FrameMaker v16 cannot save or print to PDF

[Rodney29227791vh4s]

I have a clean licensed install on Windows 10 of Adobe FrameMaker v16.0.5.1096. I do not have a paid Adobe Acrobat product (only reader).

When I select Save As PDF, I get an error dialog with "FrameMaker could not find Adobe PDF printer instance", and the save fails.

When I select Print Book, Adobe's PDF printer is not installed (only Microsoft's), so that doesn't work properly.

I've searched Adobe's support forums, and I've found obscure instructions for INF files (which doesn't work since I don't have Acrobat), and good 'ol uninstall/reinstall (which I tried and doesn't work). 

Isn't saving to PDF a basic use of FrameMaker?
If I can't create a PDF document, what format does Adobe propose?

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

I have Acrobat, but I would have assumed that you do not need the PDF printer to create a PDF.

You could install a demo version of Acrobat and then deinstall it. I would expect that this installs the Acrobat printer, but does not deinstall it with the application.

FrameMaker 16 and 17 can create PDFs without Distiller.

Best regards

Winfried

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Well, you actually do have Acrobat, just a headless version that shipped with FM. If you've tried all the suggestions in https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker-discussions/framemaker-2020-can-t-find-pdf-printer-instanc... and https://community.adobe.com/t5/framemaker-discussions/adobe-pdf-printer-lost-after-uninstalling-fm20... then you should contact the FM folks - see https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#framemaker for your Adobe Support options. I'd recommend using the tcssup@adobe.com e-mail address as it reaches a team dedicated to Technical Communication Suite products including FrameMaker.

[Rodney29227791vh4s]

Thanks. I'll try that email.
When I try the steps to manually install the PDF printer, the port doesn't exist (no "Documents (PDF)"), and the INF file does not exist. I assume that's because the headless Acrobat is incomplete. If so... contacting someone from Adobe is presumably the best option.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

There was another reference to fixing that port assignment message over in one of the Acrobat forums (it was referenced from one of the ones I posted).

[Rodney29227791vh4s]

Still no response from Adobe on this unsolved problem. I'll keep attempting new support tickets in hopes that Adobe will respond.

To restate: The Adobe Framemaker install did *not* install a "headless Acrobat" to my computer, so the manual instructions for the PDF Printer install are not applicable. There is no folder with INF files, because there is no Acrobat (other than reader). That suggestion is not constructive.
The suggestion to install/uninstall a 7-day trial of Acrobat Pro is a constructive suggestion. Since that trial forces me to submit a personal credit card to Adobe, it is not my preferred solution. If that is the only solution, I would like to hear that formally as a suggestion from Adobe. It seems to me that Adobe should provide a simpler installation path to solve this.

[FrameMaker-dk]

Have you tried using Microsofts PDF printer driver? When there is no postscript involved it is excellent.

[Rodney29227791vh4s]

Good suggestion. Yes I tried to Print using Microsoft's PDF driver. That generates a PDF, but the PDF does not contain the Bookmarks view on the left with a table of contents. That Bookmarks view is a requirement for the IEEE standard that I am generating. I need to configure the number of levels in that view, which I know the Adobe PDF driver supports.

[Rodney29227791vh4s · Accepted solution]

For a solution to this problem, I recommend that you call the 800 support number listed at:
https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/enterprise-support.other.html#framemaker
Adobe did not respond to email, but the FrameMaker support contact on the phone was helpful. There was a problem with the Distiller installer contained within the FrameMaker installer. The fix is a bit too detailed to explain here, so I recommnend calling in. When you hear the numbers for each set of Adobe products, wait for the end (FrameMaker was in the list for '8' for me).