You can create PDF files in Adobe FrameMaker by saving a FrameMaker document as a PDF file or by printing to the Adobe PDF printer. Both methods use Acrobat Distiller, which can be installed using the FrameMaker installation media or available from a compatible version of Adobe Acrobat on the system. This document can help you determine the cause and resolve PDF creation problems. To benefit most from this document, perform the tasks in order.
You can create PDF files in Adobe FrameMaker by saving a FrameMaker document as a PDF file or by printing to the Adobe PDF printer. Both methods use Acrobat Distiller, which is installed with FrameMaker. Perform the tasks in this section to determine if Acrobat Distiller is responsible for the problem.
1. Make sure that you use a version of Acrobat Distiller that is compatible with FrameMaker.
FrameMaker 8 and 9 are compatible with Distiller versions: 7.0, 8.0, or 9.0.
To determine which version of Acrobat Distiller is installed, start Acrobat Distiller and choose Help > About Acrobat Distiller.
Important: Adobe FrameMaker 8 and 9 include the Adobe PDF Creation Add-On to enable FrameMaker to create PDF files. The Adobe PDF Creation Add-On should be thought of — for purposes in this document — as synonymous to Acrobat Distiller.
If you use a version of Acrobat Distiller that's not compatible with FrameMaker, you may need to update or upgrade FrameMaker, or remove Distiller and reinstall FrameMaker with the version of Distiller included with FrameMaker installer.
2. Check to see if Acrobat Distiller functions with another program.
Create a PDF file from another application, (for example, Microsoft Word) by printing a document to the Adobe PDF printer. If you can create a PDF file from another application using Acrobat Distiller, there may be a problem with FrameMaker or with the specific document or book being converted.
3. Open the Adobe PDF printer’s print queue and remove/delete any stopped or stuck print jobs.
To open the Adobe PDF printer’s print queue:
4. Make sure that the printer is not set to work offline.
To check if the Adobe PDF printer is set to work offline:
5. Close all open programs and then set the Adobe PDF printer to be the default printer on the computer and remove/uninstall any other PDF printers on system.
Additional PDF printers and/or drivers can sometimes interfere or conflict with the Adobe PDF printer.
To set the Adobe PDF printer to be the default printer:
6. Change the default PDF job option before printing to the Adobe PDF printer.
To determine if corrupt job option is the cause, select a different job option when you print in FrameMaker. To select a different job option from when printing to the Adobe PDF printer:
If you're able to create a PDF file using a different job option, delete the damaged/corrupted Job Option in Acrobat Distiller and use an alternative one.
7. Check the messages.log file.
The messages.log file may include information (for example, PostScript errors) that you can use to troubleshoot the problem. If the file lists a PostScript error, troubleshoot the error according to document 328515, “Troubleshoot PostScript errors”. To locate the messages.log file on your system:
On Windows 2000 and Windows XP, the location of the messages.log file is located on the hard drive in: Documents and Settings\[user profile]\Application Data\Adobe\Acrobat\Distiller [version number].
On Windows Vista, the location of the messages.log file is located on the hard drive inside: Users\[user profile]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\Distiller [version number].
Important:There is an alternative route that can be employed to produce a PDF file. If you have the Adobe PDF Creation Add-On or Acrobat Distiller installed, you can convert documents to PDF using a two step process. First convert the FrameMaker document into a PostScript file and then manually add the PostScript file to Acrobat Distiller which should convert the PostScript file into a PDF.
To create a PDF using the two step process:
The procedure above should result in a PostScript file being produced and saved onto the computer’s desktop which concludes the first step of this process. Follow the next two steps to convert the PostScript file (.ps) into a PDF.
8. If using “Save as PDF” failed to produce a PDF and printing using “Print to File” failed to create a Temporary PostScript file (*.tps), but printing the FrameMaker document using the Adobe PDF printer without enabling “Print to File” was successful, then check that a “File Port” is present in your computer’s Print Server Properties Control Panel.
The File Port is required by FrameMaker to be present to use for the first stage of the “Save as PDF” creation process — the conversion of the FrameMaker document into a PostScript file and the “Print to File” process.
Note: The port needs no special configuration, it just has to be present.
To check for the existence of the File Port on your system, do the following:
If the File Port is missing, add the port.
To add the File port follow these steps:
9. If none of the steps above resolved the failure to create a PDF file, additional assistance is available. Contact Adobe Technical Support.
To find support options and additional documentation use this link to the Adobe website: http://www.adobe.com/support/framemaker.
If you can create a PDF file from another application using Adobe Distiller, there may be a problem with FrameMaker. Perform the tasks in this section to determine if FrameMaker causes the problem.
1. Set the Adobe PDF or the Acrobat Distiller printer as the default printer. Then, try to create a PDF file in FrameMaker.
2. If "Save As PDF" failed to generate a PDF file, try printing to the Adobe PDF printer.
3. Deselect Generate Acrobat Data in the Print Document dialog box.
PDF features, such as bookmarks, hyperlinks, and tags, sometimes cause problems with the creation of PDF files. Disable these features to determine if they are at the root of the problem.
4. Try printing with a different job option.
To determine if corrupt PDF job options are the cause, select a different job option when you print in FrameMaker. If you're able to create a PDF file using a different job option, troubleshoot the problem job option in Acrobat Distiller by changing each setting and printing until you find the setting that causes the problem.
To select a different job option in FrameMaker do the following:
If Acrobat Distiller successfully creates a PDF file, proceed to the section, Troubleshoot the FrameMaker document.
