Cannot Print Any PDF file - MacOS High Sierra 10.13.2 Error can't open /private/var/spool/cups/tmp/

[russk71502872]

MacOS 10.13.2

Adobe Pro DC 2018.009.20050 - no further updates are available to download

Printing to HP Deskjet F4280

Had no problems with pdf printing before, ever.

All MacOS print drivers up to date; no further HP drivers available; no PDFs print at all.

All other apps print - Word, multiple browsers, test prints from the print utility, etc.

Update: Printing works when printing using Preview -- but not native Adobe Pro DC.

Please help.

--Thanks, Russ K

Title and Message was edited by: Russ Krauss

Message was updated by: Russ Krauss

[Adorobat]

Hi Russk,

Sorry for the delay in response.

Are you still facing this issue? If yes, try resetting printer system using the steps given in this link: OS X El Capitan: Reset the printing system

If that doesn't work, download cleaner tool from here: Download Adobe Reader and Acrobat Cleaner Tool - Adobe Labs , reboot the machine, install Acrobat Pro DC from here: Download Pro or Standard versions of Acrobat DC, 2017, XI, or X , reboot the machine and try printing pdf files again.

Feel free to update this discussion if you need any help.

Shivam

[royf6686982]

Hi - I have tried all the above options listed on this page and still receive the error message when printing to a HP colorlaserjet printer, "ERROR:/.SFCompactDisplay-Heavy".  I also have the latest version of Parallels installed on my MAC and do not have a problem printing from Acrobat in Windows 10.  It's ridiculous that an Adobe product such as Acrobat cannot print properly on a MAC.  I visited Apple and they updated everything on my MacBook Pro which is running High Sierra 10.13.4.  This is clearly a MAC problem as it works perfectly on Windows running in Parallel.  All of my other MAC applications print perfectly.  Now that I have re-installed everything, what do you recommend?  I use Acrobat to edit PDFs and it's silly to edit a document in Acrobat, and then have to launch a non-Adobe  program to actually print that document......

[default8szdkmc37sbk]

I just started having this problem today.  My computer was printing just fine yesterday and today I get this same message "The file '/private/var/spool/cups/tmp/003445f9ff144' could not.....".  I have tried printing on different applications with none of them working.  I have sent my document to my iphone and it prints out fine from the iphone.  I have downloaded the latest operating system for my mac and I have uninstalled Adobe and reinstalled it with no difference.  It makes no sense as to why it worked fine yesterday and not today.  I'm using Mac OS Catalina 10.15.7 now.  Any help would be greatly appreciated as I really don't want to have to buy a new computer at this point.  Thanks so much!

Dan

[John5EFA]

I too just started getting this problem today on my MacPro and I had printed files yesterday just fine. Works fine from my MacAir. Went ahead and upgraded to Catalina but that didn't help. Deleted and reinstalled my printer - still doesn't work. Help!

[John5EFA]

I just tried installing my HP OJet as an AirPrint printer and it works, so I made that my default printer.

[janes_p]

I still can't print on Brother MFC-9970 CDW from Acrobat and InDesign. From the last post I assume that Adobe supports AirPrint, but has abandoned prior driver options for macOS. Any confirmations for this assumption?

[KeithEP]

I too just started having this issue.  Not a long term work around, but one that will allow you to print is to save the PDF as a reduced size 4.0 version PDF.  Click "Save as other", select "reduced sized PDF", and use the drop down to select "Acrobat 4.0 and later".  There are probably other formats that would get you around this, but this one worked for me.  

Keith

[oBoyleRules]

No that is not my error message. I have already shared the error message in my original post. Please take the time to read my original enquiry as all needed info to troubleshoot is provided there.

[Abambo]

You should have created a new forum entry then. I will try to branch when I have time to take care of this.

[lixpas]

I have the same problem. It started ~week ago. I can't print PDFs on my printer.

I 'm connected to 2 network printers:

- HP Color LaserJet CP2025dn

- OKI C511

I can print anything on the HP printer (however, this is an old one and has limited supplies), but starting recently I cannot print any PDFs on the default OKI printer returning error:

"The file '/private/var/spool/cups/tmp/xxxxxxxxxxxxx' could not be opened."

(the file name xxxxxxxxxxxxx changes everytime)

There is only one file within /private/var/spool/cups/tmp/ that doesn't change and it has a different name to the ones Acrobat is trying to access.

Other applications besides Adobe Acrobat (e.g. Word, Preview...) don't show the same symptoms and can print on OKI printer.

