Charles Swigart

Q: Can't save pdf files from Safari

I am once again experiencing a problem with being unable to print or save pdf files from Safari.  Basically the saved pdf file is empty.  It appears as a blank page in the print dialog and will not open with either Acrobat or Preview.  I had this problem some time ago and it was fixed by deleting a file in the library which I can no longer recall what that was.  This occurs primarily with online paperless bills from Comcast or Verizon and not with all pdf files.  It is my opinion that this type of problem should not keep happening.  Apple should figure out what is going on and fix it.  I use an Apple computer for ease of use.  I should not have to resort to technical fixes for everyday uses. 

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Aug 3, 2014 5:15 AM

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Q: Can't save pdf files from Safari

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Aug 3, 2014 11:17 AM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 9 (70,250 points)
    iTunes
    Aug 3, 2014 11:17 AM in response to Charles Swigart

    Apple doesn’t routinely monitor the discussions. These are mostly user to user discussions.

     

    Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

     

    Feedback

  • by Esquared,

    Esquared Esquared Aug 3, 2014 11:30 AM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 6 (8,410 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 3, 2014 11:30 AM in response to Charles Swigart

    Most pdf-related issues with Safari are caused by the pdf-plugin Adobe manages to install again and again. Was that the item you deleted earlier? It resides in the ~/Library/Internet Plug-ins folder. (If you don't know how to get there, copy "~/Library/Internet Plug-ins" without the "" and use the Go->Go to Folder function of the Finder.)

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Aug 3, 2014 11:33 AM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 10 (140,940 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Aug 3, 2014 11:33 AM in response to Charles Swigart

    That's a feature of the Verizon website.  If you get these options:

    Screen Shot 2014-08-03 at 11.27.42 AM.jpg

    Click on the Download option to get these options:

    Screen Shot 2014-08-03 at 11.31.59 AM.jpg

    I don't know about the other sites but they can block printing of the content so look for an option to download a PDF copy of the info you're looking for.

    OTsig.png

  • by litterbuggy,

    litterbuggy litterbuggy Aug 17, 2014 7:22 PM in response to Esquared
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Apple TV
    Aug 17, 2014 7:22 PM in response to Esquared

    I had the same problem and tried deleting the plugins, but although it seemed to work for one session, the internet plugins reappeared in the folder, and after that I was again unable to print, although sometimes after repeating several methods of saving I'd be able to open the file in Adobe Reader. When I tried to print I got windows saying it couldn't be printed and that no pages were selected.

     

    Today, after about an hour of banging my head against the wall trying to print some downloaded court filings, it occurred to me to go into "info" on one of the downloaded pdfs, set it to open with Preview, and when it asked if I wanted to change all other PDFs I said yes. Now I'm able to save, open and print the documents in either Preview or Adobe Reader. Hopefully it'll stay fixed this time.

     

    I don't know whether this will help with anyone else's problems, but I thought I'd post it in case it does.

  • by Charles Swigart,Solvedanswer

    Charles Swigart Charles Swigart Aug 18, 2014 5:13 AM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 1 (80 points)
    Aug 18, 2014 5:13 AM in response to Charles Swigart

    I have found a solution to my problem.  When viewing a pdf file in Adobe Reader, using the save command or the print command from the menu or keyboard shortcut will not work.  Instead, move the cursor to the bottom center of the image.  A menu will appear.  Click the save or print button on that menu and it will work.  For printing, a different dialog box appears when you click that print icon instead of using the print command on the main menu.

  • by Michael808,

    Michael808 Michael808 Sep 1, 2014 3:46 PM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 1, 2014 3:46 PM in response to Charles Swigart

    Getting NO SATISFACTION w APPLE here ! Did you see the number of discussions going on dating back to 2012? Dose Apple care - no. It is so important and would seem a no-brainer to be able to PRINT a PDF from a BROWSER (SAFARI) to one's HD. - yes court documents for one.
    Do I have to lug my equipment around - make Genius appoints ?? and still come out mystified - I spent 35 min CHAT w ADOBE Acrobat - no good !!!
    I finally realize, it probably not my MacBook and is NOT an Acrobat --- ITS APPLE SAFARI.
    So after a year of frustration I am here - hello.
    Charles thanks for help: I use Safari 6.1.3
    As you say a menu bar appears when you hover at bottom of a Safari window on a PDF page. I click the PRINT ICON but get a message that leads nowhere:

    ----------------------------------------------------

    fail-print PDF from Safari.png

    ----------------------------------------------------

    WASTED JOURNEY SO FAR, WHERE DOES ONE GO FROM HERE?

