Re: [vox-tech] LaTeX, DVI, PDF, LaTeX, fonts - HELP!
On Fri, Apr 19, 2002 at 08:10:08PM -0700, Shawn P. Neugebauer wrote: [...] I have seen this. I suspect Acrobat too. All versions of Acrobat that I have seen fail to properly implement Type 3 bitmap fonts to Adobe's own spec. DVI files converted to Postscript or PDF use such bitmap fonts. I don't think this is correct. For example, I used the times package (see my other reply) in a latex source file, generated a DVI file, then used dvipdf to create a PDF. Looking at the font information inside Acrobat reader indicates that, indeed, Type 1 PS fonts are being used. If math symbols are used, there will be a Type 3 font for that, but this font too can be replaced by a PS font (see my other reply). You are quite right; I was speaking of the normal case in which the document is set in Computer Modern fonts. [...] Try: * Using pfdlatex instead of latex to typeset the documents. The output will be in PDF format, so no DVI-PDF conversion will be necessary. If I am not mistaken, pdflatex always uses the Blue Sky type 1 versions of Computer Mondern rather than the bitmap originals. (It always does on my system.) One way to check this is by running pdf2ps on the pdflatex output and inspecting the postscript code in an editor. You will see the fonts impedded and may analyse them. This is a good idea. Acrobat can also be used to check the font information, given the PDF file. pdflatex is a front-end to pdftex, which is distinct from dvipdf; dvipdf is just a front-end to dvips. Another idea: on my system (Debian testing, others with recent TeTeX should support), adding '-Pcmz -Pamz' to the command line arguments of DVIPS will substitute the Blue Sky type 1 fonts for standard nitmapped Computer Modern. * Using pslatex instead of latex; output will be DVI but using the standard postscript fonts, which every PDF viewer and every printer driver support perfectly. The typographic quality will be degraded, so try the previous suggestion first. I have to mention that only *PS* printers and associated drivers should be expected to handle such output perfectly. Even then, there are problems (e.g., MS-word-generated PS files often do not print on my Lexmark T612, a very standard PS printer). also, pslatex is a short script front-end to latex. if the times package is being used, pslatex shouldn't make a difference in the end problem. AFAIK either using the times package or substituting the pslatex command for latex have equivalent effects. As for handling matters perfectly, I am referring only to fonts. There is no shortage of apps and drivers that do not work together, despite both nominally handling postscript code. But I should be very suprised to find a printer driver or printout-producing application that chokes on Abobe Times or Helvetica ;-). I am very interested in testing the techiques that have been mentioned on this thread to determine which produce the most portable PDFs, and what versions of the TeX programs are required. (I am not in a position to do so, lacking any Windows machines or non-postscript printers.) Does anyone wish to volunteer? -- Henry House The attached file is a digital signature. See http://romana.hajhouse.org/pgp for information. My OpenPGP key: http://romana.hajhouse.org/hajhouse.asc. msg02226/pgp0.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: [vox-tech] LaTeX, DVI, PDF, LaTeX, fonts - HELP!
On Fri, Apr 19, 2002 at 03:34:27PM -0700, Shawn P. Neugebauer wrote:
If you're not doing anything to specifically control fonts, the default is
Computer Modern (the distinct look behind most TeX documents)
for the 3 font families of roman, san serif, and typewriter. The CM fonts
are not PostScript fonts.
I'm no expert, but the following simple fix will probably go a long way.
Insert \usepackage{times} in the preamble of your document. It
will make Times, Helvetica, and Courier the roman, san serif, and
typewriter font family, respectively. These are PostScript fonts and
the resulting output files should be much more compatible with PS
printers.
Thanks. Unfortunately, \usepackage{times} is already in there. :^(
It could be that the font isn't installed on the server generating the PDF,
and it's just sheer luck that some of the documents have been printed
with the serif font.
I'll look into it. In the meantime, if anyone has any other suggestions...
:)
-bill!
___
vox-tech mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://lists.lugod.org/mailman/listinfo/vox-tech
Re: [vox-tech] LaTeX, DVI, PDF, LaTeX, fonts - HELP!
On Fri, Apr 19, 2002 at 04:51:02PM -0700, Shawn P. Neugebauer wrote: snip A few things: * If the generated PDF file is not using Times, it should be obvious looking at the PDF in Acrobat. One can tell the difference between a doc w/CM fonts and a doc w/Times. What does a visual inspection reveal? I can ask people to ask the people with the systems with problems to do this. Thanks. :) * More useful, Acrobat will tell you precisely what fonts are used. Go to File/Document Info/Fonts Have your end-user try this on their machine. Compare. Ditto. * I don't see the HP-850S. Sorry... By HP-850s, I mean more than one HP-850. (eg, plural, not 's' ;) ) I see the HP DeskJet 850C, and this could be a problem since it's not PostScript. Hm What, exactly, is the printer that's having a problem? The problem could be the result of driver issues (not that you could fix them, but at least you would have something to blame). The HP-850 printers ( ;^) ) are the ones printing sans serif, when the rest of the printers all print times fine. They also have a slightly tweaked top/bottom margin, I asusme because of the way the paper feeds. eg, in LaTeX, I'm saying, I want the top bottom margins here here, but when I hold two printouts up to each other, the HP ones are printed 'higher.' VERY annoying when trying to fit an address postnet code in an envelope window. :^( :^( * In Acrobat on Windoze, there's a *very* useful option print as image that shows up in the print dialog box. It can be a little slow but it will print anything that Acrobat can display. Sadly, this option is missing in the Linux version. Have your end-user try this. Might save everyone a load of time. Thanks much! I'll let you know what happens. -bill! ___ vox-tech mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.lugod.org/mailman/listinfo/vox-tech
Re: [vox-tech] LaTeX, DVI, PDF, LaTeX, fonts - HELP!
