How can PDFs be distilled with narrow margins for optimized viewing on iPad?

Question

I am not reporting a serious issue. I am seeking to expand my understanding of PDF creating.
Using Adobe Acrobat XI version 11.0.10 on MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012, 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7, 16 GB DDR3), I have been creating PDF files of music charts optimized for viewing on iPad using Acrobat Distiller XI version 11.0.10. I recently upgraded to Mac OS X Yosemite (10.10.2). Music charts are designed using Pages 5.5.2 using Page Setup for HP LaserJet 1012 and a custom page size (7.75 in. x 10.25) with four 0.06 inch margins. This allows me to replicate exact content of a PDF file optimized for printing [Page Setup for HP LaserJet 1012 with US Letter page size (8.5 in. x 11) having four 0.5 inch margins] on a  PDF file optimized for viewing on an iPad. The iPad PDF has reduced white space in margins allowing the music chart to have the largest print viewable when looking at an iPad while performing.
I am creating a PDF by distilling a Postscript file and using Acrobat Distiller [PDF/A-1b:2005 (RGB)]. "Save as an Adobe PDF" does not work; it only generates "Error An error occurred while saving the PDF file." Moreover, "Save as an Adobe PDF" never works for any circumstance.
The issue is iPad PDFs no longer have 0.06 inch margins. A PDF file is created, but there is more white space in margins. I have determined the PDF production is being affected by the HP LaserJet 1012 0.167 inch minimal margins. The outcome does not change if I select Any Printer from Page Setup.
However, a PDF with 0.06 inch margins is created if I use the MacOS PDF generator (MacOS X 10.10.2 Quartz PDF Context).
Is there any thing I can do to use Adobe Acrobat XI to make charts optimized iPad like I could before I upgraded to Mac OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)? Just curious…
Kind regards, –John
P.S. I am attaching 3 screen shots of sample files (PDF with 0.5 print margins, PDF using Distiller, and PDF using MacOS Quartz)

Answer 1

Howdy Sukrit,
Thank you for taking time to respond to my query.
I tried your suggestion for resizing the size of the pages. Unfortunately, the PDF was created from a document that did not designate headers and footers. The Add Header and Footer tool did not recognize the existence of any header of footer, thus I could not use this method to resize the document.
Your suggestion did prompt me to realize I could hand crop each page of a PDF, but this would be a tedious but functional process.
I am convinced this issue is more a product of the Mac OS 10.10.x than an Acrobat issue. (I was creating properly sized PDFs with Acrobat XI and Mountain Lion Mac OS 10.9.x.)
I tried setting up a virtual PostScript printer with a generic PostScript in System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. [Ref: Set up a default printer in the Print Center (Mac OS X) <https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/set-default-printer-print-center.html>]
That produced the same results.
I tried using all available presets including Oversized Pages as well as editing Adobe PDF some default settings for Distiller.
I tried setting the printer to EPSON Stylus Photo R280 inkjet printer using Page Setup. Although this printer has minimum margins set to 0.12 inch, the result was a poorly oriented PDF on letter-size page.
I have been distilling quality PDFs for years using Acrobat 4, Acrobat 5, Acrobat 6, Instant PDF 3, Acrobat 7, Instant PDF 4, Acrobat 8, Acrobat 9, Acrobat X. I once could create PDFs using a virtual Adobe Distiller printer with generic PostScripts and specific Laserjet PostScripts, but all my PDF had margins of 0.5 inch or greater. The need for me to limit white space margins PDFs used on iPad only came about in the last year.
Something seems to have changed after upgrading to Yosemite Mac OS 10.10.2. Now PDF creation using Adobe Acrobat seems to be tied to my HP LaserJet 1012 preferences having 0.167 minimum margins whereas the Mac OS X 10.10.2 Quartz PDFContext is not restricted in default margins. This has piqued my curiosity, and I want to learn more about this.
I appreciate your help and expertise.
Kind regards,
–John P. Zannini