Hello,

I made an unpleasant discovery a few days ago. A PageStream document I had
saved as PDF didn't display well with AmiPDF. It gets a slew of XPDF error
messages, such as "Illegal entry in bfchar block in ToUnicode CMap,"
"Missing or invalid Encoding entry in Type 0 font," and "Unknown font tag
'F5'." A section I had written with Bitstream Vera has blanks and
overwrites instead of the characters it should.

Meanwhile, AmiGS displays the same PDF file perfectly, no complaint.

So I tried it on a Windows XP machine. Windows refused to display anything,
complaining that it seemed to be a special form of PDF that it didn't know
how to handle! But a Mac user I had sent a copy to says he opened it all
right.

What gives? I've been doing these once a month on a public web site, never
supposing that people wouldn't be able to open them, and now that's a bit
embarrassing.
--
Bart Mathias
SAM460ex OS4.1u4

sounds like a big endian little endian problem, but this is a PDF and shouldnt be the case.
can you linke to your PDF in question so we can take a looks see ?

On Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:38:52 -0500, Bart Mathias <mathias@hawaii.edu> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I made an unpleasant discovery a few days ago. A PageStream document I had
> saved as PDF didn't display well with AmiPDF. It gets a slew of XPDF error
> messages, such as "Illegal entry in bfchar block in ToUnicode CMap,"
> "Missing or invalid Encoding entry in Type 0 font," and "Unknown font tag
> 'F5'." A section I had written with Bitstream Vera has blanks and
> overwrites instead of the characters it should.
>
> Meanwhile, AmiGS displays the same PDF file perfectly, no complaint.
>
> So I tried it on a Windows XP machine. Windows refused to display anything,
> complaining that it seemed to be a special form of PDF that it didn't know
> how to handle! But a Mac user I had sent a copy to says he opened it all
> right.
>
> What gives? I've been doing these once a month on a public web site, never
> supposing that people wouldn't be able to open them, and now that's a bit
> embarrassing.

Hello Bart

On 07/03/2012, Bart Mathias wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I made an unpleasant discovery a few days ago. A PageStream document I
> had saved as PDF didn't display well with AmiPDF. It gets a slew of
> XPDF error messages, such as "Illegal entry in bfchar block in
> ToUnicode CMap," "Missing or invalid Encoding entry in Type 0 font,"
> and "Unknown font tag 'F5'." A section I had written with Bitstream
> Vera has blanks and overwrites instead of the characters it should.
>
> Meanwhile, AmiGS displays the same PDF file perfectly, no complaint.
>
> So I tried it on a Windows XP machine. Windows refused to display
> anything, complaining that it seemed to be a special form of PDF that
> it didn't know how to handle! But a Mac user I had sent a copy to says
> he opened it all right.
>
It isn't "Windows" that displays a PDF, it is Adobe Reader, or
occasionally some 3rd-party clone of Adobe Reader.

Are you sure Adobe Reader was installed?

> What gives? I've been doing these once a month on a public web site,
> never supposing that people wouldn't be able to open them, and now
> that's a bit embarrassing.

I have made PDFs in PGS on Amithlon often, and viewed them on a variety
of PCs with Adobe Reader installed, no problem.

But I stick to Times and Helvetica for cross-platform jobs like this.

Regards
--
Don Cox
doncox@enterprise.net

Hello Bart

On 07/03/2012, Bart Mathias wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I made an unpleasant discovery a few days ago. A PageStream document I
> had saved as PDF didn't display well with AmiPDF. It gets a slew of
> XPDF error messages, such as "Illegal entry in bfchar block in
> ToUnicode CMap," "Missing or invalid Encoding entry in Type 0 font,"
> and "Unknown font tag 'F5'." A section I had written with Bitstream
> Vera has blanks and overwrites instead of the characters it should.
>
> Meanwhile, AmiGS displays the same PDF file perfectly, no complaint.
>
> So I tried it on a Windows XP machine. Windows refused to display
> anything, complaining that it seemed to be a special form of PDF that
> it didn't know how to handle! But a Mac user I had sent a copy to says
> he opened it all right.
>
> What gives? I've been doing these once a month on a public web site,
> never supposing that people wouldn't be able to open them, and now
> that's a bit embarrassing.

Give us the link to the web site and we can try them out.

Regards
--
Don Cox
doncox@enterprise.net

On 07/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:

> sounds like a big endian little endian problem, but this is a PDF and
> shouldnt be the case. can you linke to your PDF in question so we can
> take a looks see ?

I've removed them from the original site (www.frauhm.org/announcement.htm)
but replaced them here:

This is the one that AmiPDF makes a mess of, but AmiGS handles perfectly:

http://www.bartssite.net/frauhmnl1203.PDF

This one comes up fine with AmiPDF:

http://www.bartssite.net/nl201202.PDF

(All of a sudden, AmiTradeCenter won't work; I had to figure out how to use
AmiFTP to post those!)

