More PDF Generation Issues

[JayJM]

This is going to be a long complicated description, so please bare with me...

I'm using Tech Comm Suite2 on a new Win 7 system. I'm using documents that worked fine with FM 7.2 and Win XP with some minor edits. Like others, on here I've had problems generating a PDF from FM 9. The error occurred when I used "Save as PDF" or "Save as PDF (Send For Review)." It didn't matter whether I was generating it from the book or an individual file (I also tried new documents). I was getting a long, obscure message that I finally figured out but had nothing to do with the problem  (if you're interested, I've attached a screen capture of it). Printing to the Adobe PDF printer worked. It turns out that contrary to advice that I noticed elsewhere on this forum, I needed to unselect the "Convert CMYK to RGB" check box. (I just noticed one more thing while verifying my memory to write this up. The error shown in the attached JPG doesn't occur when the default printer is set to Adobe PDF. It only occurs when I have the printer set to my HP LaserJet 4100 PS).

OK, so that problem seems fixed. So here's my new stumper...

When I took a closer look at the generated PDF, I noticed that some of the headers were changed to gibberish, and both those that were and weren't gibberish were changed to italic from regular. For example, "Overview" became "OveriwMaeniv" and "Manual Purpose and Contents" became " AvMAto Mr isloAvwo ivelves" (note: there were some graphic squares that didn't copy and paste into here). Not only that, the FrameMaker file itself had the fonts changed to italic. However, once the fonts were italic, converting the document another time solved the gibberish problem.

[Art Campbell]

In general, if you're doing PDFs, your system should be set up to use the PDF printer as the default. Period. You can do it at the system level or with a SetPrint script from http://www.sundorne.com/FrameMaker/Freeware/setPrint.htm

I suspect that when you use the HP, you're either in HP mode (not PostScript) or you use some fonts that are resident only on the printer itself, and aren't installed on your system. Which means that you may be using two different versions of the same font -- one from your /Fonts folder and one on the printer.

***

May not make a difference, but I've gotten into the habit of saving files that I've rolled forward from 7.2 to 9 as MIF to clean things up, then saving the MIFs as FM. Also, there seem to have been some problems that resulted from 7.2 books being converte to 9. I don't think your font issue is related, but if a book starts acting wonky, you may want to recreate the book file in 9...

Art

[JayJM]

Art,

Thanks for the reply. I've been using FM for years and never worried about changing the printer when doing a Save as PDF. Since I'm using a Postscript version of the HP without built-in fonts, I'm not sure how much difference that should make. You make a good point about the different fonts for the different printers though. That may be the clue.

I checked on the SetPrint plugin that you recommended. It doesn't seem to work for FM9.They don't say that they've tested it on FM 9 yet. I followed the steps they outlined for "Using SetPrint on initialization," but it doesn't seem to work. I tried finding info in the FM9 help about installing plugins, and I can't find anything. Have you tried this with FM9?

Jay

[Art Campbell]

No, I haven't tested that script with 9 'cause I just set up with Adobe PDF as the default and let it run.

I just mentioned it 'cause if I didn't, someone else would. ;-  )

If I need hard copy, I just print the PDF....

[JayJM]

By the way, I tried having the default printer set to Adobe PDF, and it didn't make any difference.

Jay Mahler

734-665-0014

734-645-6298 (cell)

[JayJM]

I’m beginning to think that this is a font issue. I’m using Arial Black, and that’s the font with the problems. When I changed the header font style to Franklin Gothic Heavy, the PDF generated properly, while another paragraph style that I didn’t change still had the problem.

Jay Mahler

734-665-0014

734-645-6298 (cell)

[Mike Wickham]

I seem to recall that there is a known issue with the version of Arial Black

that came with Windows XP SP3. If I recall correctly, replacing it with an

older version of Arial Black is the fix. Search for Arial Black bug and you

will probably find the information.

[JayJM]

I looked this up. I downloaded the Arial Black font from Microsoft, and it didn't solve the problem. I'm not willing to pay for this font. I'll just replace it.

Thanks Mike and Art for your comments.

Jay

[Art_Campbell1]

Did you remove the bogus Black font and reboot before installing the "old" one?

[Mike Wickham]

I've been using the SetPrint utility with FM9 since FM9 was first released.

It works fine.

[JayJM]

Thanks, I contacted the author of SetPrint, Ian Hawkins, and he helped me with the installation. He hasn't tried it with FM9. It worked for me on FM 9, and that was news to him.

Jay Mahler

734-665-0014

734-645-6298 (cell)