  • by Michael808,

    Michael808 Michael808 Sep 1, 2014 3:53 PM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 1, 2014 3:53 PM in response to Charles Swigart

    I have no plugins in pdf in LIBRARY - so thats not the issue.
    I try open my failed PDFs in PREVIEW - they show blank, juz like in acrobat.
    I WILL NOT change a global setting to open ALL my PDfs in Preview - that would be absurd. Not an option for me - I should not be doing acrobats for APPLE.

     

    Question:

    Why can't I install Acrobat/pdf as a printer in my System Preferences ??

  • by Pat M, Dancer,

    Pat M, Dancer Pat M, Dancer Dec 26, 2014 1:56 PM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 26, 2014 1:56 PM in response to Charles Swigart

    Thank you Charles. This solution of yours works for me also after trying everything else for weeks.

    Best regards,

    Pat

  • by Steve Wolfe,

    Steve Wolfe Steve Wolfe Jan 5, 2015 3:39 PM in response to Pat M, Dancer
    Level 2 (190 points)
    Jan 5, 2015 3:39 PM in response to Pat M, Dancer

    Another approach is to open the pdf file, then select print, click on the pdf option tab at the bottom left of the print window, and select 'save as pdf''.  It takes extra steps but it's another way around the long-term and vexing problem with Safari.

  • by Charles Swigart,

    Charles Swigart Charles Swigart Jan 6, 2015 3:39 AM in response to Steve Wolfe
    Level 1 (80 points)
    Jan 6, 2015 3:39 AM in response to Steve Wolfe

    If one looks above at my later post to this discussion, you will see that the method suggested by Steve Wolfe was not working on some pdf files.  There seem to be different pdf files and some cannot be saved or printed in the usual way that Steve suggests.  Then it is necessary to look for another print or save button that will usually get around whatever problem exists in printing or saving that particular pdf document.

     

    Thanks for all the replies.

  • by Steve Wolfe,

    Steve Wolfe Steve Wolfe Jan 6, 2015 1:34 PM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 2 (190 points)
    Jan 6, 2015 1:34 PM in response to Charles Swigart

    Charles, my apologies, I misunderstood your "print or save pdf files" statement in the first posting.  I thought you meant viewing then printing, but obviously you mean to include the print "to" a pdf function. 

      I've also fought this problem for pdf saving problem for quite a while, but hadn't encountered any versions that wouldn't save via the adobe pdf "print" function as long as one could live with all the extra keystrokes,  If saving several years worth of bank statements, the extra work becomes a real pain.  Hope they fix this soon, very annoying.  When I remember ahead, I now just use Firefox for this, where I've never had a problem.

  • by Caren57,

    Caren57 Caren57 Jun 11, 2015 12:59 PM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 11, 2015 12:59 PM in response to Charles Swigart

    Thank you!  This has been the only thing that has worked!  It's been driving me crazy.  It used to work picking print single page instead of continuous but that even stopped working. Now I can get on with my life! 

  • by Caren57,

    Caren57 Caren57 Jul 13, 2015 11:26 AM in response to Charles Swigart
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 13, 2015 11:26 AM in response to Charles Swigart

    Charles,

    This worked the first time - putting the cursor to the bottom center of the image.  It is not working today.  I am not getting a menu pop up.  Nothing is happening.  Do you know of any reason why that would be?  Again, I am unable to print my credit card statements from my bank without things getting cut off.  Thanks.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Jul 13, 2015 11:35 AM in response to Caren57
    Level 10 (140,940 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jul 13, 2015 11:35 AM in response to Caren57

    Caren57 wrote:

     

    Charles,

    This worked the first time - putting the cursor to the bottom center of the image.  It is not working today.  I am not getting a menu pop up.  Nothing is happening.  Do you know of any reason why that would be?  Again, I am unable to print my credit card statements from my bank without things getting cut off.  Thanks.

    Occasionally my Safari window acts as if it's not the front most window and no buttons or links works. this is how I've worked around that:

    1 - click on the Finder icon in the Dock.

    2 - close any new Finder window that appears.

    3 - click on the Safari icon in the Dock.

    4 - try clicking on the Save button at the bottom of the PDF file again.

     

    OTsig.png

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