Postscript Crashing since last update (Acrobat Pro DC)

[WindyDave]

Hi Guys,

Since the last update (2019.010.20091), my team and I have been having issues with our PDFs not postscripting, causing distiller to crash.

As background, we use another program (Nitro) to combine a range of documents, email messages, text files etc into a single PDF. We then open the PDF in outlook and save as a Postscript, and then use the postscript to create a usable file. The reason we use postscript is that not doing so interferes with another plugin we use for redacting information.

Prior to last week, which I can only attribute to the 2019.010.20091 update, this worked just fine. The key sticking point seems to be when an outlook .msg file has been converted to PDF by Nitro. (as in PDFs without those emails will postscript fine, emails with them in will crash)

We use Nitro because Adobe doesn't support bulk convert/combining outlook .msg files, and these are a substantial portion of the documents we deal with.

This is extremely frustrating, nothing has changed on our end in terms of process or software, other than Adobe breaking things.

Apologies if this is not in the right section, it's the one that made the most sense to me.

The error given is below:

The problem occurs across multiple computers, with multiple combinations of documents, the commonality appears to be where the outlook files were involved.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi WindyDave,

As you are using the Nitro to create PDFs and the workflow you have mentioned above, I cannot assure you anything on this right now.

You have mentioned that the postscript crashing only with the PDF which includes the outlook.ms files.

Would you please help us with more information on this issue?

- Please share any 2-3 sample PDFs created in Nitro on which the issue occurs and the postscript that you create.

- Share the exact steps you do to create the postscript of the PDF.

- Share the application version of  Nitro, Outlook, and Postscript software

-  What is the OS version installed on the machine?

- Let us know the exact workflow that results in a crash and how Acrobat comes in the scenario.

Please provide the details as asked above, I will check into this.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[WindyDave]

Hi Meenakshi,

Alas I would use acrobat instead of Nitro if it did everything I needed it to do. (but anyway) To answer your questions:
System Information:

OS: Windows 10 Enterprise (version 1809 (OS Build 17763.195)

Nitro Pro 12.2.0.228

Adobe Acrobat DC 19.010.20091

Acrobat Distiller 19.10.20091315611
Outlook 2016 (16.0.4783.1000) 32 bit

Process used:

1) Source the email, save it to a local drive.

2) Use Nitro Pro to create a PDF from an outlook message file.
3) Open the resulting PDF in Acrobat Pro.
4) Export to > Postscript.
5) Double click on the .ps file to open it in Distiller. Distiller starts to process.
6) Distiller crashes.

There are a few more steps involved in our usual workflow, but the only bit that breaks in the process are .msg files.
I have tried a few different variations (emails with images, emails in plain text format, emails with and without signature blocks) and all fail to postscript.

I've uploaded some sample emails (original message, pdf, and postscript)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/73swojaukydtno6/AAB7JqQqy6TsSXJ0sQevlYPVa?dl=0

The current workaround is to Print the resulting PDF (at step 3 above instead of exporting to PS) using Adobe PDF driver, but this seems rather tedious to do.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Thank you for sharing the information.

Please allow us some time to look into this. We will let you know if we need more information.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[marvini98082150]

I have had similar issues.  My process is a bit more simpler.  I use Distiller to convert a Postscript file to a PDF, by opening Distiller and dropping in a batch of PS files.  Everything was working up until Feb 12.  The next time I tried it on Feb 15, the Distiller was crashing as soon as I tried to run the process.

I have tried rolling back any Windows updates, but there are still crashes with Distiller.

It is not happening to PS files that have been recently created.  I have tried running PS files that were processed successfully prior to Feb 12 and those have caused Distiller to crash.

What I have discovered over the weekend, is that Distiller XI and below are working fine.   My company had an old copy of Adobe 6, so that is what I am using for now.  Until there is an update by Adobe, going back to old version of Distiller is the work around I have found so far.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Marvini,

Thank you for reporting the issue.

Would you mind sharing the following details with us?

