Exporting to PDF not working correctly

[HSLeader]

Hi. I've been using Open Office for years and years, love it and am pretty proficient with it. I've been having issues with Open office converting documents to PDF. I uninstalled it and reinstalled version 4.1.3. I tried saving the file in .odf and then exporting to pdf, and am getting weird symbols or just blank pages. I tried saving as a .doc and am getting the same issue. Any suggestions on what is wrong or how to fix it? Is it an adobe issue? Thanks.

[RoryOF]

Try Export as PDF and selecting type PDF/A-1a on the General tab of the Export dialog.

[HSLeader]

I tried checking that, A-1a.. and received the same error. I then tried all kinds of combinations, checking the pdf, fdf, the first A-1a box all kinds. I am still getting the same error. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

[John_Ha]

Check the fonts as it sounds like a missing font problem. PDF/A-1a embeds the fonts in the PDF but if you don't have the font to embed ...

Remember that the font displayed in the document's Font selection box is the font the document is calling for at the cursor position. This may not be the font being used to display or print the document because, if you do not have the font being called for installed on your PC, Windows (or other operating system) will silently substitute an alternative, available font without telling you. This will almost certainly cause different line spills and page spills.

The Testfonts add-on is invaluable to check which fonts are being called for in a document, and which are missing and have therefore been substituted. Note that some fonts do not have a font file for, say, Italic; and in that case, when Italic is called for, Windows itself applies a slant to the font to simulate Italic.

[HSLeader]

Check the fonts as it sounds like a missing font problem. PDF/A-1a embeds the fonts in the PDF but if you don't have the font to embed ...

Remember that the font displayed in the document's Font selection box is the font the document is calling for at the cursor position. This may not be the font being used to display or print the document because, if you do not have the font being called for installed on your PC, Windows (or other operating system) will silently substitute an alternative, available font without telling you. This will almost certainly cause different line spills and page spills.

The Testfonts add-on is invaluable to check which fonts are being called for in a document, and which are missing and have therefore been substituted. Note that some fonts do not have a font file for, say, Italic; and in that case, when Italic is called for, Windows itself applies a slant to the font to simulate Italic.

The document is in Times New Romans.

[HSLeader]

Also, I tried sending this to my friend in a .doc file so she could convert it for me and send it back. It isn't saving them in .doc correctly either, the letters are symbols, like in the pic above with PDF. They don't look that way to me on my computer but when I'm converting them, this is happening. Everything is in Times New Roman, so it isn't an unusual font. Like I stated, I uninstalled and re installed, I don't get it? I need to be able to send out these documents on time and have never had issues like this at all ever. I'm confused.

[RoryOF]

Please upload a copy of your file as previously requested. We can then make PDFs from it; if they open correctly on your compute they show that you PDF reader is working correctly and narrow the problem to your method of work or your OpenOffice.

Edit: Sorry, file was not requested previously - it should have been

[HSLeader]

Please upload a copy of your file as previously requested. We can then make PDFs from it; if they open correctly on your compute they show that you PDF reader is working correctly and narrow the problem to your method of work or your OpenOffice.

Sorry, I didn't see that being asked. Here is the original.

[John_Ha]

Works fine for me.

It is a font problem - see Re: Tamil fonts vs Scribus.

The .odt file uses only Times New Roman font so I am surprised.

I therefore think it is a problem with your PDF Reader and not with the PDF created by Writer. Please upload the PDF so someone can look at it.

[RoryOF]

Also works correctly for me, both the PDF I created and that John_Ha uploaded.

If you download John_Ha's PDF, does it read correctly?

[HSLeader]

Works fine for me.

It is a font problem - see Re: Tamil fonts vs Scribus.

The .odt file uses only Times New Roman font so I am surprised.

I therefore think it is a problem with your PDF Reader and not with the PDF created by Writer. Please upload the PDF so someone can look at it.

Yes, I could open that one fine. Here is my pdf

[RoryOF]

Your file opens with no text or symbols in text place when using Document Viewer; using Adobe Reader it gives an error, then opens with boxes for the text. Adobe Reader indicates that no fonts are used in this PDF.

[John_Ha]

Same as Rory. Your PDF has square boxes which tells you it is a font problem on your PC.

Edit: When examining the PDF file you uploaded I see the following error message which is saying that there was a problem with the TNR font when the PDF was created. Code: Select all   Expand viewCollapse view % CreateFontSubset failed for font "Times New Roman" weight=5 % CreateFontSubset failed for font "Times New Roman" weight=8 It appears that Writer embeds all or part of a font file in the PDF even if you have not selected "Embed fonts" when you create the PDF. The problem could therefore be because your TNR font files have been licensed so that the user of the PC is permitted to use the font on their PC to view fonts, but the user is prohibited from embedding the font in a file like a PDF. I have no idea how the font files' licence can have changed - the normal TNR font files in Windows are licensed for both viewing and for embedding. See "Export to PDF" yields jibberish for a similar discussion.