On Fri, Apr 19, 2002 at 03:12:36PM -0700, nbs wrote: I've just been informed that some documents that are being generated by LaTeX aren't printing properly on some printers. I think it's less a problem with the printers (HP-850s) and probably more a problem with Acrobat on the system (all of these are Windows boxes, BTW) that the printer happens to be connected to. I have seen this. I suspect Acrobat too. All versions of Acrobat that I have seen fail to properly implement Type 3 bitmap fonts to Adobe's own spec. DVI files converted to Postscript or PDF use such bitmap fonts. On one box, printing to a laser printer, the document appears correctly. On the other box, printing to the HP-850, the fonts aren't right (sans-serif instead of serif). Are these printers under your control? Can you test them? The sans-serif font is likely the default font of Acrobat, scaled and tweaked by Adobe's font magic to the same spacing and aspect ratio of the original document fonts. Is there some way of embedding the fonts into the PDF document so that Acrobat will work correctly? Or perhaps is Acrobat missing something or misconfigured? See above. The fonts are there, but Acrobat cannot deal with them. I've tried sending -dNOPLATFONTS to my call to 'dvipdf', but the PDFs generated with and without that option were indentical in size. (Unfortunately, I don't have the problem, people on the other side of the country do, so this is mighty hard to test/debug. :^( ) Try: * Using pfdlatex instead of latex to typeset the documents. The output will be in PDF format, so no DVI-PDF conversion will be necessary. If I am not mistaken, pdflatex always uses the Blue Sky type 1 versions of Computer Mondern rather than the bitmap originals. (It always does on my system.) One way to check this is by running pdf2ps on the pdflatex output and inspecting the postscript code in an editor. You will see the fonts impedded and may analyse them. * Using pslatex instead of latex; output will be DVI but using the standard postscript fonts, which every PDF viewer and every printer driver support perfectly. The typographic quality will be degraded, so try the previous suggestion first. -- Henry House The attached file is a digital signature. See http://romana.hajhouse.org/pgp for information. My OpenPGP key: http://romana.hajhouse.org/hajhouse.asc. msg02221/pgp0.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: [vox-tech] LaTeX, DVI, PDF, LaTeX, fonts - HELP!
On Friday 19 April 2002 05:46 pm, you wrote: On Fri, Apr 19, 2002 at 03:12:36PM -0700, nbs wrote: I've just been informed that some documents that are being generated by LaTeX aren't printing properly on some printers. I think it's less a problem with the printers (HP-850s) and probably more a problem with Acrobat on the system (all of these are Windows boxes, BTW) that the printer happens to be connected to. I have seen this. I suspect Acrobat too. All versions of Acrobat that I have seen fail to properly implement Type 3 bitmap fonts to Adobe's own spec. DVI files converted to Postscript or PDF use such bitmap fonts. I don't think this is correct. For example, I used the times package (see my other reply) in a latex source file, generated a DVI file, then used dvipdf to create a PDF. Looking at the font information inside Acrobat reader indicates that, indeed, Type 1 PS fonts are being used. If math symbols are used, there will be a Type 3 font for that, but this font too can be replaced by a PS font (see my other reply). Is there some way of embedding the fonts into the PDF document so that Acrobat will work correctly? Or perhaps is Acrobat missing something or misconfigured? See above. The fonts are there, but Acrobat cannot deal with them. I don't think it's so much a matter of *Acrobat* being able to deal with them, it's probably a matter of the printer and the print driver dealing with them. I have generated many PDF files over the years using latex and dvipdf, and Acrobat handles them fine--I've been able to print them just fine (using Acrobat) on lots of different platforms and to lots of different printers. Try: * Using pfdlatex instead of latex to typeset the documents. The output will be in PDF format, so no DVI-PDF conversion will be necessary. If I am not mistaken, pdflatex always uses the Blue Sky type 1 versions of Computer Mondern rather than the bitmap originals. (It always does on my system.) One way to check this is by running pdf2ps on the pdflatex output and inspecting the postscript code in an editor. You will see the fonts impedded and may analyse them. This is a good idea. Acrobat can also be used to check the font information, given the PDF file. pdflatex is a front-end to pdftex, which is distinct from dvipdf; dvipdf is just a front-end to dvips. * Using pslatex instead of latex; output will be DVI but using the standard postscript fonts, which every PDF viewer and every printer driver support perfectly. The typographic quality will be degraded, so try the previous suggestion first. I have to mention that only *PS* printers and associated drivers should be expected to handle such output perfectly. Even then, there are problems (e.g., MS-word-generated PS files often do not print on my Lexmark T612, a very standard PS printer). also, pslatex is a short script front-end to latex. if the times package is being used, pslatex shouldn't make a difference in the end problem. shawn. ___ vox-tech mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.lugod.org/mailman/listinfo/vox-tech
