Creating Outline Fonts In MS PUB 2003

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printone - 01 Aug 2005 19:26 GMT

Hi, my service bureau is having a difficult time with the PDF's I am making
and has suggested that I convert the fonts in my MS Pub file to outline
before I create my postcript file.

How do I do that?

Thank you!

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JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP] - 01 Aug 2005 23:03 GMT

I haven't the foggiest idea what they might be talking about. And why are
you creating a postscript file if you can make a .pdf? Can't you go directly
from .pub to .pdf?

Signature

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

> Hi, my service bureau is having a difficult time with the PDF's I am
> making
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Thank you!

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printone - 02 Aug 2005 03:42 GMT

I have always created a postcript file and then used Acrobat distiller and
that makes the PDF. Is there another way? I am using Acrobat 5.

The reason behind using outlined fonts is to bypass the loading of fonts
into the file. I hope that makes sense.

Thank you

> I haven't the foggiest idea what they might be talking about. And why are
> you creating a postscript file if you can make a .pdf? Can't you go directly
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> >
> > Thank you!

Reply to this Message

JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP] - 02 Aug 2005 04:14 GMT

File - Print - select .................Oh crap, I forget the name. I'm using
V7 now. It's not the Distiller but the other option. You can tell it not to
load full font sets. It's somewhere in the settings. I'm sorry I've being
fuzzy - I just don't feel like firing everything up and looking for it. I
was actually on my way to bed and thought I'd check for messages one last
time.

Signature

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

>I have always created a postcript file and then used Acrobat distiller and
> that makes the PDF. Is there another way? I am using Acrobat 5.
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>> >
>> > Thank you!

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Terje Martinsen - 02 Aug 2005 06:34 GMT

They probably ask for fonts to be represented as curves (an outlined fint is
one that is filled with another color than the outlining).

First idea: Find another printer that knows what they are doing!
Second idea: All fonts SHOULD be included/downloaded with the pdf.
Third idea: You are using a licenced font and not included that as a
separate file. Licenced fonts are not included by Publisher.

There is NO WAY you can deliver fonts as curves from Publisher (or most
other DTP programs).
Adobe Illustrator and other highend drawing programs can deliver fonts as
curves.

BTW: Your way of making an PS first, and then distilling is the correct way.
You can then set your options in distiller. Be sure to select "press
quality" as you distill.

Regards Terje

> File - Print - select .................Oh crap, I forget the name. I'm using
> V7 now. It's not the Distiller but the other option. You can tell it not to
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
> >> >
> >> > Thank you!

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JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP] - 02 Aug 2005 23:35 GMT

I agree wholeheartedly with number 1!! My printer is so good that I never
have to screw around with formats or fonts, etc.

Signature

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

> They probably ask for fonts to be represented as curves (an outlined fint
> is
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
>> >> >
>> >> > Thank you!

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Odysseus - 03 Aug 2005 20:50 GMT

> I have always created a postcript file and then used Acrobat distiller and
> that makes the PDF. Is there another way? I am using Acrobat 5.

Some programs have PDF-export features, but Distilling PostScript is
generally the most reliable way to make press-ready PDFs.

> The reason behind using outlined fonts is to bypass the loading of fonts
> into the file. I hope that makes sense.

You can set Distiller to subset fonts when embedding them in a PDF, but
I don't think you can "outline" them, assuming that means converting
them to paths. For that you need an illustration program with strong
PDF-importing features (as well as having the original fonts installed,
of course). OTOH properly embedded fonts in a PDF shouldn't be giving
anyone problems if they're using appropriate software & methods to
output it.

Signature

Odysseus

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www.serif.com - 06 Aug 2005 07:14 GMT

Best bet is to use a professional DTP program like PagePlus10 which has CMYK PDF and everything else built in and is cheaper than MS Publisher

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Mac Townsend - 12 Aug 2005 01:10 GMT

there is no way to do this in Publisher, and it is far better to NOT do
so.

I am a service bureea and I counsel my customers to never convert to
cuves or outlines. it really thickens the strokes and on some fonts that
start out delicate, it totally ruins the look. And I'd rather get a pack
and go publisher file than a pdf any day!

Now...to the problem at hand.

There are several sources for font problems. Several hundred, that is.
<G>

First. If you are using TTF, you need to make sure that the printer you
are using to generate your PS file is set to correctly handle these. In
printer properties (printer properties, Advanced tab, then click
advanced button and look for Truetype and this should be set to
"download as soft font" NOT "use device font" THEN return to the printer
properties and go to the Device Settings tab and look at the font
substitutions. These should all be set to "download as soft font" not
substitute Helvetica for Arial, etc.

This should ensure that the font data properly gets into the PostScript
file.

There are some differences in how a recent printer will handle this vs
how an older one will.

Next, set your Distiller settings correctly.

First among these is to tell distiller where your fonts are. This is
done under Settings > Font locations. Tell distiller to go ahead and use
the PostScript 13, like Helvetica, etc. You will need to check a box, if
I recall correctly, to do this.

I will assume you know how to properly manage your fonts and that you do
not have all of them activated in the windows\fonts folder. Having too
many fonts active (someplace around 400 or so is my guideline) and
especially haveing different varients of the same font active is a
certain recipe for having font problems. I promise!

Second, in the job options you should select the options that uses the
work "press" not the one that uses "printer" -- the default "for press"
job options should be ok, they call for embedding fonts with subsetting.
Most of the time this is the best.

Finally, with the fonts in the PostScript and the fonts preperly
embedded in the PDF, all should be good

EXCEPT if the stupid service bureau (a) tries to open the pdf in Adobe
Illustrator, where all embedded fonts will be ignored and the file will
be screwed up. If they insist they have to do this, then they are not
using the proper tools and have much to learn about proper handlign of
PDF. (b) they try to import the PDF into InDesign or (qworse) Quark in
order to print it to their imafgesetter. They should be able to run the
pdf dorectly to the imagesetter OR to use Acrobat itself to provide the
needed PostScript (if the version of PDF you provide is too new for
their rip). IMPORTING PDF IN ORDER TO OUTPUT IT IS WRONG.

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Odysseus - 12 Aug 2005 08:35 GMT

> there is no way to do this in Publisher, and it is far better to NOT do
> so.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> start out delicate, it totally ruins the look. And I'd rather get a pack
> and go publisher file than a pdf any day!

When rendered on a high-resolution imagesetter there's no discernable
difference between fonts and paths, but at the lower resolutions of
laser printers -- 1200 dpi or less -- the quality of outlined type does
indeed suffer. So whether or not it's better to convert type to paths
depends entirely on the destination device (and the workflow leading
into it).

Signature

Odysseus

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