Did you check Re: Tamil fonts vs Scribus which describes why some applications get squares on W10? In particular, Google font square box to find things like Why does some text display with square boxes in some apps on Windows 10?

Try editing the .odt and replacing the TNR font by another which you know is installed properly - Arial or Courier. Does that work?

Remember that the font displayed in the document's Font selection box is the font the document is calling for at the cursor position. This may not be the font being used to display or print the document because, if you do not have the font being called for installed on your PC, Windows (or other operating system) will silently substitute an alternative, available font without telling you.

What happens when you run TestFonts? Does it show TNR is missing on your PC?

[RoryOF]

Hi. I've been using Open Office for years and years, love it and am pretty proficient with it. I've been having issues with Open office converting documents to PDF

I'm going back to the beginning on this. Did Export as PDF ever work correctly on your current Windows 10 setup? Is your current Windows 10 setup a new machine, or did you upgrade from an earlier version of Windows, and were your successful PDF files made on that earlier version of Windows?

Have you tried deleting or renaming your OpenOffice User Profile (reinstalling does not affect this).

As you are using Windows, to do this close OpenOffice and the Quickstarter. Open File
Explorer. Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer
Address Bar and press Enter. Rename the "user" folder - "user.old" is a
good choice. Start OpenOffice.

[John_Ha]

Resetting the user profile as Rory suggests often fixes "strange" problems like this.

If not, note that you created a PDF/A-1 PDF where, by definition, the PDF/A-1a file includes the font files required to display the document on the reader's PC. But (Adobe Reader) File > Properties > Fonts ..., shows that no font files are included in the PDF. Why not? Perhaps the font being called for by the document is not present or is not visible or is not available on your PC; or Writer is somehow not finding it.

Q1. Reboot the PC. Does that fix it?

Q2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Fonts. Which Times New Roman fonts do you have installed?

Q3. Create a PDF/A which includes other fonts like Courier and Arial and Microsoft's Calibri which you know are OK on your PC. What happens in the PDF/A-1a file? Are any fonts OK? What does File > Properties > Fonts ..., show for the PDF?

[HSLeader]

Same as Rory. Your PDF has square boxes which tells you it is a font problem on your PC.

Did you check Re: Tamil fonts vs Scribus which describes why some applications get squares on W10? In particular, Google font square box to find things like Why does some text display with square boxes in some apps on Windows 10?

Try editing the .odt and replacing the TNR font by another which you know is installed properly - Arial or Courier. Does that work?

Remember that the font displayed in the document's Font selection box is the font the document is calling for at the cursor position. This may not be the font being used to display or print the document because, if you do not have the font being called for installed on your PC, Windows (or other operating system) will silently substitute an alternative, available font without telling you.

What happens when you run TestFonts? Does it show TNR is missing on your PC?

I've just read that link about the fonts, and I'll need to re read it. Not sure exactly what to do.

I tried exporting in both Courier and Arial, again, blank boxes. I did upgrade this PC from Windows 8.1 to 10. But I did that a long time ago. This current issue just popped up recently. I am really banging my head against the wall trying to figure it out. I appreciate everyone trying to help me.

[HSLeader]

Hi. I've been using Open Office for years and years, love it and am pretty proficient with it. I've been having issues with Open office converting documents to PDF

I'm going back to the beginning on this. Did Export as PDF ever work correctly on your current Windows 10 setup? Is your current Windows 10 setup a new machine, or did you upgrade from an earlier version of Windows, and were your successful PDF files made on that earlier version of Windows?

Have you tried deleting or renaming your OpenOffice User Profile (reinstalling does not affect this).

As you are using Windows, to do this close OpenOffice and the Quickstarter. Open File
Explorer. Copy and paste %appdata%\OpenOffice\4 in the File Explorer
Address Bar and press Enter. Rename the "user" folder - "user.old" is a
good choice. Start OpenOffice.

I tried this. It didn't work in TNR, Arial, or Courier. I'm still getting those blank boxes. Thank you, though!

[HSLeader]

Resetting the user profile as Rory suggests often fixes "strange" problems like this.

If not, note that you created a PDF/A-1 PDF where, by definition, the PDF/A-1a file includes the font files required to display the document on the reader's PC. But (Adobe Reader) File > Properties > Fonts ..., shows that no font files are included in the PDF. Why not? Perhaps the font being called for by the document is not present or is not visible or is not available on your PC; or Writer is somehow not finding it.

Q1. Reboot the PC. Does that fix it?

