PDF import problem

[jeb]

We are using a new service to make up ads but still using Xara to complete/size and make some changes.

When I download an ad in PDF and then import into Xara, all the text is screwed up - nothing but a bunch of symbol like garbage.

Any solution to this problem?

Tks - jb

[HayTay]

It sounds like the font, or font subset, is not embedded in the PDF file. Can you tell, or find out what the font is and either download it or purchase it to see if that is actually the problem?

Have you tried opening the file with another application such as CorelDraw, DrawPlus, PagePlus, Illustrator, Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader), Inkscape, etc. to see if any of those also have a problem with the file?

Has the person who created the ad changed anything on their end to affect the PDF file generation? Upgraded to CorelDraw X5 or Adobe Photoshop CS5, for instance?

I take it you can't upload the file here so someone else can attempt to help you further. Since it's an ad, I bet there's some type of non-disclosure agreement you had to sign.

Another possibility is that the PDF file is corrupt or incomplete. Did you try to download the file again to see if that fixes the problem or makes any difference?

Let us know if we can do anything else after you've tried any, or all, of the above suggestions.

Good luck,
Harry

[jeb]

Tks, Harry - I have attached the file to this reply - it is just a sample to see if I can get it into Xara but so far it has not worked.

I have some old copies of Photoshop and Illustrator but have not loaded them on this computer so have no other program to try as you suggested. I do have MS office so could try to import the file to one of them.

Tks for the reply - jb

[jeb]

Harry, I loaded up the V7 of Photoshop and ImageReady I have and can open the file in both, Then saved as .eps .psd and .pdf but can not open either of these in Xara Extreme 5.

Will the pro version be able to do this? - jb

[HayTay]

Probably not. I've got XXPro 5 if you want to post a file for me to try, though.

I'm fairly sure it's a font embedding problem. When I open your example PDF, XXP5 is converting and/or displaying the text using the 'Arial' font. When I open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Standard the following fonts are listed:

HelveticaLTStd- ExtraComp
HelveticaNeueLTStd-MdCn
ITCAvantGardeStd-Bold
ITCAvantGardeStd-Demi
ITCAvantGardeStd-DemiCnObl
ITCAvantGardeStd-Md
ImpactLTStd

.

[jeb]

Interesting - then when you opened in XXP5 you have all the text but in just one font?

Can you then edit the ad in XXP5 and change the fonts? - jb

[HayTay]

> Interesting - then when you opened in XXP5 you have all the text but in just one font?

NO

> Can you then edit the ad in XXP5 and change the fonts?

NO


This is what it looks like in XXP5. I suspect it looks very similar to what you're seeing in XX5.

.

[jeb]

Yup - that is what I see as well.

If one is suppose to be able to import these different file formats into Xara, whey do they not work and why can one not then edit the files? - jb

[HayTay]

Sometimes it's not the application that limits the ability to correctly import a PDF file. Often it's the attributes of the fonts that are used in the file that limit the ability to correctly render the text in the file.

Some fonts are limited and cannot be embedded in PDF or other files. Sometimes the originator of the file can embed only a subset of the fonts. Other times YOU, as the reader or editor of the file, must have purchased the fonts and have them available in your OS's systems folder (fonts folder) in order to display and edit the documents successfully. Often the text must be converted to curves or shapes to successfully import and view a document in an application other than the one that made it. This, of course, makes is impossible to edit the text since it is no longer 'text' (even though it looks like text).

I hope that helped rather than added to your confusion,
Harry

[Luciano]

here is the xar file, but I had to convert text to curves before opening in Xara.
I hope it will help you.

Luciano