Font PDF Printing issue in AutoCAD for Mac 2017

[donaldgoerig]

Just upgraded from ACAD LT for Mac 2016 to 2017.  Love EVERYTHING about it!  My only issue that I have is that both on my desktop and MacBook, my fonts show correctly on the screen but when I export to PDF, they show a different font.  I have never seen this before but maybe there is a new feature that is making this happen?  Does anyone know?

@donaldgoerig; john.vellek has edited your subject line for clarity: Font Printing issue

[john.vellek]

Hi @donaldgoerig

Make sure that in your PDF options you have selected Capture all Fonts. Please see this article for more.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[donaldgoerig]

Thank you for replying.  Is that a new feature for 2017?  I did just notice that using "export" my fonts don't print correctly but using "Print" and then "preview" they DO show correctly.

[john.vellek]

Hi @donaldgoerig,

I don't have my Mac in front of me right now but this feature, I believe, has been in the last couple of AutoCAD versions.

I ALWAYS use the print (and Save as PDF) to make sure that I have all my options set properly - just a personal thing I guess. If you have more questions on this I will have my Mac back this afternoon and can test some options for you.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[donaldgoerig]

Sure, any information you can add would be great!  I never had any of these issues in 2016.  I typically use export.  It's faster and never had any issues.  In 2017, it's different for some reason.

[maxim_k]

Hi Donald,
Are you about SHX fonts?
If yes, than look here:
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-for-mac-forum/batch-publish-to-pdf-bug-autocad-2017-lt/m-p/674...

Maxim

[donaldgoerig]

Truetype.  They work fine in 2016 but it's 2017 that is acting up on both desktop and laptop.

[maxim_k]

Can you share the exact names of the TTF fonts?
Are they third-party fonts?
Can you attach both PDFs created with Print->Preview and with Export?

Maxim

[donaldgoerig]

Sure!  I have uploaded the Screen Shot image which shows the font correctly.  Uploaded the PDF generated via Print which does print correctly and also the PDF generated via Export which is NOT correct.  The TTF is from House Industries which I have used for many years called "Neutraface Display".  I realize ACAD still doesn't utilize TT Fonts as well as other programs yet.

FYI, ACAD LT 2016 prints correctly in all circumstances.

Thank you!

[maxim_k]

Hi,

I see it is Open Type font which is not the same as True Type font.
I have found Neutra Display font with name "Neutra Display Bold.otf"

Font Book app gives this info about it:

PostScript name NeutraDisp-Bold

Full name Neutra Display Bold

Family Neutra Display

Style Bold

Kind OpenType PostScript

Language .......

Script Latin

Version OTF 1.001;PS 001.000;Core 1.0.29

Unique name 1.001;HOUS;NeutraDisp-Bold

Designer Christian Schwartz

Copyright © 2001 House Industries/Brand Design Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Trademark Neutraface is a trademark of House Industries/Brand Design Co., Inc.

Description Part of the Neutraface collection from House Industries

License House Industries Font Software License Agreement

I installed it and tested 2 different output methods: Preview from Print window and Export.

In all 2 cases I got correct output (see attached screenshot)

I also attached PDF files, but I'm not sure that they will display correctly on your Mac, because maybe Neutra Display font maybe different on my system.

Maxim

[maxim_k]

About your PDF files.

ACAD-PRINT.pdf doesnt contain Neutra Display font - the font is outlined during PDF output - so you can see "letters" correctly in all cases.

Which setting do you have for USEQUARTZFONT system variable?

Maxim

[john.vellek]

Hi @donaldgoerig,

You will find even more options for printing to PDF in the PUBLISH command. The built-in PDF drivers work quite well and include the text options i mentioned previously.

Also, I don't have your specific fonts but when I print or Export to PDF my TTF fonts are showing up fine. Can you try a different font to see if the behavior persists?

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[donaldgoerig]

Hi John

I have all the same settings that you have under publish.  The Arial font in my examples are working fine, it's the specific 3rd party font Neutraface that isn't working in 2017 for some reason.  Since I use export as a way to generate PDF's on a drawing by drawing basis, it's what isn't showing up correctly.  Seems like a bug if it's not showing up the same on your end.   

[donaldgoerig]

Hi Maxim

See an enlarged corner of the ACAD_PRINT.pdf I just attached.  The font show correctly there...  Not Arial but Neutraface

[maxim_k]

Hi Donald,

The font shows correctly in this file, because the letters you see in this PDF file are not actually letters from TTF font - they are outlined representation of the actual True Type font letters.

As you can see in this screenshot, which represents information in Acrobat Reader about this file, in this PDF file there is no embedded fonts at all:

---------------------------------------------

It seems to me I can explain you the roots of the issue you have.

