Saving Framemaker file as PDF

[saint_vittus]

I saved a FrameMaker 8 file as PDF using File>Save as > PDF. When double-clicked on the PDF, it showed a message "A number was out of range". I ignored the warning and clicked on OK, and the PDF opened.

I was not getting this error till now. Why does it occur now? How can I fix it? (I have a feeling that an Adobe update I installed may be behind this).

[Shlomo Perets]

I encountered this problem in a PDF produced using the combination of FM8 + "Save as PDF".

The "number is out of range" message is displayed upon opening the PDF in Acrobat/Reader.

Upon inspecting the Initial View settings in Acrobat (under Initial View), an excessively large number was displayed to the right of the Open to Page box (1234567890).

It turned out that the "Fit Width" setting for the "At Zoom" option in FrameMaker's PDF Settings dialog box (+"Save as PDF") was consistently responsible for the strange value and the related error. When choosing a value of "Default" or "Fit Page", the PDF was produced correctly.

This problem was not encountered when printing to a .PS file and distilling.

Shlomo Perets, http://www.microtype.com

FrameMaker/Acrobat training & consulting * FM-to-Acrobat TimeSavers/Assistants

[saint_vittus]

Excellent answer. Thanks a lot.

[MEP46]

This was working fine for us but we have had to go back to printing to a .PS file then distilling.  When we now do a Save as PDF from FM 8.0 the PDF file gets all messed up.  Items shift all over the place, push to next pages, etc.  Not sure why this way has stopped working.

[Arnis Gubins]

Sounds like FM is switching to a different printer and you're getting reflows. What is your system default printer while working on your documents in FM? If it's not the Adobe PDF printer instance, then you should consider getting the SetPrint uitlity from Sundorne: http://www.sundorne.com/FrameMaker/Freeware/setPrint.htm

[amymarsh]

I am using Framaker 9. I am having the same reported problem. I convert the book into a .ps file, then distill it. The resultant pdf file is completely messed up. It's missing paragraphs and adds spaces.  I am already using the SetPrint uitlity from Sundorne: http://www.sundorne.com/FrameMaker/Freeware/setPrint.htm to set the defaut toe Adobe PDF as default.

When I use the save as pdf function, the main portion of the pdf is fine, except for the first picture logo on my first page. This picture is just a grey box. This same picture is fine when I use the .ps method.

Help!

[AxialInfo]

If you're on XP then the missing text is almost certainly solved by applying an MS Hotfix. More info is here:

Adobe blog: Hotfix for FrameMaker

PS Hotfix KB 952909

Be sure to reboot after you install the hotfix.

If that doesn't do the trick then please post again, give us the details of your O/S, service pack, and specific FM version as shown on Help > About, including the "pxxx" or 9.0.xx numbers.

Sheila

[amymarsh]

Thanks for your quick reply. I have installed the hotfix, rebooted and tried generating the PDF using the .PS again.  I am getting the same dropped information.

I am using Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 2

FM 9.0P255 --I downloaded the recent update.
Adobe Profesional 8.2.3

Adobe Distiller 8.2.3.231

This used to work for me. This failure correlates to changes I made to allow a PDF conversion to an 11 x 17 document.  I tried to change all of the setting back to allow this book (8 x11).  I might have missed a setting. I 'm just not sure which one!

[AxialInfo]

Could you clarify what you mean by "allow a PDF conversion to an 11 x 17 document" -- do you mean you changed the masterpage layout of the FM document? if the doc was in standard 8.5x11 previously, were you trying to print two full  pages side-by-side in the 11x17 format?  As a rule page imposition like this is done at the PDF and/or printer stage, not in FM, because in FM you wouldn't be able to have two incrementing page numbers on a single sheet, and there would be other complications for left/right sides, etc.

Or, do you mean you changed settings in your Distiller job options with the intent of changing the sheet size there, because you were hoping to have to pages be printed side-by-side that way (this wouldn't work correctly either, again it needs to be done with specialized imposition utility or at the printer itself).

If you changed your Distiller joboptions and saved them you might be able to revert to the original joboptions file saved as a backup; there are a few places that Distiller puts joboptions, you might check in(xxx is the user's name)

C:\Documents and Settings\xxxxxx\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe PDF\Settings

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Settings

One other possibility: I think I've seen this error when there was text frame or a page number variable on the FM master page but it was not visible because it was located outside of the visible page area -- if you were changing the master pages, maybe you accidentally left a footer frame or something on the page, e.g. with a left margin of 9", so when you changed the page back to 8.5x11 the frame is too far over on the right of the page. That definitely caused a weirdness when distilling to PDF.  Could that be the case?

[amymarsh]

I appreciate your response.  I had a separate document that was set in FM to 11 X 17. I originally only changed the PDF print setting to 11 x 17 to match. Since I didn't change the Master page information, I doubt there is hidden text outside the 8 x 11. When that didn't work, I was looked into the distiller settings (oversized pages), PDF setup in FM. I did not touch the master pages.

Regarding the distiller settings, I saved as something new, as to not touch the original settings under high quality print; high quality print (1).So far, you have at least helped me eliminate potential issues.

I'm about ready to pay for someone to look at my files for me to fix this issue.

[amymarsh]

Also, I converted one of the problematic chapters by itself. It worked just fine. I used the same settings to convert the entire book to PDF, but I get the same dropped test and miss-aligned bullet points.

[AxialInfo]

It sounds like you might have multiple problems between the fonts, the extra spaces, the page sizes, and the missing graphic, so it's difficult to give a specific order for resolving things.

I have seen occasions where a problem graphic file clobbered text around it. Is the logo you mentioned the same file that you've used previously? What file format is it? You might try removing the graphic from your FM document, saving the FM file, making a PDF, and see if the missing text magically appears again. If so, the logo file might be incorrectly made, having one of the bounding box settings incorrectly specified, so FM in turn sends conflicting content out to the .ps stream.  Is the logo on your master page or on a body page? copied into FM or imported by reference?

Is the missing text you mentioned just a specific location, or is it all through the document? Is the missing text a particular font? Is there other content in that same font that is correctly shown in the PDF?  What fonts and type of font?

[AxialInfo]

A follow-up to Amy's post, it turns out that the MS Hotfix was key to success; for some unknown reason the first time it was installed it didn't "take" but a second installation did the trick.

For the record, check Add or Remove programs in Control panel, click the “show updates” button, then scroll way down to see the hotfixes, to be sure that #952909 is shown.

Sheila