Windows XP corrupts pdf output

[bischerboy]

Hi there, any help greatly received...

Not a Windows person but got involved because I created a pdf (via Quark 7.2 on a G5 10.4.10).

A Windows-based user is having problems printing my pdfs. XP is corrupting any pdf going through an HP Colour 4500, though I can print them fine to the same printer.

For example when printed via XP, a logo will be distorted in the Quark created picture box or a large image will be separated with lots of horizontal lines running through it.

Can anyone make my Wednesday?

 

[jmgalvin]

My first guess is that you're printing from one program (let's say Preview or Acrobat pro)with one set of printer settings while he's printing with a different app (say Adobe reader) and has the printer settings different.

Things like "fit to page" vs "fit to printer margins", or page positon can distort things, depending on the whole print setup. You might want to compare the print seting for your machine vs his.

You didn't say how you made the pdf. Exported from Quark, Distilled via Acrobat pro, printed via the Mac pdf printer, printed via the Adobe virtual printer. The fancier app, teh more choices you have and they might not be supported by the app on the pc.

If the pc guy is printing from an app that cannot properly handle some more advanced things included in later versions of pdf, transparency being one, you can have difficulties. The white lines sometimes can be created by misinterpretation of transparency.

You can try creating the pdf comapatible with Acrobat 4. That will at least flatten transparency and avoid any problems there. As a test you could also just print via the mac print and see how that works. If the pdf is just for looking things over, that might do.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[bischerboy]

Thanks JM,

am exporting from Quark and printing through Pro, other user just with Reader.

Will look at the transparency first, think this may be the key to some of the corruption. Thanks for the pointers...

 

[crisc]

You also should check to see if the print drivers you are using are PCL, as several programs, including Adobe have issues with PCL drivers. Try using a PS driver and see if there's an improvement.

 

[genomon]

Same issues here - same solution as crisc.

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

 

[bischerboy]

Thanks all, will check out the drivers, though in the meantime might have found a workaround - in Reader's print dialogue window, under Advanced, ensure that Print as image is checked.