If Acrobat Distiller doesn't create a PDF file, proceed to the next task.
5. Try using a different Acrobat Distiller job option.
An Acrobat Distiller job option can sometime become damaged and unusable.
To isolate whether a specific job option in Acrobat Distiller is responsible, do the following:
If you can print a new file that contains a single word of text as a PDF file in FrameMaker, your document may be corrupt; Proceed to the "Troubleshoot the FrameMaker document" section, in this document.
If the new file does not print, remove and reinstall FrameMaker and Acrobat Distiller. If Acrobat is installed, remove and reinstall it by using the Add/Remove Programs control panel (Windows XP) or the Programs and Features control panel (Windows Vista) before reinstalling FrameMaker.
Contact Adobe Technical Support using the contact information included with your Adobe software or see the adobe website for Adobe Technical Support options (www.adobe.com/support)
Perform the tasks in this section to determine if the problem is specific to the FrameMaker document you are attempting to convert.
1. Create a new empty FrameMaker document add a single word to it and then choose "Save As PDF".
If a new FrameMaker document can be converted into a PDF successfully, continue with the next troubleshooting step, otherwise, skip to section: “Troubleshoot FrameMaker.”
2. Open all documents in a book before you create a PDF file.
To open all FrameMaker files contained in a book and create a PDF:
FrameMaker needs access to all the FrameMaker files and be able to open them without error to successfully convert them into a PDF.
If any errors occur while opening the files contained within the book, resolve those errors before attempting to convert the files into PDF.
3. Move files to local hard drive if files are stored in network location.
Using files across a network introduces variables, such as slower access speeds, less reliable data verification, network interruptions, and permission issues that not present when files are stored on an internal hard disk. These variables can contribute to an unstable communication and lead to data loss, file corruption, and failure to successfully create PDF files.
4. Attempt to create a PDF from the individual files contained within the book.
If the individual FrameMaker files can be successful be converted into PDF format, then the book file has become corrupted and user should create a new book file and add the files referenced in their previous book to the new book.
5. Save the file in Maker Interchange Format before creating a PDF file.
When FrameMaker converts documents into Maker Interchange Format (MIF), the file is completely rewritten as an ASCII based text file and can eliminate problem elements or corruptions that have appeared in a FrameMaker file. You can resave the MIF file as a FrameMaker file, if needed.
To save document in MIF form:
6. Set the Adobe PDF printer as the default printer. Then, try to create a PDF file in FrameMaker.
Framemaker restricts its output to be congruent with the default printer’s abilities. For example, if you start a FrameMaker session with a black-and-white (that is, gray scale) printer set as the default printer, Framemaker will restrict itself to print documents without color.
When Framemaker launches, it queries the default printer and gathers its printing information from that printer’s PPD (PostScript Printer Description) file. The PPD contain information about a printer's features, such as available memory, resolution, paper trays, ROM-resident fonts, and whether it supports color output.
FrameMaker queries the default printer at startup; consequently, if you start FrameMaker while a gray scale printer is targeted as the default, even if you specify a color printer during the FrameMaker session, FrameMaker uses the PPD file for the gray scale printer for output.
7. If you use Save As PDF to create PDF files, try printing to the Adobe PDF printer without generating Adobe data.
PDF features, such as bookmarks, hyperlinks, and tags, may cause problems with the creation of PDF files. Disable these features to determine if they cause the problem.
8. Troubleshoot the fonts used in the document.
To troubleshoot potential font problems use applicable steps in documents: “Document uses unavailable fonts (FrameMaker 7.x on Windows)” (327053) and ' “Troubleshoot font problems (Windows)” (TechNote:328607) and download and install Microsoft’s hotfix for font cache issues in Windows XP and Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=952909.
9. If the document contains conditional text, set all conditional text tags to "Show" and then save the document.
Sometimes a inconsistency can occur between conditional text settings amongst files in a FrameMaker book or in an individual FrameMaker file; Setting all conditionally tagged paragraphs to show and resaving the files can remove a corruption that prevents Distiller from generating a PDF or FrameMaker from being able to update a book file.
To set all conditionally tagged paragraphs to be visible in an individual FrameMaker file:
To set all conditionally tagged paragraphs to be shown in the chapters within a FrameMaker book file:
Note: If a Conditional Text Inconsistency Error Messages occurs, follow the applicable steps in document: "Conditional Text Inconsistency Error Messages When Printing or Updating a FrameMaker Book File" (TechNote:312573).
10. Locate incomplete markers or incorrect markers and correct them or remove them from the document.
To locate all the markers in the document, check the links, and make adjustments, do the following:
A stand alone List Of Markers file should have been produced with each marker’s syntax and page number by last step and should be used to complete the process.
A keyboard shortcut also exists to lock the document; By pressing Esc, F (Shift + f), l (lowercase L), and then k key in sequence the file will be set to View Only.
To correct an incomplete or incorrect marker:
11. If none of the steps above resolved the failure to create an Adobe PDF file, additional assistance is available. Contact Adobe Technical Support.
To find support options and additional documentation use this link to the Adobe website: http://www.adobe.com/support/framemaker.
For information on troubleshooting FrameMaker itself, see one of these TechNotes:
"Troubleshoot system errors or freezes in FrameMaker 8 (Windows XP)" (Technote kb403810)
"Troubleshoot system errors or freezes in FrameMaker 8 (Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb405539)
"Troubleshoot system errors and freezes in FrameMaker 9 (Windows XP)" (TechNote kb406892)
"Troubleshoot system errors and freezes (FrameMaker 9 on Windows Vista)" (TechNote kb406893)
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