PDF Tips
How to get the best out of free PDF tools
Tips, hints and problems
Not all the problems encountered in producing a PDF file are immediately obvious. Here's a list to help you:
 Wrong fonts
Often caused by allowing the printer driver to choose to "always use built-in printer fonts". From the Printers Settings window, set the appropriate printer driver to "Send TrueType fonts to printer according to substitution table" or "Substitute printer fonts for TrueType fonts when applicable".
Some foreign characters
I found that some of these programs make spaces in Tahoma appear as a foreign character. All to do with code pages, I think.
Workaround: Use a different program, or avoid Tahoma and other fonts that show this problem.
Missing fonts
If you have the choice make sure you embed the fonts in the document.
Text not searchable
The process of converting TrueType fonts to PostScript-compatible ones to embed in the PDF file often loses track of the font name and the actual character position in the alphabet. Which programs cope best with this depends on the version of Windows and of the Postscript printer driver you have installed.
Workaround: Use PostScript Type 1 fonts, or TrueType fonts that are substituted by PostScript fonts (such as Arial). I think OpenType fonts ought to be OK, too, but I couldn't get them to work. Adobe's own Distiller dosn't have this problem, nor does OpenOffice. Nor (surprise) PaperlessPrinter, at least on my system.
Text can't be copied
Again, use PostScript fonts, or TrueType fonts that are substituted by Type 1 equivalents.
File too large (text)
If you have the choice, only embed a subset of the fonts if less than 100% of the character set is used.
File too large (graphics)
Producing a PDF file is a two-step process and selecting the resolution of the graphics in the printer driver does NOT control the size of the final file. You have to also alter the parameters used in "distilling" the intemediate PostScript file. PDFCreator has an Options page where resolution can be adjusted. CutePDF requires you to edit a text file, C:\CutePrinter\Ghostscript\Pdfwrite.rsp. The key parameters are in the line:
- dPDFSETTINGS=configuration
where configuration can be /screen, /printer, /prepress, /default. Full info here.
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