"Adobe PDF printer failed to create the PDF file."

Report · Apr 30, 2007

Hello! Please help? I am trying to solve this error: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=328791

I have tried the replace the .ics file and no joy!. The user has Windows XP on a fast system. I have removed BOTH Office XP as well as Acrobat 7.09. Then, reinstalled Office XP, patched it to all latest patches. THEN reinstalled Acrobat and brought it up to the version 7.09. When I open a powerpoint file and then hit the convert icon on the toolbar I get the same error, "Adobe PDF printer failed to create the PDF file."

Could anyone please point out my next steps to solve this? All help is very much appreciated.
Thanks
(There are many other Adobe products installed. Does this matter?)

Report · May 01, 2007

Anyone? Please? It's Adobe Acrobat Pro version 7.09... THanks in advance!

Report · May 01, 2007

PDF files, whether viewing in Acrobat or Acrobat reader simply disappear after a couple of seconds. I have totally uninstalled and reinstalled (even deleted all instances of adobe in the registry), but the "disappearing pdf's" keep occurring. What is the deal?

Report · May 01, 2007

Micheal,

How do you create the pdf exactly?
Do you indeed get the exact same error, or something slightly different?

If indeed the same error have you tried solution 2 of the document you linked to?

Report · May 01, 2007

Hi De Siem,

The error is exactly the same before and after the reinstalls. The user wouldn't contemplate the second fix as she is worried that the colours would not match. quote from the article:

Note: This solution eliminates the error message but does not address the source of the issue. Disabling the joboption feature may alter the appearance of colors on screen or during the print process.

I'll ask her again though!

Debra, I think you have a differnt issue, you may want to start a new topic?

Report · May 01, 2007

Try printing to the Adobe PDF printer. If that fails, then check for AcroTray being active. If AcroTray is not running, the conversion will fail. The icon is simply a front end for the printer and checking out the printer is the first step in the process. In fact the lowest level of checking is to print to file and then use Distiller on the file to complete the process. That is the bare minimum of the process. AcroTray eliminates the manual step. PDF Maker (the icon) simply adds PDF Marks (it may have changed aover the years) the the printer file in order to include links and bookmarks.

Report · May 02, 2007

Thanks for the tips William!! Acrotray wasn't running, so I manually started it, but I still cannot print with either the Acrobat button or by manually selecting the Adobe PDF Printer. If I print to the pdf printer I get the following:
_______________________________________________________
%%[ Error: invalidfont; OffendingCommand: findfont ]%%
Stack:

/Font

/Courier

/courier

%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%%

%%[ Warning: PostScript error. No PDF file produced. ] %%
_______________________________________________________

BTW, The Adobe button in Internet Explorer (7) DOES work.!!!
Now what!?!?! Thanks again!
mike

Report · May 02, 2007

>%%[ Error: invalidfont; OffendingCommand: findfont ]%%
>Stack:>
>/Font
>/Courier
>/courier
>
>%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%%

This means that Distiller cannot find the Courier font which it should
include. Check the files in c:\Program files\Adobe\Acrobat
8.0\Resource\Font. Is it there?

Aandi Inston

Report · May 03, 2007

Thank you for your help, however, the fonts (several Courier ones) are all in the directory they should be. I even went to another machine and copied their fonts to this directory after renaming the original ones) and the SAME error sohows up!!!
I'm stuck! I may try and upgrade Office to Office 2007... I wonder if that will work??

Report · Jun 06, 2007

I also came across the same problem. Running CS3 / Acrobat 8 / Vista.

After installing Font Manager - Extensis Suitcase for Windows (v11), I had the courier error message. After contacting Extensis, the error is created because Acrobat can only handle about 200 activated fonts at one time. Also, the courier postscript font also needs to be activated.

I tested out this method and it seems to have fixed the problem and creates PDF files much more quickly.

Hope this helps.

Report · Oct 15, 2007

I had the same issue. I had 900 turned on and it wouldnt work. Now I only have 350 and it works, I'm not sure what the limit is though. Grrr to fonts, I hate them!

Report · Oct 27, 2007

I have the same problem creating a PDF from Quark

>%%[ Error: invalidfont; OffendingCommand: findfont ]%%
>Stack:>
>/Font
>/Courier
>/courier
>
>%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end-of-file) will be ignored ]%%

I have tried all of these methods with no luck.
Amy

Report · Oct 27, 2007

Sounds like a problem with the Courier font which comes with Acrobat.
Maybe a font manager removed it. Try reinstalling/repairing, and make
sure you don't let any font manager loose on the whole disk.

Aandi Inston

Report · Nov 06, 2007

Anyone figure this out yet? I have the same issue(s), symptom(s), failure(s) as all above. However I have two users who do not have this problem...

Thanks -

Chuck

Report · Mar 31, 2008

Had the same issue with error "adobe printer failed to creat the pdf file" Simple fix. Went into MS Word under Adobe PDF-->Change Conversion Settings-->Advanced Settings-->Compatibility-->Switch to appropriate version of Acrobat. (In my case Acrobat 6.0 (PDF 1.5).

Hope that helps.

Joseph

Report · Apr 02, 2008

Cool deal. Thank you for posting. I actually forgot all about this. I will try your fix (I can't even remember what I did to skirt around the problem)...

THanks again for your input,

Chuck

Report · Aug 25, 2008

I had the same message - using Vista 64 bit with CS3 and Acrobat 8.1. I also have Suitcase 11 installed.

First I tried activating Courier. Same error.

Next I tried copying the Acrobat core fonts from the Program Files (x86) folder to the regular Program Files folder. Still same error.

Then I read Cheryl Ally's post and deactivated some fonts. Worked immediately.

Report · Nov 05, 2008

I had the same problem and discovered it was due to using parenthesis () in some of the text, specifically the text boxes in Word. Once I removed those, the problem was solved. Took me two hours to get to the bottom of this. I find it quite odd that parenthesis should cause an issue.

Report · Nov 07, 2008

Right now I have (AA) Adobe Acrobat 8.1.3 installed on my computer.
I upgraded AA 6.0 > AA 7.0 > 8.0.
My operating system is XP Professional.

I always get a error 20225 or "GetLastError". I tried to go to knowledgebase and rectify the error, then I uninstalled AA 8.0 and installed AA 6.0, then AA 7.0 and AA 8.0 and I still get the same error message.

Can you please sugesst a remedy for this?

Report · Nov 10, 2008

I still have the same message - using Vista 64 bit with CS3 and Acrobat 9. I tried everything above, nothing seems to work. Even printing an empty text file fill create this error. 'Create PDF from file' with Acrobat Professional is no problem but using the pdf print option gives this error. I search the internet for days now and it is driving me nuts! Pleas can anyone help?!

Report · Sep 21, 2010

have you try this: you go in to start\printer and fax. On this folder, right mouse click on to "adobe Pdf" printer and choose "printing preferences". On tap "adobe pdf setting", you must uncheck "rely on system fonts only, do not use document fonts". Is that ok. I am using Adobe Pro Ext 9.0 and Win XP SP3

Report · Jan 24, 2011

this fix from cuongttco worked for me - pls try it:

have you try this: you go in to start\printer and fax. On this folder, right mouse click on to "adobe Pdf" printer and choose "printing preferences". On tap "adobe pdf setting", you must uncheck "rely on system fonts only, do not use document fonts". Is that ok. I am using Adobe Pro Ext 9.0 and Win XP SP3

I myself am using win 7 adobe 9 pro extended and just fixed the same problem. thank you!

Report · Jan 24, 2011

Yes, you can uncheck that option for "rely on system fonts only, do not use document fonts". If it is checked, the Acrobat will not display the PDF with embedded fonts where those particular fonts are not installed on your computer.

Report · Jan 24, 2011

THANK YOU. I WILL TRY IT

2011/1/25 Bobby_Johnson_ <forums@adobe.com>

Yes, you can uncheck that option for "rely on system fonts only, do not use
document fonts". If it is checked, the Acrobat will not display the PDF with
embedded fonts where those particular fonts are not installed on your
computer.

>

Report · Mar 10, 2011

Thanks manns101. Your fix, "uncheck "rely on system fonts only, do not use document fonts"." worked for me. This problem just began for me within the last week. I have been converting word documents to PDF for years and then it stopped working. I am running Office 2007 on Windows 7 64bit.