6 Replies Latest reply: Nov 11, 2014 8:14 AM by Dov Isaacs RSS

    PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"

    JoMoIQ Community Member
    JoMoIQ Sep 11, 2014 9:19 AM

      i saw similar discussions that were not exactly what I was looking for, so I decided to post my own:

       

      I have a critically important document that I've created that is refusing to print correctly due to the errors in my thread title here. After a lot of trial and error (different machines, different OS's, etc.) we've determined that it is a problem with the font inclusion, however, the "offending" font(s) - it's an OpenType Google Font Family - is one that I've used in dozens of other PDF's, in all sorts of combinations and variants, and have never had an issue before this document. This is coming at a critically inconvenient time, given the nature of the project and given that the aforementioned font (Roboto), is part of our brand identity.

       

      I have made a PDF with the type converted to outlines, but that balloons the file size up to around 11MB (from 278KB). I dont mind the conversion, but if there were a way to do this and reduce the size to something more manageable, I'd be thrilled (ideally <5 MB).

       

      The document is ALL (relatively simple) vector imagery and fonts, and I've not yet experimented with the resolution slider in the text outlining portion of the PDF dialogue (have no idea how relevant this would be in a vector document, given that it's not RASTERIZING the outlined type).

       

      Any help would be so tremendously appreciated.

       

      Thank you!!!

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        • 1. Re: PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"
          Dov Isaacs Employee Hosts
          Dov Isaacs Sep 11, 2014 9:49 AM (in response to JoMoIQ)

          You've given us precious little to work with.

           

          (1)     From what application was the PDF file created and with what tools? (Example, Word 2013 using Acrobat “save as Adobe PDF” or Excel 2010 using Microsoft's own “save as PDF” or?)

           

          (2)     Exactly what font are you referring to?

           

          (3)     How are you printing the PDF file and to what type of device? From Adobe Acrobat/Reader, from some other PDF viewer, what? And to what type (PostScript, PCL, other) of printer? And model?

           

          (4)     It would be helpful to post an example somewhere for us to examine!

           

                    - Dov

          • 2. Re: PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"
            JoMoIQ Community Member
            JoMoIQ Sep 11, 2014 10:49 AM (in response to Dov Isaacs)

            Ack! My apologies:

             

            1.     PDF was created using Illustrator CC, using Save As > Adobe Illustrator PDF > PDF Dialogue.

            2.     The font (family) is Google's Roboto: Google Fonts Roboto

            3.     Tried printing the file from:

                          Illustrator CC (as both an .ai and a .pdf separately) - where it failed to even spool to the printer.

                           Preview (OS X 10.9.4) as a .pdf - where it spooled and couldn't get past the first page because of the error

                           Using a Konica Minolta Bizhub C364e

            4.     I actually don't think I can post an example given the sensitive nature of the content of the document. Sorry

             

            Hope this helps clarify things!

            • 3. Re: PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"
              JoMoIQ Community Member
              JoMoIQ Sep 11, 2014 10:52 AM (in response to JoMoIQ)

              To reiterate, I've used the above methodology in the exact same fashion on all of my other work-related documents, and have never had any issues - same fonts, colors, formats. The ONLY thing I did different in this file was use Illustrator's Pattern Creator to forge a very simple dotted background.

              • 4. Re: PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"
                Dov Isaacs Employee Hosts
                Dov Isaacs Sep 11, 2014 2:10 PM (in response to JoMoIQ)

                Thanks for the information. It actually does help narrow what the problem might be.

                 

                Further question. What happens if you try to print from Adobe Acrobat to this printer? Same problem?

                 

                Observation! The printer in question, the Konica Minolta Bizhub C364e, doesn't use Adobe PostScript, but rather, an Konica Minolta knockoff. Many of the printing issues that we have seen in the past associated with fonts are caused by these so-called “emulations” of Adobe PostScript. (And by the way, you should never outline or rasterize type to compensate for a bad RIP!) It would be helpful if you could try printing this same PDF file via either Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat to a real PostScript printer, such as a Xerox Phaser, ColorQube, or WorkCentre printers or similar printers from Ricoh or Canon (make sure they are recent models with Adobe PostScript 3 as opposed to emulation of Adobe PostScript. (Or you could bring the PDF file to FedEx Office and have them try to print it - they have printers with Adobe PostScript 3 provided by EFI Fiery RIPs!)

                 

                Another point. When saving PDF from Illustrator, make sure you use the PDF/X-4 output options. This preserves live transparency and color management.

                 

                Let us know if printing via Adobe Reader or Acrobat and/or printing to Adobe PostScript devices solves this issue.

                 

                If it doesn't, we definitely would like to see a sample of this problem here at Adobe. Possibly you could pare down the file to something that you could release to us (under NDA of course).

                 

                          - Dov

                • 5. Re: PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"
                  MSkau Community Member
                  MSkau Nov 11, 2014 8:08 AM (in response to Dov Isaacs)

                  Hi,

                   

                  We are experiencing a similar problem:

                  • Document Created in Adobe Illustrator CC (2014, latest version) - Tried in pre-2014 edition as well, same result.
                  • Get an "invalidfont/ offending command: xshow" error on the document.
                  • The font used is a an OpenType Google Font Family
                  • The printer is a Konica Minolta Bizhub c284e, latest driver (for Mac OS 10.9 / 10.10)

                  Will not print from Adobe Illustrator. Would print sometimes from PDF Reader, but now it no longer works. The document displays fine, and prints fine on other printers.

                   

                  What can we do? Unfortunately our documents are also under strict NDA...

                  • 6. Re: PDF Printing Error: "invalidfont", "Offending Command: xshow"
                    Dov Isaacs Employee Hosts
                    Dov Isaacs Nov 11, 2014 8:14 AM (in response to MSkau)

                    The fact that the document both displays fine and prints on other printers without a problem points to the printer as being the “smoking gun.”

                     

                    Unless you have an EFI RIP/DFE option for the Konica Minolta printer, you are dealing with device that does not have Adobe PostScript. You might want to complain directly to Konica Minolta.

                     

                    That having been said, unless you can provide reproducible samples to the vendors (whether Adobe or in this case, Konica Minolta), there isn't much chance that the problem can be fully diagnosed and fixed.

                     

                              - Dov