10 Replies Latest reply: Dec 4, 2009 5:09 PM by Phillip Jones RSS

    Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes

    David Blatner CommunityMVP

      I haven't been able to print from Acrobat 9 Pro for Mac for about many months. I can open the Print dialog box and change settings, but as soon as I click the Print button, Acrobat freezes and I have to force quit. (More accurately, the Print dialog box can be dragged around, but even if I switch to a different app, like the Finder, the Print dialog box stays open -- Print button no longer flashing. Nothing prints, and the dialog box cannot close until I force quit.)

       

      Even worse, it happens when I print a PDF from Safari, too! It's been driving me crazy, and I've tried a ton of different troubleshooting techniques.

       

      Currently using 9.2.0 on Mac OS 10.5.8. Not sure when the problem started, but I've done a number of Acrobat and OS updates since then, always hoping that one will fix it. No luck.

       

      I thought it was the free version of Font ExplorerX from linotype that I've been using far, far too long. When I quit that, it seemed to work once... but now even without that running it's crashing. So perhaps it was a fluke.

       

      Also, sometimes it works if I hit the Print button really quickly after the dialog box opens. That's even weirder.

       

      Yes, I have removed the printer driver and reinstalled.

       

      Frustrated. (I usually just open the pdf in Preview and print, or place it in InDesign and print. But sometimes, like today when I have to print a contract with digital signatures, only Acrobat will do.)

       

      Sigh,

      David Blatner

        • 1. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
          Larry G. Schneider CommunityMVP

          Have you tried to download Adobe Reader 9 and use it? Some people have reported that it will work.

          • 2. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
            Phillip Jones Community Member

            If it affecting Acrobat only.  Then try Repairing Permissions. Don't bother with verify. Just Repair permissions.

             

            Quit Acrobat, and Locate the font Cache for Acrobat. Remove and empty in Trash and have Acrobat and distiller rebuild the font cache.

             

            Another thing to check is Acrobat is stickler for perfect fonts. If there is the least little thing wrong with a Font, that other application will ignore, acrobat won't. So use FontBook to repair fonts and resolve conflicts.

             

            Also another thing if you have used a Program to chuck all languages except English - unchuck them. Most versions of Acrobat won't work unless all the languages are installed.

             

            That 's one thing I make sure on any of my computers I have every lauaguage that comes with OSX installed.

            • 3. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
              MichaelKazlow CommunityMVP

              You can also try to reset the printer subsystem. However, this will delete ALL printer drivers.

              • 4. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                Phillip Jones Community Member

                A good suggestion.

                 

                But why would a massive Printer reset help Acrobat problems. I could see if you had problems with more than just Acrobat and or Reader?

                • 5. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                  David Blatner CommunityMVP

                  I have now tried Adobe Reader, but it also freezes.

                  I have now repaired permissions on the Mac AND reset the printer subsystem. Felt good, but did not help.

                  Still thinking.

                   

                  I wonder if it's the printer itself? I have only this Xerox 6180DN and the acrobat pro PDF driver. Ah! I CAN print to the pdf print driver from Adobe Reader. (It runs it through distiller.)

                   

                  Again, I can print fine from all other apps. It is only Acrobat that has this problem.

                   

                  thanks,

                  David B.

                  • 6. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                    Phillip Jones Community Member

                    See if there is a new Driver file for your Printer. If so install it and see what happens.

                    • 7. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                      David Blatner CommunityMVP

                      Wow, I'm pretty embarassed. I've only been in this biz since 1987 and have only recommended that people reinstall their drivers about 45,000 times. But I was so sure that I had the most recent driver from Xerox...

                       

                      That did it, though. Version 1.1 of the driver and I appear to be printing again! Thanks very much, Phillip. (Let me know if I can answer an indesign question for you sometime.)

                      • 8. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                        Phillip Jones Community Member

                        Glad to be of service. Acrobat is a fincky

                        application and with the latest update to 9.2.0 even more so.

                         

                        If I buy inDesign I'll take you up on the offer.

                        • 9. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                          370H55V Community Member

                          "Acrobat is a fincky application..."

                           

                          One thing I've learned since OSX 10.2 is that Mac is finicky about printer drivers too.

                           

                          I had a Lexmark and it would freeze all the time after I switched to Panther. It was a discontinued model so when I moved up to 10.3 there were no new drivers. The old ones installed OK but they would cause it to freeze up and if it did print, it took about ten minutes to get through a page of text.

                           

                          I got a new printer and one tht had current drivers available for Mac and the problem was solved.

                           

                          It seems we fight a never-ending battle with hardware and software racing to stay ahead of each other.

                          • 10. Re: Acrobat 9 Mac Print dialog freezes
                            Phillip Jones Community Member

                            CowboyInAZ wrote:

                             

                            "Acrobat is a fincky application..."

                             

                            One thing I've learned since OSX 10.2 is that Mac is finicky about printer drivers too.

                             

                            I had a Lexmark and it would freeze all the time after I switched to Panther. It was a discontinued model so when I moved up to 10.3 there were no new drivers. The old ones installed OK but they would cause it to freeze up and if it did print, it took about ten minutes to get through a page of text.

                             

                            I got a new printer and one tht had current drivers available for Mac and the problem was solved.

                             

                            It seems we fight a never-ending battle with hardware and software racing to stay ahead of each other.

                            Yes I've owned three printers since owning my first Mac an SE 30 I started out with a Apple ImagewriterII (made C-Itoch).  I had to switch when I bought a 7100/66 which used the PowerPC processor instead of the 68030 processors. Then I had a HP DJ 650cse which used a Black Cartridge only. No color. I had to change again When I bought my G4-500. I am still using it today. Its the best printer I've had so far. I fear when I buy a new Intel Mac, and comes with X.6 (Snow Leopard) I will have to swap again. I've seen the new HP DeskJets and the won't last as long this one.  They look like cheap toys and (gulp!) they use heads built like in epson not the Cartridges.  The Cartridges were more expensive. But each time you bought one you got a new set of print heads. No longer.