FrameMaker 2019 doesn't generate bookmarks in PDF - how to fix?

[Vickis9]

Hi all,

I have 2 books, both created in FM2017 and converted both to FM2019.

When I 'save as pdf' one of them, the generated pdf doesn't include any bookmarks. The problem doesn't reoccur in the second book.

I made sure the bookmarks box is ticked under: Format->Document->PDF Set Up

What could be causing the problem?

Thank you,

Vicki

[Vickis9 · Accepted solution]

Right,

So, although the book's PDF set up was to print with bookmarks, I noticed that not every individual chapter is marked the same.

I repeated Format->Document->PDF Set Up->tick bookmarks for every chapter in the book's browser, and tried saving the book as pdf again. This time the bookmarks were there.

[Anita Gutierrez]

I'm having the same problem as you, Vickis9, except that it's not fixed by the method you describe. When I save a book to PDF, on the Bookmarks tab I select Generate PDF Bookmarks and select the tags to include. When I open the resulting PDF, there are no bookmarks. I tried opening every file in the book and verifying that the bookmark option was selected. It was. I tried different distiller job options, but no luck.

I also found this article which explains that clearing the option "Subset embedded fonts..." in job option settings > fonts can result in a file with no bookmarks. I made sure that the option was selected in all the job options that I tried. It was. 

I've even tried rebooting my computer! 

The strange thing is, this started a couple of days ago and I'd never seen it before. I have not upgraded or updated Frame, Acrobat, my OS, or any other software in months. I'm not aware of anything having changed in my environment. It just stopped working. 

Any suggestions are welcome!

[Winfried Reng]

Hi Anita,

Which FrameMaker version do you have? Do you have the latest update? Please check this in the Help menu.

Do you have this issue with allo files? Even new ones with FrameMaker's default template?

What's your default printer? Is the option Use Acrobat Distiller for PDF Generation in the Publish pod selected (Publish pod, Edit your sts file, select the Outputs tab; the option is in the General tab.) Can you create your PDF with this option switched on and off?

In FrameMaker 2019 the default printer should not matter. However, when you have difficulties I would switch to Adobe PDF.

Best regards

Winfried

[Anita Gutierrez]

I've been watching this thread, but none of the solutions proposed so far have fixed it.

In Frame 2017, when I open the Publish pod, I don't see the PDF option on the left. I suspect this might be the problem. How do I get the PDF option in that dialog?

I'm on Framemaker 14.0.4.511 (I just updated to the latest). I have this issue with all files, even new ones created with a template. My default printer is Adobe PDF.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Anita - I don't think the PDF publish option was in FM2017 - have you looked at the usual PDF creation modes (Save As PDF or print to Adobe PDF printer instance)?

[Anita Gutierrez]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes--I've looked at Save as PDF and File > Print  > select PDF.

I also tried the steps in Frame 2019. (I've installed 2019 but haven't used it much.) When I went to File > Publish and tried to edit the PDF sts, Frame crashed.

I've used 2017 since it was released and never had a problem until earlier this summer. It's possible that the problem began after I installed 2019 side-by-side, but that's just a guess.

[Anita Gutierrez]

Also, I just tried creating the PDF with Frame 2015--no luck there either. I'm simply unable to create a PDF with bookmarks from any Frame version.

[K.Daube]

"Yes--I've looked at Save as PDF and File > Print  > select PDF. I also tried the steps in Frame 2019. (I've installed 2019 but haven't used it much.) "When I went to File > Publish and tried to edit the PDF sts, Frame crashed."

You may have become a victim of https://tracker.adobe.com/#/view/FRMAKER-6502 Auto-Collapse Iconic Pods ruins Publish Pod

[JonBe]

Hi Anita,

I see this with 2017 where I have also installed 2019. As my client does not use the Publish menu at all, and PDF's created by API work perfectly, I did not look into it. Curiously 2019 and 2020 together do not have this problem. Maybe it's because 2017 was 32-bit and 2019 64-bit. I will investigate and see if I can find a cause, and hopefully a resolution. Does Save Book (or Doc) as, and then choosing PDF work for you? In 2017 it shows the PDF Setup dialog so Bookmarks can be selected.

Jon

[Anita Gutierrez]

Thank you both. In 2017 when I go to File > Publish, the PDF option is not there. So, while the "Auto-Collapse Iconic Pods ruins Publish" issue might be affecting me, even if it weren't, there's no PDF in the list for me to select.

I had 2017 and 2019 installed side-by-side, so I just uninstalled 2019 and tried again. Same results--no bookmarks in the PDF. I've been trying this with File > Save Book or Doc as > PDF as well as File > Save as PDF--no luck.

To sum it up, I've tried all of the proposed solutions in this thread, but I still do not have the ability to generate a PDF with bookmarks in any of my available Frame versions (2015, 2017, 2019). My default version right now is 2017, but I really need to be able to access all three, because I support a team of people on different versions. Also, transitioning to 2019 will be a bit onerous because I have some FrameScript scripts configured in that version that I'd need to set up again.

I might try to get a copy of 2020 and install it on a VM to see if that's a workaround for generating PDFs with bookmarks. If I go this path, would I need to have a full Acrobat version on the VM as well?

[JonBe]

Hi Anita,

You should be able to generate bookmarks for PDFs in all the versions of FrameMaker you have tried. The crashing issue is separate, which occurs when you use the Publish pod in 2019. As Jeff posted, FrameMaker will use Acrobat (Distiller) if it is present, otherwise it installs a special version. With 2019 the process of PDF generation was changed. However all versions still need you to select paragraph styles, or elements if the document is structured, to use as the bookmarks. These are selectable in the PDF setup dialog, which should be displayed when you save the document as a PDF in 2017 or earlier, of from the menu in 2019 or later. I am not sure 2020 will help, given this is not working for you now.

Jon

[SecretOne]

Checking Format>Document>PDF Setup
Ticking "Generate PDF Bookmarks"

Thank you, this was my problem I was having with Framemaker 2020.
Was only happening with one section, strangely. It was fine in Framemaker 2019.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

@Anita - no, the Publish PDF option in FM2019/2020 uses a completely different engine than the older Save As or Print to PDF modes. FM still has the old "headless" PDF engine in it for those older modes, so you don't have to have the full Acrobat version to create PDFs.