converting to pdf

**rusty** · 25 March 2009, 03:09 AM

Hi,
I do a newsletter for our club on Xara Xtreme but when I convert it to pdf and send it to the members, some of them get 'dots' instead of font. How can I overcome this without having to use the plainer fonts?
Thanks
Rusty

**Soquili** · 25 March 2009, 03:13 AM

Hi Rusty,

You could convert all your text to editable shapes.

**Odat** · 25 March 2009, 04:32 AM

Your mention of dots reminds me of this thread that was started when version 4 of Xtreme was first released: http://talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=31916

In that case I was seeing "dots" instead of the proper characters, though others were seeing garbled text instead of dots.

If you happen to be using Xtreme 4.0 you might want to make sure that you have the latest patch installed, or try exporting as PDF/X (and possibly also turn on font embedding in the options).

**angelize** · 25 March 2009, 05:42 AM

I've run into this sometimes, usually when Xtreme can not embed a font possibly due to copyright restrictions etc. There should be a warning that pops up listing the fonts that can't be embedded and the reasons. You can use the name gallery to find the fonts and convert them to editable shapes.

**Albacore** · 25 March 2009, 09:02 AM

You can sometimes hit this problem copying and pasting from Word and Xara uses a symbol font and on export this converts to a square. Check fonts used in Acro after exporting.

**Big Frank** · 25 March 2009, 09:59 AM

I never embed fonts if it can possibly be avoided.

it prevents most people being able to edit your PDF
it prevents "helpful" print houses messing with your design
it removes the need to embed fonts that may be copyright
it removes font compatibility issues
it makes the PDF truly cross-platform

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/t.../xtremePDF.jpg

**amoore** · 25 March 2009, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Big Frank

I never embed fonts if it can possibly be avoided.

<sigh> Converting text to curves can also result in very large files.

Often, using non-standard fonts and subsetting them works just as well.

If you find that a particular font isn't embedding, you could convert those characters to curves before going to pdf.

**Big Frank** · 25 March 2009, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by amoore

<sigh> Converting text to curves can also result in very large files.

And the problem with that is...?

We're talking about a club newsletter, not the script for the Encyclopaedia Britannica. We both know that the major reason for the inordinately huge size of most PDFs is poorly or not at all optimised images. We also know that vector objects take up comparatively far less space. We also know that there's an exception to every rule so people should use their common sense and if that proves difficult, use somebody else's.

If a PDF proves too large to email out (something that is quite possible) then upload it to some free web hosting and email your subscribers, providing a download link, informing them of the size of the PDF (something that is also quite possible).

<sigh> Thanks for the free egg sucking lesson, but next time I'll ask.

**rusty** · 07 April 2009, 12:12 PM

Hi All,
Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. I think my problem is that I convert to pdf in 'draft', when I convert using 'best for email', they don't get the dots but the file is too large. I've solved the problem by just using the plainer fonts.
Thanks again
Rusty

**instinctive.de** · 07 April 2009, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Big Frank

If a PDF proves too large to email out (something that is quite possible) then upload it to some free web hosting and email your subscribers, providing a download link,

From personal experience: It's also quite possible that your average email reading person simply won't know how to click a link (no, REALLY!!)