Embedding fonts for PDF to publish in kdp?

[Giovanni23132686p79k]

I'm trying to publish a softcover book created using framemaker to amazon's KDP but I'm receiving an error about font not being embedded. Specifically, "Fonts are missing from your file. In order to print your book using "Symbol" you will need to embed the missing fonts in your file" and then it points to various equations. I don't think I've had this problem before so I'm not sure where the issue lies- in saving the book as a pdf or in bringing the pdf into KDP (maybe the KDP forums). Is there a setting I'm unaware of where I need to enable embedding a font into the pdf from framemaker? 

[Bob_Niland]

Before considering the embedding issue, what Symbol code points are in use and how?

Historically, FM users were relying on a codepage-mapped Symbol font (Type1 or TrueType), where the text entered would be in the 00h-ffh (\x00-\xff) Latin codespace, but a Character Format of Family "Symbol" would be applied. For example, ASCII "v" (\x77) with legacy Symbol applied is "ω". This is more commonly done in modern times as a native U+03C9 (\u03c9) ω.

It is possible to embed legacy codepage overlay fonts, for PDF, but they are apt to be a problem for HTML & eBook formats.

[Giovanni23132686p79k]

Unfortunately I have almost zero technical knowledge about framemaker and I'm not sure how to even find out which code points are in use (that's the first time I've heard of "code points" for that matter). If it makes a difference, I'm not trying to use ebook formats at this time; just to be able to print the textbook on demand. 

[Bob_Niland]

Do a View » Panels » Character Designer
and see if any of the Character Formats invoke
Family: Symbol or perhaps Symbol Std.

If so, the document probably has overlay fonts in use, and in the Unicode age, they need to be replaced by character code points in the Body fonts that natively represent the desired glyphs. You can search on use of the Character Format to find instances. If these were done as local overrides, they could be harder to find.

If you've got legacy overlay fonts being used in the document, it's a 20th century hack that needs to go away for output workflows other than print & PDF. And even for print, some shops may not be able to handle overlay/codepage substitution fonts.

On the other hand, this could also just be a case of a font being used that lacks needed embed permissions, or needs to be subsetted. There are a number of menus to check.

[Giovanni23132686p79k]

When I check the character designer it comes up as "family: as is." However, when I right click the boxes (objects?) containing the equations, it says the equation font is "Symbol". Sorry if this sounds like a mess, I wouldn't be surprised if it's been done the wrong way. 

[mk-will]

No, you didn't do any wrong.

But let's start at the begininng:

1) What FrameMaker version do you use?

2) You wrote: "... then it points to various equations." So you have equations in your book and you used the  equation editor of FramkerMaker? If not with what software did you do the equations and how did they come in your book?

3) What steps did you take and what settings did you use, when creating the pdf?

And when did the error message come up?

At the end I think - it depends on your answers - the only way will be to embedd the Symbol font.

Regards

Stephan

[Giovanni23132686p79k]

thanks for the help, 
1) The framemaker version is 16.0.4.1062
2)"insert" ==> "equations" menu option for the symbols there

3) when creating the pdf I usually just "save as pdf" and that's it (via the file menu). Based on suggestions in this thread I also tried printing via adobe pdf. Both cases ended in the same error.

[Bob_Niland]

If the document contains legacy FM equations (vs. MathML), it looks like legacy Symbol font is going to be used, and you can't control that. So check these:
File » Print Setup
Name: [ Adobe PDF ]
Properties
/Adobe PDF Settings\
☐ Rely on system fonts only; do not use document fonts
Default Setings: [ Press Quality ] » [ Edit ]
Fonts
☑ Embed all fonts
☑ Subset embedded fonts when percent of characters used is less than: [100%]

[Giovanni23132686p79k]

Unfortunately this did not seem to work. I usually "safe as PDF" but also tried printing to Adobe PDF (which ended up producing a .ps file- turned into a PDF after clicking on it through distiller?) after going through these steps. The error message (Fonts are missing from your file. In order to print your book using "Symbol" you will need to embed the missing fonts in your file) remains the same and looks consistent for all equations. I'm including a screenshot of the menus just in case I misread what you meant. 

[Bob_Niland]

For further investigation, a test file created in FM2020, Save-As-PDF, reports:
🄵 Symbol (Embedded Subset)
Type: Type 1 (CID)
Encoding: Identity-H

The system Symbol font appears to be:
symbol.ttf
Version 5.01
TrueType Outlines
Foundry: Monotype

This is what legacy FM equations would be using.

Historically, there was a bit of a conflict on Symbol, because it's a core font in PostScript, and Adobe products would often include a Type1 font file for it. You could have a system with two Symbol fonts installed.

[Giovanni23132686p79k]

Just wanted to reply that I haven't given up on the issue- I was able to move a sample chapter with equations to another machine and instance of FM and it appeared to create a PDF readable to the publishing service. It also had a warning involving fonts. Unfortunately I got locked out and will have to wait until I can get credentials to use framemaker on that machine before I can try again. 

[Bob_Niland]

For a one-time problem, if you have a naive Windows machine available, you can download the trial version of the latest FM and see what it does.

[Giovanni27714009tvue]

I installed a trial version on a computer and while the problem still seems to happen if I "save" to PDF, I think there was a change when I followed the print preferences above and printed to adobe PDF. Amazon's direct publishing still says the fonts are "not properly embedded" it has changed from telling me to fix it to "we've embedded them for you." I'm including a screenshot of the properties-fonts tab from the PDF- it does look like there are two symbols there- Type 1 and True Type CID.

Other than hoping the result can be printed after I review it, I'm not sure how much I should worry about the two fonts- whether it's something that can be fixed or if framemaker should be cleanly installed on the 'normal' computer.

[Giovanni27714009tvue]

(and in the mess of switching framemaker use from various computers I seem to have switched back and forth between individual and institution user profiles!)