Convert fonts to type 1

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
July 30, 2017
2 replies
9359 views

Hi,

Is it possible to convert all fonts in a PDF file to Type 1 fonts? If so, how?

Thanks.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Dov Isaacs

OK. Thanks for letting us know what the thought process was.

(1) As you have read from my “prolific” responses on these forums, font format is not the issue, but rather the quality of the font design and implementation. Type 1 fonts are no less error-prone for either printing or display than TrueType or for that matter OpenType in either of its TrueType or CFF (Type 1) flavors.

(2) Unless you are printing to a truly ancient PostScript printer (at least over 10 years old and either PostScript language level 1 or some PostScript language level 2 implementations), PostScript and direct PDF printers directly consume TrueType fonts. Printing from Acrobat to the Adobe PDF PostScript printer driver instance under Windows (something called “refrying PDF”), for example, does not convert TrueType to Type 1. There are options in exporting PDF to PostScript in Acrobat on both MacOS and Windows for such conversion, but it is absolutely not recommended! Conversion of TrueType to Type 1 (or if one was to do the opposite conversion) is in fact a “lossy” conversion in which “hinting” for rendering at lower magnifications (combination of resolution and point size) is lost and rendering degrades accordingly.

As such, any font type conversions are really at best unnecessary and at worst very counterproductive.

Hopefully this answers your questions! Let us know if we can be of further assistance.

- Dov

Dov Isaacs

Legend

… and why would you want or need such a conversion? What format are the fonts currently?

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

S

sPretzelAuthor

Inspiring

Thanks Bernd and Dov for your replies. Interestingly, I read another thread and Dov's response in that thread in particular regarding fonts. TrueType font in printing

Part of my question may be due to some lack of understanding on my part on this topic. I have come to believe that Type 1 font is more "printer-friendly" or more robust at a printer, generally, than a TrueType font. Of course, that doesn't mean that the Type 1 font will encounter problems but that a Type 1 font is less likely to encounter a printing problem. The thread I mentioned debunks this idea.

That being said, I have noticed that printing a PDF file containing a TrueType font into another PDF file transforms that TrueType font into Type 1. I thought Acrobat can therefore convert a TrueType font into a Type 1 font and wanted to know if such operation can be performed on the initial PDF file without printing it to PDF again. Perhaps that question is still valid.

Any explanation and clarification will help. Thanks.

Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

Legend

OK. Thanks for letting us know what the thought process was.

(1) As you have read from my “prolific” responses on these forums, font format is not the issue, but rather the quality of the font design and implementation. Type 1 fonts are no less error-prone for either printing or display than TrueType or for that matter OpenType in either of its TrueType or CFF (Type 1) flavors.

(2) Unless you are printing to a truly ancient PostScript printer (at least over 10 years old and either PostScript language level 1 or some PostScript language level 2 implementations), PostScript and direct PDF printers directly consume TrueType fonts. Printing from Acrobat to the Adobe PDF PostScript printer driver instance under Windows (something called “refrying PDF”), for example, does not convert TrueType to Type 1. There are options in exporting PDF to PostScript in Acrobat on both MacOS and Windows for such conversion, but it is absolutely not recommended! Conversion of TrueType to Type 1 (or if one was to do the opposite conversion) is in fact a “lossy” conversion in which “hinting” for rendering at lower magnifications (combination of resolution and point size) is lost and rendering degrades accordingly.

As such, any font type conversions are really at best unnecessary and at worst very counterproductive.

Hopefully this answers your questions! Let us know if we can be of further assistance.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)