But at first, I need some additional information from you:

1/ Which setting do you have for USEQUARTZFONT system variable in AutoCAD 2017 and which setting you have for this variable in AutoCAD 2016?

2/ Can you attach sample PDF file with this font, created in 2016 version via EXPORT command?

3/ Can you provide the screenshot of NeutrafaceDisplay-Drafting font information from Font Book application. Like this one:

I need information encircled by a red frame on my screenshot - the Kind property of the font.

Maxim

[donaldgoerig]

Hi Maxim

On both 2016 and 2017 the USEQUARTZFONT setting is 0.  Also I have uploaded a 2016 Export PDF and the screenshot of my Font Book screen...

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi Donald,

Thanks for sharing the screenshot with information about Neutra fonts you are using.

Now I'll try to explain you why in AutoCAD 2017 you get other results with font in PDF output than in AutoCAD 2016 when use EXPORT or Batch Publish.

1/ In 2017 version, as you know, has the new PDF exporting engine. This new engine works if you use EXPORT or Batch Publish in AutoCAD 2017. If you use "Preview" button in Print dialog (or "Open PDF in Preview" in the Print dialog) PDF file created with macOS PDF exporting engine, the same way as PDFs were created in all cases (export, batch publish, preview from Print dialog) in 2016 version of AutoCAD.

2/ This new PDF exporting engine came to AutoCAD for Mac from AutoCAD for Windows and in fact it is very useful, because it is "device independent" and you now can Batch Publish (or use EXPORT command) on Mac the same way as you can on Windows, without any alert from AutoCAD about missing Plot device or missing non standard paper size.

3/ The downside of this new PDF engine is that it cannot correctly handle PostScript based Open Type fonts. Let me explain shortly: OpenType font may be in one of two formats: either TrueType format outlines in a 'glyf' table, or Compact Font Format based on the PostScript language Type 2 font format. You can read more about this here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenType

So this new PDF eengine cannot "outline" or embed PostScript based Open Type fonts in resulting PDF, it can only add the "shortcut" to such font, so if such font is installed in OS, you can see the real font in the PDF viewer.

4/ The fonts from House Industries you use in the drawings are PostScript based Open Type fonts. To verify this I asked you to show font info from Font Book application, where you can see:

So when you created PDF with the new PDF engine in AutoCAD 2017 for Mac it cannot nor imbed nor outline such font. On the other hand AutoCAD 2016 was able to outline such font when system variable USEQUARTZFONT=0. That is why you can see "correct" font in PDFs you created in 2016 version.

In 2017 version the only one possibility to create such kind of PDF was left by using "Preview" button in Print dialog.

5/ New PDF engine in AutoCAD 2017 can create outlined representation of Open Type fonts if they are "True Type based" Open Type fonts, and you can control this via settings for output Presets:

But I want to emphasize once again: this works only for "True Type based" Open Type fonts, but not for Neutraface Display fonts you have, as they are PostScript based Open Type fonts. At the same time if you are using EXPORT command you cannot control creation of text in PDF, as it always are trying to embed fonts. Note also that USEQUARTZFONT system variable is ignored by this new PDF engine.

The bottom line is:

If you you want to use Neutraface Display fonts in your drawings and want to be sure the PDFs created in AutoCAD 2017 from the drawings with these fonts will look as they should, you can:

- use "Preview" button in Print dialog (with USEQUARTZFONT=0) for PDF creation

- ask font developers to convert their Neutraface Display fonts to True Type based fonts

- convert Neutraface Display fonts to True Type based fonts yourself with FontForge application

In the latter two cases, you will be able to create PDFs via Batch Publish or via EXPORT command with embedded Neutraface Display fonts and they will be represented correctly everywhere, even on machines without these fonts installed.

It turned out pretty long , but I hope - is understandable.

Maxim

[donaldgoerig]

Hi Maxim

Just got back from the holidays.  Thank you for the response.  The new engine is disappointing because if changes how I work.  Thanks again for your help!

[maxim_k]

Hi Donald,

Have you tried to ask HOUSE INDUSTRIES about TTF version of Neutraface Display fonts?
I know, for example, that for PARATYPE provides both kinds of their fonts for customers - TrueType and Postscript.

Maxim

[donaldgoerig]

I have been talking to House about my fonts.  The biggest problem here is that TTF fonts seem to be an old standard for these issues.  If all publishing and design programs use OTF and use them well, why doesn't Autocad? Autocad 2017 is a step in the right direction but it's not enough yet.  There must be support for OTF fonts and stop using the old SHX font support.  ACAD LT 2017 for me is not working well because of the new font issue.  I urge Autodesk to fix this asap.