pdf do not display correctly / missing fonts?

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pdf do not display correctly / missing fonts?

Some of my recently downloaded pdfs don't seem to display parts of them correctly in Preview (or in Acrobat Reader). Could this be due to missing fonts. I get a message in Acrobat: "Cannot find or create "last resort" font...
How do I get this font? Should I have it?

Thanks for your help,

Power PC G5 Dual 2.3, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on Jun 13, 2006 8:14 AM

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Answer 1

artek Author

Level 1

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Jun 13, 2006 8:18 AM in response to artek

Additional information:
Different parts of the same file look scrambled with Acrobat and Preview, so it looks to me like Acrobat has no problems displaying fonts that Preview might not display, and vice versa...

Thanks again for all your help,

Artur

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Answer 2

Mulder

Level 6

8,990 points

Jun 13, 2006 8:37 AM in response to artek

Las Resort is a System font that is required for certain applications in Mac OS X. Without it, some apps will not even start. It's located in /System/Library/Fonts.

If you don't have it there, do a search for it; if you still don't find it, you'll have to use your install CD and Pacifist to reinstall those fonts. Then restart your system and see if that solves the problem.

Mulder

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Answer 3

artek Author

Level 1

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Jun 13, 2006 9:07 AM in response to Mulder

If this font is missing then why the part of the file that is not displayed correctly in Acrobat is displayed without a problem in Preview?

A

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Answer 4

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,448 points

Jun 13, 2006 9:10 AM in response to artek

If this font is missing then why the part of the file that is not displayed correctly in Acrobat is displayed without a problem in Preview?

Probably because Acrobat won't continue without the font, while Preview simply substitutes the missing font with one that's available.

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Answer 5

Mulder

Level 6

8,990 points

Jun 13, 2006 9:11 AM in response to artek

Can't answer that for certain. It could be that Acrobat requires Last Resort.dfont for files to display correctly. Try my suggestion and if that doesn't work, post again with more specifics if you have them.

Mulder

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Answer 6

artek Author

Level 1

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Jun 13, 2006 9:36 AM in response to Mulder

Can you give more detail on installing with Pacifist?
Is there a fonts.pkg I should look for? Or is it 1 font file that I should drag from the disk into the font library?

Thanks,

A

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Answer 7

artek Author

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Jun 13, 2006 9:46 AM in response to artek

I reinstalled the Lastresort font with Pacifist, no change...

A

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Answer 8

Mulder

Level 6

8,990 points

Jun 13, 2006 4:43 PM in response to artek

Hmm...try deleting the font cache files (the com.apple.ATS folder) and then restart and see if that helps. You'll find it in [your user name]/Library/Caches/

Mulder

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Answer 9

artek Author

Level 1

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Jun 14, 2006 6:58 AM in response to Mulder

Ok, I have another interesting observation -- now the file images ok, it looks like now the problem is gone (or is intermittent).
But where is my .ATS folder?

A

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Answer 10

Mulder

Level 6

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Jun 14, 2006 7:11 AM in response to artek

A new one is automagically created when you delete the old one and restart.

Mulder

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Answer 11

artek Author

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Jun 15, 2006 7:30 AM in response to Mulder

Ok, so this morning I log on (I usually log out before I leave the office). I try the same file -- and I get garbage!
I try again, and again, every time quitting Preview. The rendering gets progressively better, and finally the file looks fine.
Although it looks like my problem has been solved, I don't like this 1/2-*** solution. Does anyone have any idea what is going on?
(BTW still no sight of the .ATS file)

Thanks for any help,

Artur

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Answer 12

Mulder

Level 6

8,990 points

Jun 15, 2006 7:52 AM in response to artek

If Disk Utility shows no Permissions or Disk problems, then it could be a corrupted Preferences file, Preview could be corrupted, or maybe you need to do some system maintenance.

But you left it on all night, so daily maintenance would have been done around 3:00 am, so that shouldn't be the problem. You might try locating the com.apple.preview.plist file in Preferences and Trash it (but don't empty the Trash) and then try opening the file with Preview again and see what happens. If the problem is still there, then I would try putting Preview in the Trash (again, don't empty the Trash) and use your original install discs and Pacifist to reinstall just Preview and try it again. You can get Pacifist here:

http://www.charlessoft.com/

Hope this helps,

Mulder

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Answer 13

artek Author

Level 1

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Jun 29, 2006 7:05 AM in response to Mulder

I reinstalled Preview with Pacifist -- no change...

What I also noticed is that sometimes when the fonts look right, they don't print correctly. Same file from another computer no problem, but from mine, it comes out corrupted. But when I print it again a couple of times, every time the degree of corruption gets smaller!

Please help!

A

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Answer 14

Mulder

Level 6

8,990 points

Jun 29, 2006 7:51 AM in response to artek

It may still be a font issue, where one or more fonts are corrupt (and FontBook will tell you're they're fine). In these recent PDFs you're having trouble with, what is the actual font or fonts that aren't being displayed correctly?

Mulder

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Answer 15

artek Author

Level 1

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Jun 29, 2006 10:23 AM in response to Mulder

They are totally random: I may open the file for the first time, and a given font will image fine, next time I open it, it will not diplay properly!

A

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