--
Bart Mathias
SAM460ex OS4.1u4

On 08/03/2012, Don Cox wrote:

> Hello Bart
>
> On 07/03/2012, Bart Mathias wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I made an unpleasant discovery a few days ago. A PageStream document I
>> had saved as PDF didn't display well with AmiPDF. It gets a slew of
>> XPDF error messages, such as "Illegal entry in bfchar block in
>> ToUnicode CMap," "Missing or invalid Encoding entry in Type 0 font,"
>> and "Unknown font tag 'F5'." A section I had written with Bitstream
>> Vera has blanks and overwrites instead of the characters it should.
>>
>> Meanwhile, AmiGS displays the same PDF file perfectly, no complaint.
>>
>> So I tried it on a Windows XP machine. Windows refused to display
>> anything, complaining that it seemed to be a special form of PDF that
>> it didn't know how to handle! But a Mac user I had sent a copy to says
>> he opened it all right.
>>
> It isn't "Windows" that displays a PDF, it is Adobe Reader, or
> occasionally some 3rd-party clone of Adobe Reader.

Well, of course, but it seems like every time I turn that machine on, it
wants to install upgrades. I assume that Windows machines have the latest.

> Are you sure Adobe Reader was installed?

It claims to be version 7.0.9.

When I try to open either of the files I listed in the preceding reply, it
gives me an Adobe Reader info report "Illegal operation inside a path." I
"OK" that, and the next Adobe Reader window says "This file appears to use
a new format that this version of Acrobat does not support. Adoobe
recommends that you upgrade to the latest version of our acrobat products."

There was a URL to something expensive.
--
Bart Mathias
SAM460ex OS4.1u4

On 3/8/2012 11:25 PM, Bart Mathias wrote:
>
> Well, of course, but it seems like every time I turn that machine on, it
> wants to install upgrades. I assume that Windows machines have the latest.
>
> > Are you sure Adobe Reader was installed?
>
> It claims to be version 7.0.9.
>
The current version of Adobe Reader is 10.x.x. That may make a
difference. Which version you can use depends upon which Windows you
are using. I am running Windows 7 64 bit.

The same version is in Red Hat Fedora Linux 64 bit.

> When I try to open either of the files I listed in the preceding reply, it
> gives me an Adobe Reader info report "Illegal operation inside a path." I
> "OK" that, and the next Adobe Reader window says "This file appears to use
> a new format that this version of Acrobat does not support. Adoobe
> recommends that you upgrade to the latest version of our acrobat products."
>
> There was a URL to something expensive.
> --
> Bart Mathias
> SAM460ex OS4.1u4
>
--
Dr. Larry Keller
Ohio Amigan
lkeller100@cox.net

On 3/8/2012 11:01 PM, Bart Mathias wrote:
>
> I've removed them from the original site (www.frauhm.org/announcement.htm)
> but replaced them here:
>
> This is the one that AmiPDF makes a mess of, but AmiGS handles perfectly:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/frauhmnl1203.PDF
>
> This one comes up fine with AmiPDF:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/nl201202.PDF
>
Both files displayed fine in the current version of Adobe Reader
add-on for Mozilla FireFox. Your problem may be the version of Adobe
Reader as I noted in my previous message.

> (All of a sudden, AmiTradeCenter won't work; I had to figure out how to use
> AmiFTP to post those!)
>
> --
> Bart Mathias
> SAM460ex OS4.1u4
>
>

--
Dr. Larry Keller
Ohio Amigan
lkeller100@cox.net

On 9/03/12 2:01 PM, Bart Mathias wrote:
> On 07/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> sounds like a big endian little endian problem, but this is a PDF and
>> shouldnt be the case. can you linke to your PDF in question so we can
>> take a looks see ?
>
> I've removed them from the original site (www.frauhm.org/announcement.htm)
> but replaced them here:
>
> This is the one that AmiPDF makes a mess of, but AmiGS handles perfectly:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/frauhmnl1203.PDF
>
> This one comes up fine with AmiPDF:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/nl201202.PDF

They both open here with Preview on Mac

>
> (All of a sudden, AmiTradeCenter won't work; I had to figure out how to use
> AmiFTP to post those!)
>

On 9/03/2012 2:01 PM, Bart Mathias wrote:
> On 07/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> sounds like a big endian little endian problem, but this is a PDF and
>> shouldnt be the case. can you linke to your PDF in question so we can
>> take a looks see ?
>
> I've removed them from the original site (www.frauhm.org/announcement.htm)
> but replaced them here:
>
> This is the one that AmiPDF makes a mess of, but AmiGS handles perfectly:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/frauhmnl1203.PDF
>
> This one comes up fine with AmiPDF:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/nl201202.PDF
>

These both open here .. in Win 7 ... both inline Firefox 10.0.2 and external
Adobe Reader 10.1.2

> (All of a sudden, AmiTradeCenter won't work; I had to figure out how to use
> AmiFTP to post those!)
>

Both files opended here just fine in KDE 4.7 with KDE's Okular.
Next guess as noted by other is the older version of adobe reader you are using.
However if you are using a windows machine, dont use adobe's reader, use other PDF readers, on winders i use Foxit Reader.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Reader/

On Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:01:03 -0500, Bart Mathias <mathias@hawaii.edu> wrote:

> On 07/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> sounds like a big endian little endian problem, but this is a PDF and
>> shouldnt be the case. can you linke to your PDF in question so we can
>> take a looks see ?
>
> I've removed them from the original site (www.frauhm.org/announcement.htm)
> but replaced them here:
>
> This is the one that AmiPDF makes a mess of, but AmiGS handles perfectly:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/frauhmnl1203.PDF
>
> This one comes up fine with AmiPDF:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/nl201202.PDF
>
> (All of a sudden, AmiTradeCenter won't work; I had to figure out how to use
> AmiFTP to post those!)

