TechNote

Troubleshooting Printing Problems in Acrobat (8.0 on Macintosh)

What's covered

Determine the cause of the problem
Resolve problems printing a specific PDF file from an Acrobat product

Resolve problems printing any PDF file from an Acrobat product

Resolve problems printing any file from any application

This document provides troubleshooting suggestions to help you resolve general printing problems in Adobe Acrobat products. You may find a solution to a specific printing problem by searching the Support Knowledgebase on the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/products/acrobat.html.

This document uses the term "Acrobat product" to refer to Adobe Acrobat 8.0 Professional, and Adobe Reader 7.0 and 8.0.

Determine thecause of the problem

Before you can troubleshoot the problem, you need to determine its cause.

To determine the cause of the printing problem:

1. Print another PDF file, such as the first page of Acrobat Help:

-- If that file prints correctly, then the PDF file that doesn't print correctly may be damaged. See "Resolve Problems Printing a Specific PDF File from an Acrobat Product" in this document.

-- If the file doesn't print correctly, then go to step 2.

2. Print another type of file (for example, a text file) from another application (such as Microsoft Word, TextEdit, or SimpleText).

-- If that file prints correctly, then the problem isn't system wide--it's specific to the Acrobat product. See "Resolve Problems Printing Any PDF File from an Acrobat Product" in this document.

-- If the file doesn't print correctly, then the problem is system-wide--it isn't specific to Acrobat or PDF files. The problem could be insufficient memory on the system or the printer, or a poor connection between the computer and the printer. Work through steps 3-6 to eliminate some likely causes of the problem. If the problem persists, see "Resolve Problems Printing Any File from Any Application" in this document.

3. Restart the computer, and then print a PDF file.

-- If the file prints correctly, then the system may have been out of memory or resources.

-- If the file doesn't print correctly, then go to step 4.

4. Turn off your printer for at least 15 seconds to flush its memory, and then turn it back on and try to print the PDF file:

-- If the file prints correctly, then the printer's memory was too full.

-- If the file doesn't print correctly, then go to step 5.

5. Print from another computer.

-- If the file prints correctly, then the computer you first tried to print from may be unable to connect to the printer or the network correctly. Contact your network administrator or consult your network documentation.

-- If the file doesn't print correctly, then go to step 6.

6. Print a PDF file to another printer.

-- If the file prints correctly, then the computer you first tried to print from may be unable to connect to the original printer because of a communication, hardware, or memory problem. Make sure that the printer is turned on and connected properly, and then run a self-test on it to make sure that it's working correctly. For instructions, see the documentation that came with the printer. You may want to contact your network administrator for assistance.

-- If the file doesn't print correctly, then see "Resolve Problems Printing Any File from Any Application" in this document.

Resolve problems printing a specific PDF file from an Acrobat product

If you have problems printing an individual PDF file, do one or more of the following tasks, printing after each one:

1. Print the PDF file as an image.

Printing the PDF file as an image may enable the file to print, but it doesn't identify the source of the problem; proceed through the guide to identify the source.

Note: When you print a PDF file as an image, it may take longer to print.

To print a PDF as an image:

1. Choose File > Print, and then click Advanced.

2. Select Print As Image.

3. Click OK to close the Advanced Print Setup dialog box, and then click Print.

2. Save the PDF file as a new file.

Resave the document by choosing File > Save As, and giving the file a new name. The Save As command causes Acrobat to rewrite the file.

3. Enable the PostScript error handler.

If you print to a PostScript printer, enable the PostScript error handler for the printer (if the printer driver includes this option). The PostScript error handler prints a page that lists any PostScript errors that occur when you print. For help interpreting and resolving PostScript errors, see document , "Troubleshooting PostScript Errors."

To enable the PostScript error handler:

1. Choose File > Print, and then choose a PostScript printer from the Printer Menu.

2. Choose Error Handling from the menu.

3. Select Print Detailed Report, and then click Print.

Refer to the documentation for the printer driver for more information about its PostScript error handler options.

4. Re-create the PDF file.

Re-create the PDF file to determine if the original PDF file is damaged and causing the problem. Print the original source file to the Adobe PDF Printer, or print it as a PostScript file and then use Distiller to re-create the PDF. If you don't have the original source file, print the PDF file to the Adobe PDF printer.

5. Download the PDF file again.

If you downloaded the PDF file from the Web, then download it again--it may not have successfully downloaded the first time.

6. Print the PDF file in batches.

Print the PDF file in batches to determine if a particular page, or object on a page, is causing the problem. If you can identify a particular page object on a page that won't print, remove or re-create the page or object.

7. Adjust the transparency flattening. (Acrobat Professional only)

If a document contains transparent objects, then Acrobat flattens the document before printing it. Flattening removes transparency information and converts images to a format the printer can interpret. Adjust the transparency flattening to determine if transparency is causing the problem.

