Change "rely on system fonts only" via Group Policy

Report · Dec 09, 2010

Hello,

This may take a bit to explain my problem, sorry in advance. I have a mixed network environment of Windows 7 Professional (x64) and Windows XP Pro SP3 (x32), and all of them have Adobe Acrobat 9 Standard, with the Adobe PDF Printer.

My problem is that ALL of these systems have a serious, game-killing problem with the Adobe PDF printer setting, "Rely on system fonts only; do not use document fonts". If that option is enabled (or if the option with the same name under Printer Defaults is enabled), then printing in our ERP software dies. (We use Microsoft Dynamics GP). Users get an error "Unable to stop printing", and believe me it took a WHILE before I figured out that the Adobe PDF setting was to blame! This happens even if my users are printing to physical paper, and not touching the PDF printer at all. In other software we sometimes get the annoying popup message from Adobe PDF saying that we need to uncheck the "Rely on system fonts..." setting as well. In short, I HAVE to keep that option turned off for all of my users.

Unfortunately, every time there's a major Adobe update the option returns (GRRRR!), in both the Printer Preferences menu and the Printer Defaults menu. I'm trying to change the option via a group policy administrative template, but I don't know which registry settings to modify - it seems like this option exists in SEVERAL places, here are the ones I've found so far:

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

I've also found references in this forum that tell me to also change a long binary string in:

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\DevModePerUser\Adobe PDF\Adobe PDF (And this one I honestly have no idea how to edit a huge string like that.)

For the first four registry values, when I change DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts to 0 via a template... the checkbox isn't visually cleared in the GUI. *face palm* I'm a bit desperate - how is an admin supposed to change this option across a company network besides manually?

Report · Dec 09, 2010

Sounds more like a major bug in your ERP software - especially since it happens for ALL printers...

Report · Dec 10, 2010

That's pretty likely, yes. However, it's Microsoft Dynamics GP and the issue has existed for the last two versions. Hoping for a bug fix is not a realistic

goal. I will say this though, other programs (simple stuff like Word, Excel, and so on) also spit up this Adobe popup error if the option is enabled:

When you create an Adobe PostScript file you must rely on system fonts and use document fonts.

Please go to the printer properties, “Adobe PDF Settings” page and turn OFF the option “Rely on system fonts only;

do not use document fonts.”

So my worst offender is the ERP software, fair enough. But it's not my only program that has an issue with the PDF printer. How can I get rid of this checkbox across the entire network?

Report · Dec 10, 2010

Then you have something else going on with your computer, since we have millions of users around the world having no such problems with Acrobat and Office...And since this isn't SDK related, you might simply want to call our support lines...

Report · Dec 10, 2010

"Your computer"? This is affecting about a 100 workstations. It's not that simple, frankly you're minimizing my problem.

We both know the support lines aren't going to know a single thing about registry entries and group policies and so on. The SDK forum is the only one I've seen here where other users have asked similar questions, including one you responded to: http://forums.adobe.com/message/2583764 Please, I'm just trying to figure out how to apply registry changes to the software in a way that fits the API guidelines and won't break anything. If it's not SDK related, it certainly doesn't fit in better in another forum.

Please help me? I have a real issue, and a stated goal that shouldn't be too outrageous.

Report · Dec 10, 2010

Documented registry entries can be modified using standard OS tools/techniques - nothing SDK specific. Modification of undocumented entries is at your own risk.

While I understand your issue, I will also point out that there are good reasons why that preference is turned on by default.

Report · Dec 10, 2010

Surely that option can't be undocumented, can it? My problem is that I don't know exactly which entries must be changed for the option to be unselected. Isn't there some kind of known method?

Report · Dec 14, 2010

Does anybody have anything that could point me in the right direction please?

Or, as an alternative, can somebodyplease tell me how to access this link? It seems to be mentioned a lot in forum posts related to registry entry and editing questions, but I can not get it to work:

http://support.adobe.com/devsup/devsup.nsf/docs/53549.htm

Report · Dec 14, 2010

In general, it's a bad idea to use undocumented features - any patch of

Acrobat and/or Reader can potentially break your solution when you base it

on undocumented information. As far as the knowledge base article you

referenced, it was valid for Acrobat up to version 8, but would not work for

Acrobat 9 (which stores that information as binary data).

