Convert TST to PDF

Educators often need a fixed, printable copy of a test for student distribution, email, or archiving, while recipients may not have the software that created the source file. Saving the test as PDF preserves its arranged pages but does not retain the editable test database.

What the TST format is

.tst is a filename extension used by several unrelated programs, not one universal file specification. It is commonly associated with test files created by ExamView Test Generator and similar educational assessment software used by teachers, schools, and publishers.

An ExamView test file can contain questions, answer choices, images, formatting, scoring information, and answer-key data. The creating application is required to interpret those elements correctly. Renaming test.tst to test.pdf changes only the filename and does not convert the file.

What the PDF format is

PDF is a page-oriented document format designed to retain text placement, pagination, images, fonts, and print settings across operating systems. It is suitable for distributing a fixed test, printing student copies, and archiving a generated version.

PDF is normally a presentation format, not an editable test source. Conversion does not preserve question banks, randomization rules, scoring logic, answer-selection settings, or the ability to regenerate different test versions. Text may remain searchable, but a PDF can also contain pages rendered as images if the source application prints that way.

How to convert an ExamView TST file on Windows

1. Install and open the ExamView version compatible with the file, if available.
2. Choose File → Open and select the .tst file.
3. Use the test preview or print layout to select the required question order, version, answer choices, and answer-key settings.
4. Choose File → Print.
5. Select Microsoft Print to PDF in the printer list and choose Print.
6. Specify a filename such as biology-test.pdf and save it.

If the application offers a PDF export command, such as File → Export, it can be used instead; printing to a PDF driver is usually the more generally available route. The exact menu names vary by ExamView release.

How to convert it on macOS

1. Open the file in the compatible ExamView application.
2. Choose File → Print and configure the test version and answer-key options.
3. In the macOS print dialog, open the PDF menu and select Save as PDF.
4. Choose the output filename and save location.

ExamView support and available releases vary by operating system, so an older file may require the original application or a compatible installation. Do not assume that a current program can open every TST subtype.

If the extension belongs to another program

Identify the application that created the file from its source, file properties, documentation, or the computer on which it was produced. Open the file in that application and use its print or export function. A generic converter cannot reliably interpret an extension shared by unrelated formats.

If a copy opens as readable plain text in a text editor, it may be a text-based TST rather than an ExamView file. Open that copy in LibreOffice Writer or another document editor, set the page layout, and choose File → Export as PDF or File → Print followed by a PDF printer. Binary data or unreadable characters indicate that the original application is needed; do not edit or resave the source while testing.

Online converters and compatibility limits

Services such as CloudConvert and Zamzar are reasonable options only when their current format lists explicitly include the particular TST subtype. Many online converters do not support ExamView TST files, and a service that accepts the extension may still produce an invalid or incomplete result. Uploading an examination can expose student data, answer keys, or assessment content, and may breach institutional privacy rules.

For a supported text-based subtype, upload the file, select PDF as the output, convert it, and inspect the downloaded result before deleting the source. For ExamView files, use the original desktop application and its print workflow instead of treating an online service as a universal converter.

Quality checks before sharing

• Review print preview and the generated PDF for page breaks, margins, clipping, blank pages, and missing images.
• Check special characters, equations, tables, fonts, and line wrapping; unavailable fonts or printer settings can change pagination.
• Confirm whether the answer key, scoring marks, teacher notes, and alternate versions are included.
• Open the PDF in a second viewer and print a sample page if physical distribution matters.
• Generate separate student and instructor PDFs when answers must remain restricted.