Q2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Fonts. Which Times New Roman fonts do you have installed?

Q3. Create a PDF/A which includes other fonts like Courier and Arial and Microsoft's Calibri which you know are OK on your PC. What happens in the PDF/A-1a file? Are any fonts OK? What does File > Properties > Fonts ..., show for the PDF?

Q1. Yes, I've rebooted several times.

Q2. The only fonts I have are what came with O.O. I've not installed anything extra.

Q3. I've tried re creating with Courier, Arial, just tried Calibri - same thing. ugh. The fonts show it blank in the PDF, just like your photo.

Thank you.

[RoryOF]

Did Export as PDF ever work correctly on your current Windows 10 setup? Is your current Windows 10 setup a new machine, or did you upgrade from an earlier version of Windows, and were your successful PDF files made on that earlier version of Windows?

[Zizi64]

Q2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Fonts. Which Times New Roman fonts do you have installed?

Q2. The only fonts I have are what came with O.O. I've not installed anything extra.

The Times New Roman, Arial, and more MicroSoft related fonts are not parts of the AOO installer. Those fonts are parts of the Windows installer.

[HSLeader]

Did Export as PDF ever work correctly on your current Windows 10 setup? Is your current Windows 10 setup a new machine, or did you upgrade from an earlier version of Windows, and were your successful PDF files made on that earlier version of Windows?

Yes, I never had any issues with Open Office or exporting PDF's until just recently. It worked fine for a long long time after we updated to 10. It is only an issue just now. I never had any issues before.

[HSLeader]

Q2. Navigate to C:\Windows\Fonts. Which Times New Roman fonts do you have installed?

Q2. The only fonts I have are what came with O.O. I've not installed anything extra.

The Times New Roman, Arial, and more MicroSoft related fonts are not parts of the AOO installer. Those fonts are parts of the Windows installer.

OK. Thanks. I really do not know what else to do. I tried installing the extension that someone posted above, but I don't think it installed at all.
I appreciate all your help - everyone. I have this syllabus deadline coming and not sure how I am going to get to the people who need it.

[RoryOF]

As far as I know (certainly is the case on my OO) the Findfonts extension puts a red Fo button on the standard toolbar. If you are in doubt about whether that extension is installed, select /Tools /Extension manager and see if "Test of missing fonts" is near the bottom of the installed extensions.

[RoryOF]

When in Windows you go to Control Panel /Fonts, what fonts does it show as installed?

[HSLeader]

When in Windows you go to Control Panel /Fonts, what fonts does it show as installed?

This is what I'm showing, there are a few more that didn't make it in the screen shot, they are
Terminal, Times New Roman, Trebuchet MS, Veranda, Webdings Regular, Wingdings regular, Yu Gothic UI

Edited to add, sorry it is so small, I had to keep reducing the size so it would upload.

[HSLeader]

As far as I know (certainly is the case on my OO) the Findfonts extension puts a red Fo button on the standard toolbar. If you are in doubt about whether that extension is installed, select /Tools /Extension manager and see if "Test of missing fonts" is near the bottom of the installed extensions.

I'm not seeing anything like that on the toolbar. Will try again in the morning. Thanks so much.

[Zizi64]

Edited to add, sorry it is so small, I had to keep reducing the size so it would upload.

I can not read any font name on your picture. Why some Fonts are grayed ?

Tip for the attachment:
Do not reduce the pixel resolution of the screenshot, but you can reduce the COLOR depth of your picture. (I am using the free Irfan View software for optimizing images. Use .png type images instead of the .jpg.)

[Zizi64]

The download page of the portable versions shows what fonts are included in the installer of the AOO and LO.

Plese read the OpenOffice Fonts / LibreOffice Fonts parts of the text on these webpages:
https://portableapps.com/apps/office/op ... e_portable
https://portableapps.com/apps/office/li ... e_portable

And you can download (separatelly from the installer of the portable versions) the zipped Font pack of the AOO or LO from the SourceForge link located in the text.

[RoryOF]

It is possible to restore the default font settings in Windows; note that this may (will?) uninstall any extra fonts you may have installed. To restore the windows default fonts do this

Restore default font settings in Windows
To restore default fonts in Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7, open Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Fonts > Font settings.
Here click Restore default font settings.

[John_Ha]

Do some diagnosis.

1. Open Notepad. What fonts are available? Choose one (egg Arial) and type something. Does it look correct? Print it. Does it look OK?

2. Assume you chose Arial and it looked OK. Now create a new, empty Writer document. Type some text in Arial. Does it look OK? Print it. Does it look OK?

3. File > Export as PDF. Choose PDF/A and embed the font.

4. Upload the .odt file from 2. and the PDF file from 3.