To adjust the transparency flattening:

1. Choose Advanced > Print Production > Flattener Preview.

2. Adjust the Raster/Vector Balance:

-- If you print to an inkjet printer, then drag the Raster/Vector Balance slider to the lowest setting.

-- If you print to a PostScript printer, then drag the Raster/Vector Balance slider to the highest setting.

3. Select Convert All Text To Outlines.

4. Deselect Clip Complex Regions, click OK, and then click Print. Note: If this option is grayed out, then you will first need to make a change to the Raster/Vector Balance.

8. Select the default print settings.

Print using the default settings to determine if a variant print setting is causing the problem.

To select the default print settings:

1. Choose File > Print, and then click Advanced.

2. Select Acrobat Default from the Settings menu, and then click OK.

3. Click OK to close the dialog box, and then click Print.

9. Merge or flatten layers (Acrobat Professional only).

If you print a PDF file that contains layers, only the content that is visible on-screen is printed. Acrobat Professional, however, lets you specify which layer is visible and printable. Merge or flatten the layers in the PDF file to determine if a layer is the problem. Merged layers acquire the properties of the layer into which they are merged. Flattening layers discards any content that isn't visible.

Note: Merging or flattening layers can't be undone.

To merge or flatten layers:

1. Make a backup copy of your PDF file.

2. Open the copy and choose Advanced > PDF Optimizer, and then click Discard User Data.

2. Select Discard Hidden Layer Content and Flatten Visible Layers, and then click OK.

3. In the Layers panel, choose Options, and then select either Merge Layers or Flatten Layers.

10. Print a composite of the file. (Acrobat Professional only)

If you print a PDF file with color separations, print a composite of the file to determine if a color plate is causing the problem. When you print a composite file, all the colors print on one plate regardless of whether individual colors are selected.

Resolve problems printing any PDF file from an Acrobat product

If you have problems printing any PDF file from an Acrobat product, do one or more of the following tasks, printing after each one:

1. Re-create the instance of the printer.

If you print to a PostScript printer, re-create the instance of the printer.

To re-create the instance of the printer:

1. Start the Printer Setup Utility.

2. Select the printer, and click Delete.

3. Click Add.

4. Choose a connection method from the top pop-up menu.

5. Select a printer, or enter the printer's IP address.

6. Choose the printer model from the Printer Model menu, and then click Add.

2. Use an updated printer driver.

Contact the printer manufacturer for information about updated printer drivers. If you use a PostScript printer, then make sure that it's set to PostScript Level 2 or higher. Refer to the printer documentation for printer specification.

3. Use an updated PPD file.

A PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file describes the capabilities of a PostScript printer for settings such as margins, color, and resolution. Incorrect or outdated PPD files can increase print times. If you print to a PostScript printer, then use the correct PPD file, or use a generic PPD file.

To obtain a PPD file for your device, contact the printer manufacturer or visit www.adobe.com/support/downloads/index.html.

To determine which PPD file a printer is using, or to associate a PPD file with a printer, see the Mac OS Help or the documentation for the printer.

4. Move the PDF file to a local hard disk.

If the file that won't print resides on a removable drive (for example, a Jaz disk or CD) or on a network drive, then move the file to a local hard disk. Adobe recommends storing files on a local hard disk when you open, save, or print them to reduce potential problems and damage to your files.

5. Create more free disk space.

Make sure that plenty of free hard disk space is available: Adobe recommends that free space is equivalent to three to five times the size of the file you print.

To create more space, search for and delete temporary files on your computer, and clear the disk cache that the web browser uses. For instructions about clearing the disk cache, see the documentation for the browser.

6. Save printer memory.

If you save printer memory, then all fonts for a given page download to the printer before the page prints. If you don't save printer memory, then print jobs require more printer memory.

To save printer memory in Acrobat:

1. Choose File > Print, and then click Advanced.

2. Choose PostScript Options from the menu from the list on the left, select Emit PS Form Objects, and then click OK.

7. Print to a local printer.

If you print to a network printer, then try printing the file from a computer that is connected directly to a local printer. If the file prints correctly, then network-related issues may be the cause. Contact your network administrator for assistance.

8. Connect USB printers directly to the computer.

If you use a USB printer that it is connected to the computer via a USB hub, then disconnect the printer cable from the hub and connect it to an available USB connection on the computer before you try to print.

9. Assign a default printer.

If you try to print a PDF file without assigning a default printer, then the system may return an error.

Resolve problems printing any file from any application

If you have problems printing any file from the computer, then contact Apple Technical Support or the printer manufacturer. Make sure that the printer is on, and check the physical connections between the printer and the computer--the solution may be as simple as reconnecting a loose cable.

Also, note any recent changes to the system that may affect printing, such as the following:

-- updating hardware or software

-- adding new hardware or software

-- deleting software

-- installing or removing fonts

-- connecting to a network

-- rearranging or cleaning up files on the hard disk

Keeping a record of changes made to the system can help you troubleshoot printing and other problems.