topic Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF in AutoCAD LT Forum

TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

ContactSMSKU — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 15:23:57 GMT

My computer was having issues so I rebooted everything. I downloaded the latest 2024 autocad lt and now I'm having problems making PDFs. My drawings have to be completely flat and nothing can be selected when sent to the city. I used PDFSHX 0 but TTF fonts are still able to be selected and edited when plotting from DWG to PDF. It's weird I have never had this issue and the main text I use is a TTF and to change everything would take a long time since all of my files are with said font. But I tried making a PDF with a SHX font on the side and I cant select it. Its something to do with my computer since my coworker can make PDFs of my files without issue. I've tried everything in the book the PDF options selecting and deselecting font handling. PDFSHX 0 and 1 ... Ive been fiddling but cant seem to find a fix... I even did another fresh restart with AUTOCAD 2023 LT.

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

paullimapa — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 15:56:58 GMT

Could you share a sample pdf with the ttf fonts

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

ContactSMSKU — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:31:49 GMT

I attached a pdf and a picture. I need the pdf to be like the letter on the bottom right that i wrote I can not select which are SHX text. The rest of the pdf is TTF. I also added an older pdf where I didnt have this problem with the same text before my computer went on the fritz.

Thanks

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

pendean — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:45:40 GMT

@ContactSMSKU Which PDF driver(s) are you using?

A few things to clear up too:

PDF "flattening" are required by every jurisdiction out there can only be performed in a PDF Editor to meet their requirements. That's been our experience over the last decade since this has become a thing with all of them.

PDFSHX variable does nothing for TTF fonts, never has, still does not in LT2024. Wondering what you read that suggested otherwise?

If you are trying to make TTF fonts unselect-able in your PDFs 100% of the time, you need to plot to another PDF driver (Microsoft's PDF driver) from your AutoCAD generated PDF if you want 100% no-selection results. That's been our experience too.

Keep in mind that most modern PDF editors (not free readers) have built-in OCR abilities now and make quite an effort to "read" anything that looks like text. It's the year 2023, these features used to be expensive now are being bundled to maximize sales.

I'm using

and get the same exact results in (and always have)

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

pendean — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:51:47 GMT

@ContactSMSKU wrote:

I attached a pdf and a picture. I need the pdf to be like the letter on the bottom right that i wrote I can not select which are SHX text. The rest of the pdf is TTF. I also added an older pdf where I didnt have this problem with the same text before my computer went on the fritz.

Thanks

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

ContactSMSKU — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:07:46 GMT

I always flatten the drawings like you mentioned but that doesnt do anything to the text.

The PDFSHX I tried wasnt for the TTF. I did that before I figured out there was even a difference between TTF and SHX hahahah.

So what you are saying is I can no longer use DWG to PDF to make my PDFs anymore. I've used 2014, 2018, 2020,2023 and 2024 CAD and never had this problem until my computer crashed. The other computers in our office dont have this issue either. Its just weird it has to be something to do with the CAD or something is corrupt or a setting or something.

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

ContactSMSKU — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:13:39 GMT

On the first one (a2 old) where there are no fonts on the PDF and you put a ? and you wrote it is SHX that one is originally TTF... It just isnt showing up on the Adobe and thats how my files always worked but now when I make PDFs it is showing TTF like you see in the (A2) file.

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

pendean — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:25:36 GMT

@ContactSMSKU wrote:

I always flatten the drawings like you mentioned but that doesnt do anything to the text....

It never has: not sure where you might have read that it does, perhaps a specific PDF Editor can do that?

@ContactSMSKU wrote:

...So what you are saying is I can no longer use DWG to PDF to make my PDFs anymore...

No, I never wrote that. Why would you think so? My screenshot was from my own drawing and what I prefer to use, there are 5 stock PDF drivers in AutoCAD/LT, you do you unless you discovered one works better than the other.

@ContactSMSKU wrote:

...never had this problem until my computer crashed. The other computers in our office dont have this issue either. Its just weird it has to be something to do with the CAD or something is corrupt or a setting or something.

No idea what you used to be able to do or what your other colleagues can/cannot do, I can only go by what we in our offices experience and do on a regular basis.

Ask your IT folks to wipe your PC clean then mirror one of the others than work differently so you all are 100% identical: you may or may not need a whole new Windows login too.

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

pendean — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:41:53 GMT

@ContactSMSKU wrote:

On the first one (a2 old) where there are no fonts on the PDF and you put a ? and you wrote it is SHX that one is originally TTF...

No, all are SHX fonts in that PDF. There are no TTF fonts in A2OLD.PDF according to visual queues, my PDF Editor information and Adobe Acrobat Reader where that screenshot came from. These are all SHX fonts in that file or a very skinny-style clunky line-based not smooth TTF font

But in your drawing A2 (a totally different Layout or DWG file), these are all TTF fonts

if you want to share the source DWG files I'm sure we can discover more.

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

paullimapa — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:36:36 GMT

also share an exact same dwg to pdf output from a co-worker's computer where there isn't that issue so we can compare apples to apples with your pdf.

Re: TTF font and SHX font differences on PDF

ContactSMSKU — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:59:28 GMT

See thats weird because both files are supposed to be the same FONT and is Monogolian Baiti in CAD which is a TTF FONT. Anyway I sent in a set of drawings today when I could select the letters but the city sent them back with no complaints. So I guess it isn't an issue or the examiner didnt notice it. I guess I have to switch from DWG to PDF to a different one if the problem persist and the city has an issue with it. Maybe ill do another fresh reboot thought thats what was just done so I dont think its going to work.