magic ScreenwriterAn impressive list of pro screenwriters also swear by this screenwriting software. These include Scott Frank (Logan, Minority Report), Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby), Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal) and more.WriterDuetWriterDuet is used by pro screenwriters such as Ed Solomon (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Men In Black), who calls it “the most intuitive, most user-friendly scriptwriting software I’ve ever used.”The Great Software RoundupFinally, here’s a short summary of each script writing software along with an online demo that should hopefully help you decide which is the best program for you. (Full disclosure: The purchase links below may contain affiliates. This means if you buy a screenwriting software through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we may get a small commission.)Celtx Screenwriting SoftwareCeltx is one of the best screenwriting software options for you if you’re looking for a combination of screenwriting, pre-production, production management and team-based collaboration. All in a unified online environment.It’s an online screenwriting software that is universally accessible, constantly evolving and backed up by a standard of quality. This makes it the go-to platform for millions of professional creatives around the world.Buy Celtx >>Fade In Screenwriting SoftwareFade In is the best screenwriting software to choose if you’re looking for one that’s super stable, has constant free updates and is very competitively priced. And when you have an issue, you’re talking to the developer who’ll help you fix it (or fix it for you.) Instead of someone on a support desk.With Fade In you can also add images, bookmarks, links, and more to your script. While these might not be used by many writers, they’ve occasionally been employed to great effect. (See Eric Heisserer’s use of images in his screenplay for Arrival.) So Fade In being able to make that easier is an added benefit.Buy Fade In >>Final Draft Screenwriting SoftwareWriting a script in Final Draft is a straightforward and intuitive experience. It’s probably the best option to take if you want to use the program most of the industry still use as their go-to screenwriting software program.Many industry folks are still uninterested in looking into anything other than this screenwriting software since it has always been around. Also, the various other tools to help brainstorm, outline, break down scripts and find statistics, make it still one of the best screenplay software programs.Buy Final Draft >>Movie Magic Screenwriting SoftwareMovie Magic Screenwriter is fantastic to use as part of a suite of compatible writing products, such as Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting.The Mac version includes the one-of-a-kind Streamline feature. This searches through your script to find a keyword or phrase changes that can shorten the overall length of a script. Streamline turns a tedious manual process—one that can take hours—into seconds.Buy Movie Magic Screenwriter >>WriterDuet Screenwriting SoftwareThis is the best script writing software for you if you want your creative process to be able to happen anywhere. From any device, online or offline, and be allowed to time travel to any point in the history of your creative process.This online script writing software has some of the best technology out there, as that’s what their developers are most passionate about (along with screenwriting.) In short, the program is always striving to build features and enhancements that increase its core power and capabilities for the future.”Source: Screenwriting Software: The 5 Best Screenwriting Programs Compared