Some PDF Documents are Missing Letters when Printing

[fnbjason]

We use a Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise (64-bit) server as our print server. Ever since we moved our printers to this server, several of our existing PDF documents have missing letters when they print. If you modify your print properties and choose "Print as Image", the documents print correctly with no missing letters.

The missing letters seem to come in specific combinations, such as ti, ft, fa, etc.

Our previous print server was a Windows Server 2003 (32-bit) machine and these documents all printed fine on that server.

Are there any known issues with printing PDF documents on a 64-bit print server, or with 64-bit drivers?

Thank you for your time,

Jason

[MichaelKazlow]

It sounds like the pdf files may not have the fonts embedded. Can you check one of your problemsome files?

[fnbjason]

What is the best way to determine that? Here is a screenshot of the Fonts properties for one of them:

Would I be correct in assuming that the Calibri fonts are embedded, but the MyriadPro is not? If that is the case, how do I make them embedded?

Thanks,
Jason

[Anna Nmty]

This response will hopefully help you towards a solution—I have not encountered the specific problem you are facing.

The image you posted shows the fonts that are embedded in your document: both Calibri and Myriad Pro. However, the second instance of Calibri indicates that some some of the Calibri characters were encoded differently, and I suspect based on the combo characters you listed, these are glyphs and are what your printer is having trouble processing.

The usual solution for print server issues is to make sure all drivers and firmware are updated.

The answer to your question regarding embedding fonts completely is to change your Adobe pdf print preferences to embed all fonts, not just a subset. This must be done when the pdf is being created initially. You can change font embedding by choosing a joboption like Press Quality that includes full font embedding or by modifying the joboption you are already using. In Windows, you can do this at the time of print by selecting the Advanced button next to the printer selection dropdown and changing settings there, in advance by modifying the printing preferences from your printers menu, or by editing the joboptions in Acrobat Distiller.

[Anna Nmty]

I glossed over many issues writing my initial response. There are many articles and posts about font embedding, what can and cannot be embedded, and file sizes. The issue is worth looking into before changing your pdf making practices.

[Guest]

I had the same problem. I tried with Adobe Reader and everything printed right.

[spermlady]

It worked for me when I printed from Adobe Reader instead of my Acrobat X Pro.  Thanks silicyclegraph!