Skip to main content
tuckerdogavl
tuckerdogavl
Known Participant
July 27, 2021
Answered

Matching a font in editing a PDF file

  • July 27, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 20595 views

Here's my issue: I'm trying to edit a PDF and the Helvetica neue choices that are in my Adobe don't offer the medium or the ten others in the family. I cannot edit to match the document. It appears my helvetica neue is Light vs regular or medium. I try to download the helveticaneue I have in the Mac, on a CD, in a folder and all I get is "denied" from Adobe. In fact, if I search Helvetica neue in the awesome Creative Cloud for Adobe I get "font not found." So, what gives? How do I "just simply" add the family I have in my computer. I'd rather not spend hours on this... I can't copy words, or do anything that would allow me to "just simply" match the font that is in the document. Apparently the hurdle, or hoop, depending upon where you are in the rabbit hole, is that my font ends in ttc instead of ttf. But the one that is from 1995 which is linotype, ends in ttf. 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Brad @ Roaring Mouse

I don't use the Mac's Helevtica Neue myself. I've always used the Type 1 versions in the past (before Apple switched to .dfonts and .ttc), and moved over to the OTF versions when they first came out years ago. The OTF versions can live happily among the TrueType versions and don't conflict, but unfortunately Adobe no longer has licenses for those (hence why they aren't available through CC) so you'd have to buy them from Linotype now.

Regardless, this should be submitted as a bug, as I was able to see the same problem with a couple of other .ttc fonts not listing properly in the menu when doing spot edits.

3 replies

R
raja_1932
New Participant
August 13, 2024
Hindi_X.pdf
Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 13, 2024

@raja_1932 Your fonts are missing because they were not embedded by the application that created the PDF.. From the document properties, it looks like the PDF was generated by a very old version of doPDF (v6.1.x) on an old Win 7 system. I did a quick search on doPDF's website and it was mentioned that versions before v6.2 did not have the ability to embed fonts.

You will need to upgrade your system to do this properly.

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 4, 2021

Are you by any chance using a font manager?

I use Font Explorer and it tends to list only partial styles in this collection (in fact, on my iMac that I'm typing this on now, only 3 of the styles show, yet all 14 are available in InDesign, etc. So I'm wondering if it's a conflict of some sort.

 

Regardless, I have been able to reproduce this issue. I made a test PDF with all 14 styles, embedded properly: Same results as you've experienced. I used InDesign, Word, Excel and even Text Edit to make the PDF: no difference.

 

So, it appears Acrobat DC cannot show all the styles in .ttc (TrueType Collection) files, of which Helevetica Neue is one. I tried a couple more that had "more than the usual 4" built in styles and had similar results.

 

Funny thing though, it does NOT happen in an older version: Acrobat XI shows all 14 styles as available in my test PDF (although this was viewed on an old El Capitan install, so the Helvetica Neue fonts were in .dfont format).

tuckerdogavl
tuckerdogavlAuthor
Known Participant
August 4, 2021

I use fonts.com. I will never use Helvetica neue in a document that will be changed into PDF. Done. It's really that simple. There's no reason to agonize over it. 

 

I did discover a glitch, I assume, where HN was showing as being in my fonts, but there was a duplicate, and I then chose "remove duplicates," but as it is with tech, they didn't remove, click click click stop remove delete delete. So, I finally was able to get there by doing this and this and that and that and this and remove it. Then I loaded it back in and there is only one set of HN. Should I wish to play around and attempt I will, but going forward I choose one of the other 10000000 fonts I have that isn't HN. The end. 🙂 

Thanks for your input. 

 

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
August 5, 2021

I don't use the Mac's Helevtica Neue myself. I've always used the Type 1 versions in the past (before Apple switched to .dfonts and .ttc), and moved over to the OTF versions when they first came out years ago. The OTF versions can live happily among the TrueType versions and don't conflict, but unfortunately Adobe no longer has licenses for those (hence why they aren't available through CC) so you'd have to buy them from Linotype now.

Regardless, this should be submitted as a bug, as I was able to see the same problem with a couple of other .ttc fonts not listing properly in the menu when doing spot edits.

    Meenakshi Negi
    Community Manager
    Meenakshi NegiCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    July 31, 2021

    Hello,

     

    Sorry for the delay in response.

     

    As you have mentioned above, the font is not available or matching when you try to edit the PDF.

    Would you mind sahring the PDF with us so we can check it on our end?

    Also, share the Acrobat and OS version you are using on your Mac.

     

    Thanks,

    Meenakshi

    tuckerdogavl
    tuckerdogavlAuthor
    Known Participant
    July 31, 2021

    Thank you, I solved my problem by importing the PDF into a Publishing program, then editing in that program, then saving back as a PDF.  I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro and Mojave. See attached images. 

     
    Attached is a sample of how the font gets replaced. Just read the paragraphs and you’ll see. 
     
    I cannot waste any more time attempting to deal with this; the document is 111 pgs and I don’t feel like creating a duplicate, deleting all the pages except one, put in an example of an edit so you can see this happen, then get the answer “sorry for the inconvenience.”  I put in about four hours on this, including going to two different forums, watching tutorials and then having to use a different method than “just simply” editing the pdf in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (which I pay a monthly fee to use). 
    Clearly the problem is with Adobe Acrobat Pro and the ability to edit the Helvetica Neue. I appreciate your requests but as we know the answer will be “sorry for the inconvenience.” 
    Luke Jennings3
    Community Expert
    Luke Jennings3Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 1, 2021

    Are the fonts properly embedded in your original PDF? (File> Properties> Fonts) all should say embedded or embedded subset. If not, use a preflight fixup to embed the fonts before editing. (Tools> Print Production> Preflight> Fixups). 

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices