PDF vs. HTML Catalog—Choosing which one to use, and understanding the differences
- Why are there two Idaho State University catalogs on-line?
- Which one should I use?
The Idaho State University Undergraduate Catalog is posted on-line to provide wide access to information about Idaho State University. There are two on-line versions available, both of which are searchable, and both of which match the current printed catalog:
- the PDF version (for which you must have Acrobat Reader, a free download)
- and the HTML version
The catalog for the coming academic year is usually prepared in late spring for printing and online posting, incorporating course and curriculum changes approved locally throughout the fall and spring semesters (State Board of Education approval of course and curriculum changes is retroactive). Other types of changes, such as administrative reorganizations of departments and faculty title upgrades, are added until print day. The PDF and HTML copies of the printed catalog are posted online at about the same time that the printed catalog arrives on campus. Both can be expected to match the printed catalog from 2008 forward.*
The PDF version
The PDF version is provided because it matches the catalog page-for-page (except, for years prior to 2008, where it includes corrections deemed necessary after the paper catalog was sent to be printed).
Advantages of PDF version
- Whole-catalog searches are faster and much easier than searches of the HTML version because the sections of the catalog are joined;
- Individual whole pages can be printed in order to provide catalog material to advisors and students when printed catalogs are not available;
- The page numbers visible on the screen match the page numbers in the printed catalog.
Disadvantages of PDF version
- Pages may be too large for the whole page to be seen on a screen, or if made smaller, the print may be too small to read;
- Selected material may not be able to be copied from the screen to use in another document;
- It requires Adobe Acrobat Reader (a free download, but it may take some doing!). The latest version of Reader will make the download quicker.
For copies of sections that you cannot copy from your screen, please ask the Catalog Editor.
The HTML version
The HTML version is provided because some users do not have Acrobat Reader on their computers, some systems are overloaded by the large size of the pdf file, and many users need to copy selected material from their screens into electronic mail or other word processing or web page applications.
Advantage of HTML versions
- Selected material of any length may be copied from the screen (you don't have to print a whole page to get what you want).
- From the continuously updated copy, one may learn what is ahead for a given program.
Disadvantage of HTML version
- You have no way to know on which page in the printed catalog the material on your screen appears.
If you have questions or comments about this explanation, please contact the Catalog Editor.
*In years prior to 2008, the PDF catalog matched the HTML one except for corrections discovered to be absolutely necessary, and possibly large changes (new programs, for example) that were approved by the State Board of Education shortly after the paper copy went to print. This is why it has been stated, online and on the catalog cover, that "ISU's Official Catalog is online." The PDF catalog remained static throughout the year as a corrected copy of the printed catalog for the years between about 1996 and 2008.