Fonts to PDF -- I'm pulling my hair out!!!

[Sparkly]

:banghead:

I'm trying to print from Adobe PageMaker to Adobe PDF. I'm not unfamiliar with these, but I'm getting all sorts of font error messages that are preventing it from printing.

I think the problem is in EPS files generated in Sibelius (music software). But all the fonts I've used are installed, and when making the EPS I embedded them.

Still I get this long list of garble about substituting Courier, a postscript error, and not being able to print.

That stupid "Times New Roman" font has given me trouble in the past, so I tried to remove and replace that but it won't let me remove it...

Any suggestions appreciated -- this is making me nuts!!! :cry:

[Gore1FL]

1. I'd contact adobe support.

True type fonts can be an issue. I think there are freware ort shareware apps out there as well that will allow you to convert them to PS. It's an ugly fix, but it will probably work.

[Sparkly]

2. Yeah, I finally did that but couldn't find my serial number etc. etc.

so I'll wait until Monday.

I'm also thinking of upgrading my music software. Seems I can print pages that don't have a music EPS in them (as long as there's no lurking Times New Roman anywhere -- what is up with that font?!). So I'm guessing it's something to do with how Sibelius is (or isn't) embedding the fonts. In fact, one of the fonts Acrobat seems to have a problem with is Sibelius' music font, "Opus." I've deleted and re-installed fonts in my main font folder, and that doesn't help either. :(

The new Sibelius version -- and I am several versions behind -- has an option to export scores as TIFF files, in addition to EPS. But their little chart of options shows EPS as the type to use in Adobe, and TIFF as the one to use with Microsoft programs. Is there a reason for that?

Anyway, thanks for responding. :)

[Gore1FL]

3. Adobe controlsTIFF

I would think it would work in their software. It's and old format (no major change for over a decade). MS probably has better built in support for it.

[Sparkly]

4. Hm!

Is one or the other -- EPS vs. TIFF -- superior in appearance?

[Gore1FL]

5. That I don't specifically know from experience.

I think TIFF stands for Tagged image file format, and is used for line art, and was developed for things like older scanners, and fax software.

What it will do (I speculate) is create a picture file rather than a font-based representation.

[Gore1FL]

6. Here is a rough explaination of each

EPS -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encapsulated_PostScript

TIFF -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIFF

If it worked, EPS would probably be better, but I don't see any reason why TIFF shouldn't work in your app.

(On Edit -- and since EPS doesn't seem to work, TIFF is older and simpler and therefore probably will) The support for you music program may be ble to address your issues better than Adobe, as I think on this.

Out of curiosity, do you Times New Roman fonts show up badly, or do they not convert properly at all? (on edit -- never mid you addresseds this in the original post)
Go to control panel and fonts. The icon to the left should show an "O" a "TT" or an "A" do you see a pattern in the ones that work, vs the ones that don't as far as that list shows?

[Sparkly]

8. Well, here's an odd thing...

The "Opus" fonts are listed both as "A" and as "TT" -- two versions for each.

Hmm....

PS - Thanks for the info!! And PPS -- I went ahead and ordered the Sibelius upgrade in hopes it'll help. Probably about time to do it anyway -- going from version 2 to version 5!

[trotsky]

7. The PDF file you're generating - does it need to be editable?

Or otherwise use some of the advanced PDF features?

If not, you might want to install CutePDF. It's freeware, and installs itself as another printer on your system. It might not care about the Adobe font issues.

http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp

[Sparkly]

9. Doesn't need to be editable

It needs to have everything embedded and work for a commercial printing company -- that's the main thing. I'm not sure what features they require on their end. Does CutePDF cause any conflicts with Adobe as far as you know?

[trotsky]

10. Not as far as I've seen in my experience.

We give it to all our salespeople so they can send quotes as PDF files. Have never encountered compatibility problems.

[Gore1FL]

11. I've used it with good succes in getting word documents in pdf format.

I like cutePDF better than the other's I've tried--good suggestion.

[Sparkly]

12. Hey! I think I'm onto something... (I'm such an idiot!)

I can print directly from my music program to PDF.

It gives me an option to us TrueType, PostScript. Default, or Automatic for the symbols. I tried TrueType, and the notes all disappeared (just the stems remained). I tried Automatic, and voila -- I can get a PDF of the music!

So I can place that PDF into Pagemaker and then print that to PDF again (just to get the rest of the headers/footers and text in there) although that seems redundant and the files are huge.

Nevertheless, it's do-able.

EDIT: Now this isn't working either, on my second page. Times New Roman again. :banghead:

[Gore1FL]

13. Is the font error coming from your music, or your headers/footers?

If from the musci, check you settings on the cutepdf settings You might need to dumb them down, or smarten them up.