If you want to find information that got removed from web sites, try Google

(it caches a lot of web pages) or the Wayback Machine at archive.org. The

page in question can be found here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080327040218/http://support.adobe.com/devsup/devsup.nsf/docs/53549.htm

Karl Heinz Kremer

PDF Acrobatics Without a Net

khk@khk.net

http://www.khkonsulting.com

Report · Dec 14, 2010

So unchecking that option is literally completely undocumented and unsupported? That just seems... bizarre! I can imagine it being a seriously esoteric set of requests, but surely it's written down somewhere?

Report · Jan 12, 2011

And, as a demonstration that this is a REAL and DOCUMENTED Microsoft bug, here's the text of the Dynamics GP KB article:

It would be nice if somebody from Adobe had an answer other than "yeah you shouldn't disable that feature, for vague reasons of our own that we won't tell you." Microsoft clearly believes it MUST be disabled! I don't have an option there, or my company's ERP software doesn't work.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to send a report as a .pdf file to an e-mail recipient from Microsoft Dynamics GP and from Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains, you receive the following error message:

When you create a PostScript file you have to send the host fonts. Please go to the printer properties, "Adobe PDF Settings" page and turn OFF the option "Do not send fonts to Distiller" appears.

You continue to receive this error message after you follow these steps to turn off the Do not send fonts to Distiller option:

1.	Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2.	Right-click Adobe PDF, and then click Properties.
3.	On the General tab, click Printing Preferences.
4.	Click to select the Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF" check box, and then click OK.
5.	On the Advanced tab, click Printing Defaults.
6.	Click to select the Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF" check box.
7.	Start Microsoft Great Plains.

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RESOLUTION

Microsoft Dynamics GP

To resolve this problem, complete steps 1-6 in the "Workaround" section.

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Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0

To resolve this problem, complete steps 1-6 of the "Workaround" section, and then obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0. For more information, visit one of the following Microsoft Web sites, depending on whether you are a partner or a customer.

Partners

https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/products/GreatPlains/downloads/servicepack

Customers

https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/support/downloads/servicepacks

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WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps.

Adobe 6.0 and Adobe 7.0

1.	Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2.	Right-click Adobe PDF, and then click Properties.
3.	On the General tab, click Printing Preferences.
4.	Click to clear the Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF" check box.
5.	On the Advanced tab, click Printing Defaults.
6.	Click to clear the Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF" check box.
7.	Start Microsoft Great Plains.
8.	In Microsoft Great Plains, click Print Setup on the File menu.
9.	In the Name list, click Adobe PDF, and then click Properties.
10.	On the Adobe Default Settings tab, click to select the Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF" check box. Then, click to clear the Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF" check box.
11.	Click OK two times.

Adobe 8.0

1.	Click Start, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2.	Right-click Adobe PDF, and then click Properties.
3.	On the General tab, click Printing Preferences.
4.	Click to clear the Rely on System fonts only; do not use document fonts check box.
5.	On the Advanced tab, click Printing Defaults.
6.	Click to clear the Rely on System fonts only; do not use document fonts check box.
7.	Click OK two times.

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STATUS

Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

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Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

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Microsoft Business Solutions - Great Plains 8.0

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Business Solution - Great Plains 8.0 Service Pack 4a.

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MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

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APPLIES TO

•

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010

•

System Manager, when used with:

		Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0
		Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0
		Microsoft Business Solutions–Great Plains 8.0

Report · Mar 02, 2011

even after turning off the option "Rely on system fonts only; do not use document fonts" I still recieve the error.

I have checked and double checked the users this is effecting (the only ones who use this feature) and that option is unchecked from their Adobe PDF printers on their local machines as well as the server adobe pdf printer. I even chose Adobe PDF from File>Print Setup in GP and confirmed it was off. What gives?

Report · Mar 02, 2011

Just in case, have you changed the option in BOTH places for the Adobe PDF printer? Each window looks the same, but there's one under General Tab -> Printer Properties -> Preferences... and then there's a totally separate one under Advanced Tab -> Printing Defaults...