- Acrobat and Distiller version.

- OS installed on the machine.

- Please share some sample files of the PDF and postscript that you have created.

- Share the exact steps you perform.

We will be waiting for your response.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[marvini98082150]

Hi Meenakshi,

I have tried

Acrobat/Distiller versions:

DC    (crashes on Windows 10 and 7)

2017 (crashes on Windows 10 and 7)

version 11  (works ok on Windows 10 and 7)

version 9 (works ok on Windows 10 and 7)

version 6 ( works ok on Windows 10 and 7)

I double click on the Post script files and it crashes.

I have opened Distiller and dragged and dropped files into the window and it crashes.

As for sample postscript files, I think you can try any Postscript file and you will find it crashes.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Please provide the exact version number of Acrobat DC and Acrobat 2017.

Take help of the steps mentioned here Identify the product and its version for Acrobat and Reader DC

- Meenakshi

[marvini98082150]

It is whatever version that is downloaded directly from your website.

For DC, it is 19.10.20091315611.

For 2017, just download and look at the version number.  I uninstalled  that since both could not co-exist.

[-Tami]

I was having the same problem. Distiller was crashing on some pages where there were EPS graphics. I identified the pages, replaced the graphics with EMF versions, and can now PDF the docs again. See Re: When PDFing keep getting "Acrobat distiller has stopped working" for details.

As I mention in that topic, one of our other pubs guys has had this problem a number of times. It has always turned out to be a graphic or sometimes a custom font.

[WindyDave]

Thanks for the suggestion Tami.

Unfortunately in my case that simply isn't an option.

Fortunately we still have an earlier version of Distiller (X) on our machines that we can manually use, but it's still (for us anyway) yet another workaround in a whole series of workarounds. (most of which relate to business processes rather than Adobe)

Anyway.

[former Cory R. Carpenter]

To add to this discussion:  We have seen this as well when distilling docs containing EPS graphics from FM10 and FM2017 using Save as PDF.  It may relate to EPS files with specific characteristics, as the example document I used for troubleshooting caused Distiller to crash three times in the course of processing although it contained many more than three EPS graphics.

The temporary workaround we used was to replace C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\acrodistdll.dll dated, as I recall, 1/31/2019 with an earlier version (dated 6/29/2018).  Hopefully the next Distiller DC update will contain a fix for this problem.

(I'm also posting this to the other two similar threads of which I'm aware in case folks aren't following all of them.)

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi All,

We have sent you an email with the fix patch for this issue.

Please check your inbox and install the patch provided in that email.

Let us know if you experience any issue.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[ExcellusUser]

We are experiencing this same issue, where can I obtain this fix patch?

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Excellususer,

I have sent you an email. Please check your inbox.

Let us know if you need any help.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[mikeh65737578]

Hi Meenakshi,

I am having these same issues. Would it be possible to send me this patch as well?

Thank you.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Mikeh,

I have sent you an email with the fix patch.

Please check your inbox and update the application.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[try67]

Maybe this patch should be pushed as an update, instead of people having to ask for it here?

[nicku6186737]

Hello,

We are experiencing the issue with Adobe Acrobat in Creative Cloud as well, can I request an email with the patch?

Thank you

[albertog51285158]

Hello,

we are having the same problem here.

¿Could you send us the patch?

Thank you very much.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Albertog,

I have sent you a private message.

Please check your inbox and refer to the steps provided there.

Let us know if you need any help.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[sew69640915]

Hi Meenakshi,

Can you send me this patch or direct me to where I can download this?

[ls95834533]

I have the same issue.  Is it possible to get the patch?

Adobe Acrobat 2017 (Classic) Version 2017.011.30127

Thank you!

[sew69640915]

Hello...can anyone provide this Patch?  Been trying for a few days.  I have even tried their tech support (details removed by moderator) but nobody answers?

How do we escalate?

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi All,

I have sent you a private message.

Please check your inbox and refer to the steps provided there

Let us know if you experience any issue.

Regards,

Meenakshi