Why are my PDF files printing differently?

I have an in-house application which generates PDF files for different reports. Now based on the report type, the PDF files are generated by 2 different applications - first one being neevia Doc Creator and the other being Oracle Reports.

If I open either PDF files using Adobe Acrobat reader and then issue a print command, then both the files print correctly, with all formatting retained.

However, if I copy the files directly to the printer ( the printer is shared on the network, and by copy files I mean issue copy <file> \\share_name), then the PDF files created by neevia Doc Creator print fine, with formatting retained.

If I do the same for the PDF files created using Oracle Reports, then the prints are off, the formatting is not retained.

At first, I thought this was a font substitution issue, and found that that the fonts were not embedded in PDF generated by Oracle reports. So I did some changes, and the fonts are being embedded now - but the prints still don't match.

Why is this so ? What am I missing out on ? Any way to determine what's so different about the other PDF that makes it to lose formatting ?

This is how the print looks, when printed from Adobe:

Adobe-Printout

This is how the print looks, when printed directly ( ie, copied)

Print-output

The printer is a HP Color LaserJet 4700 PS, connected to a dedicated print server running on Windows Server 2003.

Sathyajith Bhat

Posted 2010-10-06T14:45:33.417

Reputation: 58 436

1"then the prints are off, the formatting is not retained". Could you add an image showing this? – Josh – 2010-10-06T14:54:09.197

@Josh yes, I will do so. – Sathyajith Bhat – 2010-10-06T15:15:51.533

I was wondering if there could be a different in the postscript versions, but I'm not sure how to find that information. The other things I would check is if the PDF versions were the same, that may make a difference in how the printer processes the PDF. – Scott McClenning – 2010-10-06T16:23:14.060

It would be good to include more details. Is the print queue on a Windows box, a *nix box, or on the printer itself? What model printer and how recent is the firmware? – CarlF – 2010-10-06T16:51:24.240

@CarlF The printer is a HP Color LaserJet 4700 PS, connected to a dedicated print server running on Windows Server 2003. @Scott: The PDF version is the same, ie, PDF v1.4 – Sathyajith Bhat – 2010-10-06T17:02:53.827

Answers

Are the fonts embedded in the PDF?If not the printer could be using local fonts. I wrote a blog post explaining at http://www.jpedal.org/PDFblog/?p=635

mark stephens

Posted 2010-10-06T14:45:33.417

Reputation: 46

Ultimately, it came down to Neevia embedding fonts correctly, which Oracle Reports Engine not doing so. Thanks @Mark – Sathyajith Bhat – 2011-01-09T05:12:05.123

There appears to be a new firmware release for your printer dated July of 2010. That's the first thing I would try.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=473039&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=473038&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1005#290

Also installing the latest drivers on the Win2K3 box, if applicable.

CarlF

Posted 2010-10-06T14:45:33.417

Reputation: 8 576

There are several versions of the PDF format. Maybe neevia Doc Creator creates files suitable for an older version that the driver on the print server supports, while Oracle Reports uses some features of newer versions that the driver doesn't understand. When you print with Acrobat Reader, it produces the PostScript file to send to the printer (and unsurprisingly handles all versions of PDF without trouble).

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

Posted 2010-10-06T14:45:33.417

Reputation: 58 319

Perhaps, but Acrobat reader mentions that both PDF versions are 1.4 – Sathyajith Bhat – 2010-10-06T22:24:59.443

@Sathya: the real question is what version the driver supports (perhaps neevia declares 1.4 but doesn't use its advanced features). – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' – 2010-10-06T22:45:36.957

OK I understand what you're implying here. – Sathyajith Bhat – 2010-10-06T22:56:43.810