Office 2013 Publisher always "bitmap" text in PDF regardless of setting

I think the best way to reproduce is to use a font of OpenType (CFF/PS) and not TrueType.

You can try with the "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Resource\Font\MyriadPro-Regular.otf" that is typically installed with Adobe Reader X.

I always use the latest reader from reader from Adobe as a reference when testing PDFs. This might not be the fastest or most secure reader, but it is the de facto standard.

You can find information about the 14 base fonts for instance here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format#Standard_Type_1_Fonts_.28Standard_14_Fonts.29

OK, thanks. I roughly equate the 14 base fonts to 'web friendly' fonts. These are fonts that are common to most computers and thus will render in a browser without being 'bitmapped' or forcing a font substitution. I factor this in when building websites.

I tried to replicate your issue by creating a new Publisher 2013 file on a Win7 machine with 9 different text boxes using such 'standard' fonts as 'Arial', 'Times New Roman', 'Verdana' and 'Georgia' but also 'non-standard' fonts such as 'Callibri', 'Lucida Handwriting', 'Mead Bold' and 'Marigold' which is a printer font. All were TrueType fonts. I do not have any OpenType fonts installed or available to test.

When I created a pdf none of these fonts were converted to an image or 'bit mapped' if you prefer.

Open your file and go File > Info > Manage Embedded Fonts. This shows that all my sample fonts are TrueType and there is no License Restriction that prevents the fonts from being embedded. When I have the option 'Do not embed common system fonts' then Arial, times new roman indicate 'may not embed'. If I uncheck that option then I get 'may embed' as with all the others except for Marigold. Further all these TT fonts are embedded according to the last column. What do you see for your OpenType fonts? Is there a License Restriction? I think you said earlier that the OT fonts cannot be embedded. Does this also confirm that?

My experience is that it does not matter which of the TrueType fonts I use. I do not get a bit mapped version of that text when I convert it to PDF. It seems to me that you do not have to use just the 14 base fonts, but perhaps you cannot use the OpenType fonts that cannot be embedded because of License Restrictions. Yes? If true then yes you won't be able to use your Apple OT fonts but you can use any of the TT fonts without getting bit mapped text. Also it does not appear that the "Bitmap text when fonts may not be embedded" option has any control over this issue...at least not in Publisher 2013.

My conclusion or assertion is that Publisher 2013 will bitmap any font with License Restrictions that prevent them from being embedded. This would include OpenType fonts. You will have to substitute in a font that can be embedded, but that includes all TT fonts.

Though it appears that you will be restricted by using fonts that can be embedded if you want to use the Office PDF maker, have you tried converting your EMF images to high resolution .PNG files when you use Acrobat?

By the way, what are you using to view your PDF files? I am using the FoxIt viewer.

Thanks for working out the details of this issue with me.

DavidF

You can find information about the 14 base fonts for instance here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format#Standard_Type_1_Fonts_.28Standard_14_Fonts.29

So that I understand correctly, are you saying that Publisher 2013 will 'render as bitmap' all OpenType fonts when using the Office PDF tool?

DavidF

As it looks to me, Publisher will render as bitmap all fonts that cannot be embedded and that are not among the "14" standard fonts defined for the PDF format.

Interesting. How did you determine the 14 fonts? I would like to try to replicate this.

Thanks.

DavidF

It is clear the Office 2010/2013 can only embed TrueType or OpenType using TrueType fonts.

That is documented and fine (although it is really a pity).

The problem is how Publisher handles the case when a font cannot be embedded. Word and PowerPoint 2013 respects the "render as bitmap" setting correctly, but Publisher seems to ignore this setting and render the fonts anyway.

Using Acrobat to create the PDF solves this issue and can even embed OpenType with PS outlines. The problem in this case is that Acrobat does not work very well with my Enhanced Metafiles. I have tried to report this to Adobe, but it is impossible to get any response from them.

No other PDF renderers I have tried solves these issues either. It seems like I have to chose between crappy text or crappy images...

So that I understand correctly, are you saying that Publisher 2013 will 'render as bitmap' all OpenType fonts when using the Office PDF tool?

DavidF