This is my setup:

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)

Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5

MacOS High Sierra 10.13.3

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2018.011.20035 (build 18.11.20035.264580)

Following similar threads:

Adobe Reader 9.1.3 Doesn't Print on Mac 10.5.8 | Adobe Community

Cannot Print Any PDF file - MacOS High Sierra 1... | Adobe Community

Can't print from Acrobat Pro DC and MacOS 10.13.1 | Adobe Community

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/29009104/Unable-to-print-PDF-document-on-Mac-laptop.html

openSUSE Forums

I have tried:

- reinstalling Acrobat with and without using the Adobe Acrobat Cleaner Tool

- reinstalling the printer driver

- reinstalling the printer

- resetting the printer system

- changing the /private/var/spool/cups/tmp/ folder permissions:

$ sudo ls -al /private/var/spool/cups/tmp/

total 8

drwxrwx--T  3 root  _lp  102 23 Mar 15:09 .

drwx--x---  10 root  _lp  340 23 Mar 15:09 ..

-rw-r-----  1 root  _lp  2801 23 Mar 15:07 01d635ab6b7ad

Is there anything else I can do about this?

[jenniferj78387964]

I'm having the exact same situation that started on 3/16/2018. Running MacOS 10.13.3 on a 2014 Mac Mini. Every other application works perfectly.

This is definitely an Adobe issue as I am able to print from another PDF editor.

[Abambo]

This may or may not be an Adobe issue. Many people can print from MacOS. It needs to be something special with YOUR configuration. Finding out what this problem causes will help solving the problem...

[lixpas]

Ok, that could be the case, but what could be the source of the issue then? Where should I look?

To me this does seem like Adobe+Mac issue, since there are plenty of reported problems identical to this on other fora (see the links I provided), same symptoms (error can't open /private/var/spool/cups/tmp/...), always Adobe on Mac, other apps print w/o errors.

[davidl18608477]

I have exactly the same problem. Just printing PDFs from Acrobat to a CUPS printer. i can print these PDF with Preview in this printer and any other kind of file. It just happens with PDF printed fromAcrobat DC or Acrobat 11.

It does not happen in the same printer (Brother 3170CDW) with a non CUPS driver (airprint) or BRScript).

It began a few days ago.

Last versions of Acrobat XI and DC, High Sierra 10.13.4.

Please, if anyone is able to find a solution, post it here.

[davidl18608477]

Fixed reinstalling Sierra 11.13.4 directly over the existing system. No need to format the jard drive, recover anything from backup... just download the High Sierra installer and reinstall over the current system.

[lixpas]

Hi David,

That's interesting. Haven't seen that solution yet. If you reinstall the whole system, can you recover files and programs from the Time Machine?

Cheers

Lukas

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

Reinstalling macOS does (at least in theory, and based on my experience) not damage or remove any of your installed applications or user files. Everything will be just as it was before, with the exception that some things may work better (or at all) compared to before you "refresh" the operating system.

[davidl18608477]

There's no need to recover anything. Simply reinstall the system over your exisiting and problematic one, and all the files and applications are preserved. The installer just reinstalls the systems files, correcting those that are damaged or missing.

[mickeyh429]

I'm having the same problem as everyone else in this thread, so I followed the latest advice, i.e. reinstall Mac OS High Sierra 10.13.4.  Now the print error went from "Error can't open /private/var/spool/cups/tmp/" to " Printing - ERROR: /.sfCompactDisplay-Heavy".

This latest error message is the same as what oBoyleRules (above) mentioned.  Any other suggestions out there to help me fix this problem since I've tried everything listed above?

[davidl18608477]

But does it print? I'm also getting those errors in some of the pdf files that print correctly. It just means that the file needs the font CompactDisplay-Heavy and can't find it in the system.

[mickeyh429]

It does not print.  I have since spoken to an AppleCare rep who couldn't figure it out.  However, the solution was to open the pdf using a browser, then print from the browser.  I used Firefox and voila, I could print pdf files.  It's not the most efficient way, but it'll suffice until Apple/Adobe figures this out and submits a fix.

[Abambo]

Using the browser to print or Preview to print may or may not work, but I agree, it's better then no solution. I wonder that Apple does not know what the spool problem causes.

[liamb10025909]

That works but its ridiculous hey? Have they solved the issue yet?

[Laura Schoebel]

SF Compact Display - Heavy is an apple font. It seems that Adobe is having an issue with the font system and somehow that blocks printing. It's ridiculous though. I can print fine from every other application, except the Adobe ones. Hope they address this ASAP.