[vox-tech] LaTeX, DVI, PDF, LaTeX, fonts - HELP!

[Shawn P. Neugebauer]

On Friday 19 April 2002 05:46 pm, you wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 19, 2002 at 03:12:36PM -0700, nbs wrote:
> > I've just been informed that some documents that are being generated
> > by LaTeX aren't printing properly on some printers.
> >
> > I think it's less a problem with the printers (HP-850s) and probably
> > more a problem with Acrobat on the system (all of these are Windows
> > boxes, BTW) that the printer happens to be connected to.
>
> I have seen this. I suspect Acrobat too. All versions of Acrobat that I
> have seen fail to properly implement Type 3 bitmap fonts to Adobe's own
> spec. DVI files converted to Postscript or PDF use such bitmap fonts.

I don't think this is correct.  For example, I used the "times" package
(see my other reply) in a latex source file, generated a DVI file, then
used dvipdf to create a PDF.  Looking at the font information inside
Acrobat reader indicates that, indeed, Type 1 PS fonts are being used.
If math symbols are used, there will be a Type 3 font for that, but this
font too can be replaced by a PS font (see my other reply).

> > Is there some way of embedding the fonts into the PDF document so that
> > Acrobat will work correctly?  Or perhaps is Acrobat missing something
> > or misconfigured?
>
> See above. The fonts are there, but Acrobat cannot deal with them.

I don't think it's so much a matter of *Acrobat* being able to deal with them,
it's probably a matter of the printer and the print driver dealing with them.
I have generated many PDF files over the years using latex and dvipdf,
and Acrobat handles them fine--I've been able to print them just fine (using
Acrobat) on lots of different platforms and to lots of different printers.

> Try:
> 	* Using pfdlatex instead of latex to typeset the documents. The output
> 	  will be in PDF format, so no DVI->PDF conversion will be necessary. If I
> 	  am not mistaken, pdflatex always uses the Blue Sky type 1 versions of
> 	  Computer Mondern rather than the bitmap originals. (It always does on my
> 	  system.) One way to check this is by running pdf2ps on the pdflatex
> 	  output and inspecting the postscript code in an editor. You will see the
> 	  fonts impedded and may analyse them.

This is a good idea.  Acrobat can also be used to check the font information,
given the PDF file.  pdflatex is a front-end to pdftex, which is distinct from
dvipdf; dvipdf is just a front-end to dvips.

> 	* Using pslatex instead of latex; output will be DVI but using the
> 	  standard postscript fonts, which every PDF viewer and every printer
> 	  driver support perfectly. The typographic quality will be degraded, so
> 	  try the previous suggestion first.

I have to mention that only *PS* printers and associated drivers should be
expected to handle such output "perfectly."  Even then, there are problems
(e.g., MS-word-generated PS files often do not print on my Lexmark T612,
a very standard PS printer).  also, pslatex is a short script front-end to
latex. if the "times" package is being used, pslatex shouldn't make a
difference in the end problem.

shawn.