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Participating Frequently
April 17, 2023
Question

Fonts not embedding in PDFs

  • April 17, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 594 views

When generating a PDF from ID 18.2, fonts are subsetting. When generating a PDF from ID 18.0, the fonts are embedded. Details below.

  • In both cases, the same ID file was used and I have tried numerous files that yield the same results.
  • In both cases, the exact same fonts were used.
  • In both cases, the exact same PDF settings were used, inlcuding "Subset fonts when percent of characters used is less than: 0%".

This is NOT unique to any one font in particular. It appears there are no embedding restrictions with any of the fonts.

 

Running mac os 13.0.1.

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

BobLevine
Community Expert
April 18, 2023

Setting that 0% in theory should embed the entire font but it's never been a totally reliable method. Perhaps backup and tell us why you're doing this?

Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com
Brainiac
April 18, 2023

Trying to understand your question/comment.

 

  • Which method of exporting a PDF are you using, File/Export/Interactive or File/Export/Print?
  • What fonts are you using? Need the manufacturer and font full name.
  • Did you verify that you have the licensing rights to embed the fonts into an e-document? View the font in Font Book and look to see if it states "embeddable," "editable embedable" or something similar.

 

Embedding fonts into a PDF is not the same as subsetting the fonts, although generally both are done when a PDF is exported.

 

Embedding means that all or part (subsetted) of the font's glyphs are embedded in the PDF to prevent missing glyph errors. By default, Adobe InDesign embeds all fonts that are used, as long as you have a licensed font that can be embedded.

 

 Subsetting means that only a portion of the font's glyphs will be embedded.

  • Subset when percent of characters used is less than 100% means that if all of the font's glyphs weren't used in the INDD layout, then the export will embed only those characters that were used, not the entire glyph set of the font.
  • Subset when percent used is less than 0% is a contradiction. "Less than 0%" means that no glyphs were used, therefore none of the font's glyphs will be embedded.

 

Based on this, what are you noticing that's different between 18.0 and 18.2?

 

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