Both have to be disabled - if the printing defaults one is left enabled, the error will simply return when the default overwrites the Preferences setting. If the Preferences setting is left enabled, the error happens since of course it's still passing those fonts in a way that Dynamics hates.

Hope that helps?

Report · Mar 02, 2011

I confirmed I've made the changes in both spots per your suggestion and the "workaround" from MS.

I'm stumped

Report · Jul 01, 2011

dreadgod81, we have about 120 users and found the same to be true in our environment (the need to administratively remove this checkbox) but instead of an ERP system, this is printing to PDF from Outlook 2003 (32bit) with emails which are HTML formatted; and not all fail but 25-35% of them do. The error occurs with win7 sp1 64bit and does not occur with winXP sp3 32bit using Acrobat 8.2.6. 8.3.0 does not fix the issue either. We found the same 4 locations for the distillerhostfonthasmostfonts regkey and found the results to be the same. After changing all 4 locations, the check box in the printing prefs and printer defaults does not change. We need to be able to turn this off. We run in a validated environment and therefore cannot upgrade to Acrobat X or Office 2010 at this time... both of which will be 64bit when we do, but our time frame is at best starting this transition in October 2011 so likely December is when we'll actually get started.

I was curious to know if you have found a solution since beginning this thread? The Adobe "solution" is not a solution. I am not interested that it was not intended for this to be unchecked. If it wasn't, why is it even there? We have tried using regmon in XP and process explorer in win7 to try to capture what changes in the system when we uncheck that box and can't seem to nail it down. That said, the basic question existing in this thread is:

If these 4 regkey entries are not enough to cause this check box to become unchecked in both printing preferences and printer defaults, then what needs to be changed to make it unchecked? Any help with the answer to this question, supported or not, would be great.

thanks.

Report · Jul 01, 2011

I'm afraid I have not had any more luck - what's worse is that no matter what checkboxes I click or unclick, the next Adobe update will just wipe out the change anyway and it will revert to the default behavior.

Not very helpful.

Report · Jul 03, 2011

Let me add something, to the trouble (sorry not to the solution) I have a Windows 7 Professional machine, with Adobe Acrobat 8 Pro, installed on it

and have developed a VBA Excel Macro, that generates a PDF using the "Adobe PDF" printer that was installed with Adobe Acrobat,

but last week, start to neglecting the PDF creation, and allway get the bizarre annoying error message:

        When you create a PostScript file you must rely on system fonts and use document fonts
         Please go to the printer propierties Adobe PDF settings page and turn off the option
         rely on system fonts only;do not use document fonts

I have looking a lot of material around this issue, and it doesnt matter what I try, even obviously, unchecking the

"Rely on system fonts only;do not use document fonts" an both the Printing preferences and in the Printer properties.

I allway continue getting the same error,

So reading this thread forum, I can get one thing clear, IT is NOT in that options that the Adobe software

is checking on my computer, it is obviously in another place, maybe somewhere on the registry as you are saying.

I think this is really annoying and I will be waiting for some kind of help issue. I am going to keep reading this thread foruim,

because is the only one that is tellying me the true: ADOBE Software is using another checking options (unless this is for Windows 7 Pro)

Sorry for not helping instead I am adding more troubles

Francisco Mariscal

Report · Jul 06, 2011

Hello,

I had the same issue that I believe you have with "Rely on system fonts only...", and this is how I resolved it. I was surprised at how easy it was to fix.

I found a procedure on CambridgeSoft Support Forum. Here is the link...

http://forums.cambridgesoft.com/messageview.aspx?catid=6&threadid=235

If you read down, you will see an email with the procedure. I hope it works for you; it did for me.

FYI - Here's the excerpt found in the above link.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-
> boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Jenny Greenleaf
> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 9:56 AM
> To: Frame Users
> Subject: Re: Rely on system fonts only
>
> At Tammy's request, complete instructions!
>
> These are for Windows XP, SP3. If Windows 7 is much different, maybe
someone
> can revise these.
>
> To permanently turn off the Rely on System Fonts Only; Do Not Use Document
> Fonts setting
>
> 1. From the Start menu, choose Printers and Faxes.
>
> 2. In the Printers and Faxes window, right-click the Adobe PDF printer and
> choose Properties.
>
> 3. In the Adobe PDF Properties dialog, choose Printing Preferences.
>
> 4. In the Adobe PDF Printing Preferences dialog, clear the Rely On System
Fonts
> Only check box.
>
> 5. Click OK.
>
> 6. In the Adobe PDF Properties dialog, click the Advanced tab.
>
> 7. Click Printing Defaults.
>
> 8. On the Adobe PDF Settings tab, clear the Rely On System Fonts Only
check
> box.
>
> 9. Click OK, then click OK again.
>
>
> Simple and obvious, right? /sarcasm
>
> Jenny

Good luck!

Rxlopez

Report · Jul 06, 2011

I appreciate those tips, but unfortunately we've already done those and there is one flaw. Major Adobe upgrades revert those user-defined check marks (even the Advanced Properties one) back to the Adobe-preferred setting. That's what this thread is all about - we can temporarily, even for days or weeks, "fix" the issue on an individual basis by changing those two places, but eventually it will be changed back.

And then Adobe released Update # 183,205,291 (and counting) and the setting reverts... Because their official answer is "why would you ever change that option?"

That's why what I REALLY want is to make a Group Policy that I can assign to all of my users, so everytime there's an Adobe update the group policy will change the registry entries appropriately afterwards. A pretty elegant goal, I figure. Adobe gets to keep their update behavior the same, and those of us with specific problems can solve it on a company-wide level.

Report · Jul 08, 2011

Bummer...as i just went live with my Excel macro (printing to PDF) with the presumption that everything was working okay. Oh well, luckily I only have to deal with four users. I can always adjust when it becomes necessary. Thanks for your reply and wish you luck in finding a firm way to fix.

Report · Sep 13, 2011

What a pain... I think there are THREE places you have to change that setting for it to "stick".

1. Printers & Faxes=> Adobe PDF=> rightclick->Printing Preferences=>uncheck "Do not send fonts...etc."

2. Printers & Faxes=> Adobe PDF=> righclick->Properties=>Advanced(tab)=>Printing Defaults=>uncheck "Do not send fonts...etc."

AND from the application your running from perspective... excel in my case.

3. File=>Print=>Properties=>uncheck "Do not send fonts...etc."

Report · Nov 14, 2011

Hope this helps:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/2583764

I'm having the same problem, and just found this solution. Will try and report back.

Best Regards,

Report · Oct 05, 2012

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Print\Printers\Adobe PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\Ado be PDF\PrinterDriverData\DistillerHostFontHasMostFonts

I figured out your problem. You need the 4 keys above set under computer based settings and these 4 below. The keys below are user settings just so when ure making the change in GPO U specify that. The binary key needed to be changed and it was a pain making the change but I got it to work.

HKCU\Printers\DevModes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

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Printers\DevModePerUser\ "add the numbers above here"

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Printers\DevModePerUser\"add the numbers above here"

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2024538721-1307131276-2036863733-26358\Printers\DevModePerUser\"add the numbers above here"

Report · Nov 12, 2024

Thank you @MrSarcastic

this seemingly worked for us. I used this RegKey https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/error--when-you-create-a-postscript-file-you-must-rely-on-system.... , removed the special characters and deployed it as a REG_BINARY via GPO. I'm gonna keep an eye on this, but it looks fine - It's still insane, that a million dollar company like Adobe cannot fix this error and such a workaround is required...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\DevModePerUser

"Adobe PDF"= 410064006f006200650020005000440046000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001040306dc00d40553ef810101000100ea0a6f08640001000f00b00402000100b004030001004c00650074007400650072000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000100000000000000010000000200000001000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000050524956e22000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000180000000000102710271027000010270000000000000000b000a4030000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000300000000000000300210005c4b0300684304000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000046469ff20500000004000000ff00ff00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000010000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000b0000000534d544a000000001000a000410064006f00620065002000500044004600200043006f006e0076006500720074006500720000005265736f6c7574696f6e0031323030647069005061676553697a65004c65747465720050616765526567696f6e00004c656164696e67456467650000496e707574536c6f74002a557365466f726d547261795461626c6500000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000030020000454244410000010000000000010000000100000001000000000000005300740061006e0064006100720064000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001000000