'Font contains bad/Widths' and 'Cannot find/create font' errors when saving pdf as Other > Reduced Size PDF

[stephanie_25]

I am exporting .indd files from within Indesign as pdf files, opening in Acrobat Pro XI. I have no trouble creating the initial pdf file, however, when I go to Save Other > Reduced Size PDF I get error messages. Depending on the file, I receive either the message, "The font (Myriad Pro) contains bad/Widths" replacing the text with dots or "Cannot find or create the font (Helvetica) Some characters may not print or display properly" replacing text with dots or boxes.

My confusion is that the file is exporting to pdf from Indesign without error, it is only when I try to Save Other> Reduce Size PDF that the error occurs.
Also, it is only occurring on five out of 120 pages. These same fonts are on other pages and I have no trouble at all with exporting or Reduce Size PDF.
More frustrating is that I have never had this problem occur in all my previous versions of Acrobat using the same process and typefaces.

I am reaching deadline on this and cannot find a solution other than to reload Acrobat 9 and ditch this upgrade.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Dov Isaacs]

At Adobe, we are not aware of any such issue. And I personally use PDF export from InDesign on a daily basis. If you could send me a sample file PDF, we could research this for you. Also advise as to which version of InDesign you are using.

          - Dov

[stephanie_25]

Hi Dov, I too export to PDF from Indesign (in this case I am using CC) and have never had this trouble in previous versions of Acrobat. I upgraded to XI two weeks ago and now I have this intermittent problem.
Where would you like the files sent to?

[Dov Isaacs]

I just sent you personal e-mail with information as to how to send the file(s) to me.

          - Dov

[stephanie_25]

Thanks Dov, emails sent

[jonahm68802280]

I, too have experienced this issue. Upon export from INDD CS6, I see the error message "The font 'IXWIPX+SourceHanSansSC-Bold' contains bad \Widths."

The only items on the single-page InDesign document I'm trying to export are copies of a one-page PDF (which was extracted from a longer PDF, arranged into a cover format). I can provide all files as necessary. The longer document that the one page came from also experienced an error when I tried to print to Adobe PDF. While I still get a PDF of the cover on export, despite the "bad \widths" message, it won't print from certain machines. I get nothing (not even an empty shell file) from the attempt to print the larger document (where the cover elements came from) to PDF.

I can deal with these issues with a few unorthodox workarounds, but wanted to offer comments or volunteer to help test fixes if possible.

For the record, I'm really not enjoying Acrobat XI. It doesn't seem to have much by way of new features (at least not that I use), and some of those I used most in version X are gone or less functional. Common fonts like Times New Roman are often not found (even though they are definitely on my system); I have a much harder time editing text through the new interface, and I have a few other small gripes—some that I don't have time to get into, others that wouldn't really matter, except that they weren't a problem until I "upgraded." Just sayin'.

Thanks for listening.

[sarajden]

Hi Dov. I am also having this issue. My document contains scans saved as pdfs that I've placed into InDesign. When I remove the scans, I don't get the error messages. Any idea what's going on? Is there a work around? I've used the same workflow on other document and this is the first time I've had any issues. Thanks.

[JackofHearts]

Hi Dov,

Have you found a solution to the bad widths problem yet? I am also having this problem and i fear my employer is about to have a fit as a result. I haven't managed to find a work around yet but will try and download an earlier version of acrobat, one that might not have this issue and see how that goes.

These days, everything i send to print gets replicated for web... not being able to resize my work for web as i used to (that being very quickly /or at the click of a button) is causing a little frustration understandably.

Cheers,

Tony

[stephanie_25]

Has anyone found a solution yet? Deadline has been and gone. Publisher not happy with the result.
To add further problems, occasionally a file will not reduce and instead, will be slightly larger in memory size. Also, the text on the pdf is quite difficult to read.

Acrobat Xl had proven to be a bad decision for me, wish I had never upgraded.

[Warm Hearts Publishing]

Has anyone found a solution to this? I have this same problem with I optimize some of my PDFs in Acrobat.

[stephanie_25]

tonyhorton, I hear you; my major client is also VERY unhappy.

It has been 3 months since I initiated this thread and still no response from Adobe. Not even, a "we are working on it". Nothing!
I have had to post large size pdfs online and my client is "..... off" (insert expletive). Really, really poor service from Adobe.

I cannot revert back to previous version of Acrobat as the option is not there. I despise version Xl.

Dov, as I subscribe to CC and pay a small fortune every month, is there ANY way I can please download version X BEFORE I LOSE MY BIGGEST CLIENT.

Not only is Xl full of problems, it is unbelievably difficult to read on my monitor unlike the superior product Acrobat X.

I guess I should not expect an answer anytime soon but it would certainly be appreciated.

[paulstratford]

I've just started to get the InDesign->Acrobat->Optimise->Bad Widths problem too. Did they ever get back to you?

We're using those relatively unknown, rare typefaces that no-one's heard of, or ever been using anywhere... Myriad-Pro and Dax.

(Of course, it's something for a big multinational client so we'd quite like it fixed)

[B_Scannell]

I've been experiencing the same issue while trying to reduce the size of PDFs (in Acrobat DC).

Trying to troubleshoot this, however the results are random(??) - sometimes it works, sometimes not.

I have had some success with simply printing the document as a PDF (with good results) as well as for saving the file as PDF/A (with average results).

Can't test anymore unfortunately, would be great to have an update on this issue from an Adobe rep.

[jamesr18332623]

Has anyone managed to find a fix for this yet?

[paulstratford]

I've not had the opportunity to revisit this one. Certainly, no-one's complained of it recently. If it happens again then I'll post something.

I'll try to make one now...

[FrequentPDFer]

This problem continues for at least 2 versions of Acrobat and noone from Adobe seems to care. Do they never have to run an action with 5,000 PDF's and find out that the whole process stops 10 min after starting the action with a ridiculous "The font 'bla-bla-bla' contains bad /Widths." information??? Are we supposed to sit in front of a machine all day and all night to click the "OK" button???

[mgrassman]

I was able to resolve this by open the PDF in Acrobat then in the menu do File -> Save As Other -> Press-Ready PDF (PDF/X) 

Also have good luck with Archivable (PDF/A)

Thanks,

[Jymnazium]

The issue seems to be caused by fonts you download through TYPE KIT... the only font that does it to me I downloaded from Type Kit.

[paulstratford]

I've not revisited the problem, but my original issue wasn't with Typeset fonts.

[Jymnazium]

Hey paulstratford​, I was referring to TYPE KIT, as in Adobe's Type Kit (Browse fonts | Typekit ) where you can download fonts as part of your CC subscription. Not Typeset fonts

The only font that gave me this error was one from Type Kit, once I replaced the font with the same font I downloaded from a font site, I stopped getting the error.

[samuelc80207847 · Accepted solution]

Hi Guys,

I have the same issue. My designer creates a document with InDesign with funky fonts, then he export it to PDF, I modify it with Acrobat and then, I have the font error message... even if it is not visible.

I am on Mac, so I solved my problem by opening the PDF with Viewer, then re-export it in PDF and VOILA, it solves the issue. Thanks to Mac.

Ridiculous that you need to go through a third party software to solve a problem in your own file format...