Additional Character spaces added when viewed as text

[Debbie @ Bella]

Hi,

We have an unusual problem and have done a fair bit of research without seeing a similar problem... 

We design a magazine in InDesign and supply in PDF format to a digital host (Zinio). But when the PDFs are viewed by them in their text reader additional random spaces are added between characters.

Also, if we copy paste the text from these PDFs the additional spaces appear. If I copy and paste directly from the InDesign file, the text spacing is correct.

This has only started since we started using InDesign 16. Currently we're on InDesign 16.3.2 running on a Mac running Big Sur 11.5.

Any clues as to the cause would be greatly appreciated!

[Steve Werner]

To investigate, we'd need to see a sample of the InDesign file and the PDF file. Impossible to help with just your verbal description (too many variables). Can you post samples and supply a link we can test?

[Diane Burns]

Yes, please supply samples as Steve mentions. Thanks.

[Debbie @ Bella]

Thanks for the speedy response.

Files uploaded now.  

Please let m eknow of any additional info you need.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

From your PDF, it copied and pasted just fine in every program I tried here EXCEPT for Word, where the first time I pasted it did the same thing, albeit a bit differently. HOWEVER, if you Paste Special as "Unformatted Text" in Word, the spacing doesn't happen. So it seems some weird rich text formatting is happening in the clipboard. How and why this is affecting your Zinio situation is not clear when it doesn't seem to affect exporting to RFT or Word directly from the PDF.

Hmmm.

[Laubender]

Hi Debiie,

sorry, I'm not able to download your posted InDesign document.

The forum does not allow this. Tried with Firefox and Chrome on Windows 10.

It may be the special characters in the document's name.

Could you post the document again just with no special characters in the name?

Simply Letter93.indd would do. Thanks!

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )