Per my client's request, I had to purchase a lovely new OpenType font, AJenson Pro, for a book project I'm paging using PageMaker 7.0.1a in Windows XP. First it wouldn't print on my postscript HP laser printer, but downloading an updated printer driver from the HP web site easily fixed that problem. But I have done everything I can think of and I can't get the new font to appear in a .pdf created using Acrobat Distiller 5.0.5, which came bundled with PageMaker.

The font shows up in the finished .pdf as boxes with X marks in them instead of letters! I'm not trying to use anything but standard characters (no glyphs, etc.) in the font. I've been using PageMaker and creating .pdf files in Acrobat Distiller 5.0 for years and have had no problems until I got this new font. Adobe Type Manager shows that it is installed and it looks great on the screen.

I purchased the entire AJenson Pro font family from MyFonts.com, so I have bold, bold ital, etc. Their technical support couldn't suggest anything I hadn't already tried.

I'm planning on upgrading my PageMaker to InDesign soon, but I'll need a new computer to meet the minimum system requirements so I've been putting it off. I'm afraid to even download the free 30-day trial on my older computer. Any suggestions on how to get this OpenType font to work in a .pdf created using PM 7.0.1a and Acrobat Distiller 5.0, or do I have to upgrade to InDesign right away? I need to be able to create a .pdf so I can e-mail proofs to my client and eventually to send the finished book to a commercial printer. Thanks!

Some things to check if you've haven't already.

1. Delete the "Acrobat" printer style.

2. Make sure PM is using the correct PPD for Distiller 5.
* <http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=328692&sliceId=1>

3. Create the PS file and save it. Then load Distiller to create the PDF from the PS file.
* Donald Gruener, "1.1 - General procedure for PDF creation" #1, 3 May 2002 12:51 pm </webx?14@@.ef851b3/0>

Iechyd da! John
16:44 23/09/2008 BST

As suggested, I deleted the "Acrobat" printer style, but that didn't solve the problem. The link in #2 didn't help me determine whether I have the correct PPD for Distiller 5 (could be me, but I didn't see this info there, and I couldn't find it anywhere else on the Adobe web site); however, I'm using the same PPD I've always used with complete success (Acrobat Distiller 3015.102). I always create a postscript file first and create my .pdfs using Distiller, so that's not the problem. The other fonts used in this job appear in the .pdf just fine, so the problem is something to do with this new OpenType font. Thanks!

The correct Distiller 5 PPD is "Acrobat Distiller 3011.104"

Distiller 5 PPD - "Acrobat Distiller 3011.104",
Distiller 6 PPD - "Adobe PDF 3015.102"
Distiller 7 PPD - "Adobe PDF 3016.102"

More here:
* <http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=328397>

Iechyd da! John
21:09 23/09/2008 BST

OK, I've used the correct Distiller 5.0 PPD, 3011.104, but I still can't get the OpenType font to work in the .pdf. It is still just showing up in the .pdf as little boxes. All other fonts are working just fine, as usual, so it must be something with this new type of OpenType font that just won't cooperate with Acrobat Distiller 5.0.5 and PageMaker 7.0.1a.

I am going to go ahead and produce this project in PageMaker and mail proofs to my client instead of e-mailing them .pdf files the way I usually do. Then when InDesign CS4 comes out in late October (which is about the time this project will be ready to go to press)I'll purchase that program and open the PageMaker files in InDesign and make my .pdf for the printer from there. From what everyone says it is very easy to make good .pdfs directly from InDesign. I've spent at least two days trying to solve this problem, and I surrender.

Very odd.

And yes, creating PDFs from InDesign is a breeze.

Iechyd da! John
18:21 24/09/2008 BST

Yes, it's easy to export to PDF from ID, but I wouldn't send the client PM proofs for sign-off then open the PM files in ID and export that to PDF. That's a workflow that could quite easily cause you problems, and since you're reworking the files after the client's signed off on the final proofs, you're the one liable for any problems. ID's good at opening PM files, but you can't count on it being perfect. If you want to use ID, redo the whole job in ID; you can download the trial version or, now that CS4's been announced, you may be able to purchase CS3 then upgrade to CS4 for a nominal fee once it's out (though check on that).

Thanks for the advice--I hadn't thought about reflow problems when opening a PM file in ID. Rats. The client really wants this particular new OpenType font (I showed them sample pages in other very similar TrueType and Adobe postscript fonts that always work well in .pdfs but they didn't go for it). The Adobe web site says I can upgrade from PM 7.0 to CS3 for $199 but then it will be another $199 to upgrade from CS3 to CS4, so I'm going to wait till next month and go directly to CS4. But I think I had better download the 30-day trial version of CS3 and start this job from scratch as it is a book with heavy formatting and end notes and carefully checking each page for bad breaks after converting to InDesign would be unbelievably tedious. Thanks!

If you upgrade to CS3 now, you should be entitled to a free upgrade to
CS4 as soon as it ships.

Bob

Wow, you're right. I just had a live chat with an Adobe representative and he assured me that since it is so close to the launch of CS4 that I can purchase CS3 now and upgrade for free to CS4 when it comes out in late October 2008. Thanks!