On 09-03-2012 05:01, Bart Mathias wrote:
> On 07/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> sounds like a big endian little endian problem, but this is a PDF and
>> shouldnt be the case. can you linke to your PDF in question so we can
>> take a looks see ?
> I've removed them from the original site (www.frauhm.org/announcement.htm)
> but replaced them here:
>
> This is the one that AmiPDF makes a mess of, but AmiGS handles perfectly:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/frauhmnl1203.PDF
>
> This one comes up fine with AmiPDF:
>
>http://www.bartssite.net/nl201202.PDF
>
> (All of a sudden, AmiTradeCenter won't work; I had to figure out how to use
> AmiFTP to post those!)
>
Both of them shows without any problems using Win7 64 bit and Foxit
Reader version 5.1.4.0104 - believed to be the latest version.

P. Marquard

Hello admfubar@gmail.com

On 09/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:
> Both files opended here just fine in KDE 4.7 with KDE's Okular. Next
> guess as noted by other is the older version of adobe reader you are
> using. However if you are using a windows machine, dont use adobe's
> reader, use other PDF readers, on winders i use Foxit Reader.
>
>http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Reader/
>
Why?

Regards
--
Don Cox
doncox@enterprise.net

adobe's products are full of security holes., use something that has less of a vulnerability profile
another good addition is secunia psi, nice little security program that monitors and tracks your installed programs and alerts you to updates

http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

or get the ultimate in security and switch to linux. i've not had a worry in 15 years.

On Fri, 09 Mar 2012 07:39:13 -0500, Don Cox <doncox@enterprise.net> wrote:

> Hello admfubar@gmail.com
>
> On 09/03/2012, admfubar@gmail.com wrote:
>> Both files opended here just fine in KDE 4.7 with KDE's Okular. Next
>> guess as noted by other is the older version of adobe reader you are
>> using. However if you are using a windows machine, dont use adobe's
>> reader, use other PDF readers, on winders i use Foxit Reader.
>>
>>http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Reader/
>>
> Why?
>
> Regards

On 09/03/2012, Dr. Larry Keller wrote:

> [...]
> Both files displayed fine in the current version of Adobe Reader
> add-on for Mozilla FireFox. Your problem may be the version of Adobe
> Reader as I noted in my previous message.

I'm pretty well convinced, thanks to so many trying it with so many
different readers, no fault of PageStream's. That's nice to know.

I tried to find an Adobe Reader add-on for Timberwolf but the thing I found
doesn't seem to do anything.

I have looked at some PDFs with that PC, though. I don't use it a lot (it's
not mine; I'm just the caretaker), but if I ever run into trouble again,
I'll try to get Foxit Reader. I did try to download something that
identified itself as the most recent version, I think, but the install
failed (more or less automatic message generated to MicroSoft).

I also find it somehow pleasing that AmiPDF is that much superior to an
Adobe Reader version that can't be much, if any, older.
--
Bart Mathias
SAM460ex OS4.1u4

On 3/9/2012 5:29 PM, Bart Mathias wrote:
> On 09/03/2012, Dr. Larry Keller wrote:
>
> > [...]
> > Both files displayed fine in the current version of Adobe Reader
> > add-on for Mozilla FireFox. Your problem may be the version of Adobe
> > Reader as I noted in my previous message.
>
> I'm pretty well convinced, thanks to so many trying it with so many
> different readers, no fault of PageStream's. That's nice to know.
>
> I tried to find an Adobe Reader add-on for Timberwolf but the thing I found
> doesn't seem to do anything.
>
> I have looked at some PDFs with that PC, though. I don't use it a lot (it's
> not mine; I'm just the caretaker), but if I ever run into trouble again,
> I'll try to get Foxit Reader. I did try to download something that
> identified itself as the most recent version, I think, but the install
> failed (more or less automatic message generated to MicroSoft).
>
> I also find it somehow pleasing that AmiPDF is that much superior to an
> Adobe Reader version that can't be much, if any, older.

Adobe, as someone else pointed out, is plugging numerous "holes" in
their reader and so have released a flood of updates. It is important
to update, both to read current pdf docs and to be more secure.
Apparently they have plugged most of the security holes AFAIK.

I use Adobe Acrobat Pro X to create pdf for my classes. Seems to
work well and I keep it updated.
> --
> Bart Mathias
> SAM460ex OS4.1u4
>
>

--
Dr. Larry Keller
Ohio Amigan
lkeller100@cox.net