You can also watch this video at YouTube (but with ads).
MacMost Now 166: Common Mac PDF Problems
Comments: 103 Responses to “MacMost Now 166: Common Mac PDF Problems”
Comments Closed.
MacMost Online Courses
Keyboard Shortcuts PDF
Mac Video Tutorials and Tips for Apple Users
On the subject of PDFs - there is a way to sign PDF's with a digital signature.
I tried the process and was able to sign it, but couldn't email it or save it.
The signature kept disappearing.
Maybe you could go deeper into this function...
tom: Not exactly sure what you mean by a digital signature. But the software mentioned in the podcast (PDFPen) will allow you to add a signature and save it.
Trying to use ACT Printer for Mac to print PDF to my iphone
The PDF dropdown list is greyed out. Does this mean that the PDF I'm trying to move to iphone (Sony Camera Manual) is restricted? If so, what can I do about it?
Never used ACTPrinter. You can create a PDF from any document, and it sounds like you already have a PDF. Why no just transfer it to your iPhone with Air Sharing or a similar app?
As for why it won't print that particular PDF, I'm not sure. You might want to contact the creator of the software for support.
I created a pdf fill-in form with the capability to save the filled-in information using Acrobat Pro. However, when I open a form completed by those with a MAC I cannot read the information unless I click on each field. It only allows me to see one field at a time and when I print it the form is blank. Got any suggestions on how to fix this?
No, sorry, this is a tough one. I don't use Acrobat Pro, so I don't have any experience in this area. When you save the file out of Acrobat, do you have options, like to make it compatible with older versions of Acrobat, things like that? I'd try saving it out in a variety of formats if you can and test each. Maybe one will work. Is there an Acrobat Pro forum at the Adobe site? I think they have user forums for all their products. Might be worth asking there.
I have the same problem. If you put the curser at the end of the text that was inputed in the field and click the space bar once, the text will stay and won't go blank when moving away from it. The only problem is that you have to do this field by field.
Hope this help.
While you can download and run Acrobat Reader for the mac to see form fillable fields etc. you do not have this option on an Apple ipad which basically runs the Preview application to view PDFs. Even the Apps written for the ipad rely on this software to render the PDF and there is no version of acrobat reader for the ipad. With Apple and Adobe feuding so much I wouldn't hold my breath for one from Adobe in the near future. What this means for me is that students using my pages can fill in exercised into form fillable fields on a computer but not on an ipad. Worse yet some artifacts not seen in Reader appear on the Preview application such as previous invisible page templates for pages designed for looseleaf drilling. The holes do not show up in Adobe Reader but do on the ipad or using Preview. So much for "Portability" between OS...
I downloaded Adobe Reader as you instructed. I still can not open PDF files. The warning simply says "File error- couldn't open file". Any ideas? Thanks!
So you have some PDF files that cannot be opened in either Preview or Adobe Reader? Chances are that these are not valid PDF files then (corrupted or incomplete, for example).
I create a newsletter from home for work on my MAC Laptop using the 'Pages' program. I send it out to about 300 people each month. However, when i convert it to a PDF, and send it out, when viewed on a normal PC the formatting slightly changes. All the text should be blue, however it changes some of the blue text into bright yellow text which appears randomly througout the document. There is no pattern to where the yellow occurs. But it is unreadable as it is so bright. I thought when you convert to a PDF the format shouldn't change whatsoever when viewing it on any computer? Help! I need to fix this but don't know how.
Sounds like a bug in the PDF. I don't see anyone else reporting it. YOu'll need to troubleshoot. I'd try things like changing the color of the text slightly -- just a imperceptibly different blue. See if that fixes it. I'd also try to see if there is any consistency in cases where the text turns yellow. It most likely isn't random.
I'd also investigate what people are using on the PC to view this. They don't have preview, so are they using Adobe Reader? What happens when you view it in Adobe Reader on the Mac?
Hi, I was preparing my resume and was sharing it with my friends to get their opinions. The problem is that mac users couldn't see the file properly although they could open it. the same thing happened on my iphone as well. So what we can is here: http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/9686/screenshot20101012at223.jpg
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/7893/fotoraf.png
I would really appreciate if you could help, because I want to apply for a job and I cant know if they are mac users or not. Is there a problem with my file or mac?
Which program were you using to make the resume? How did you create the PDF from that program?
On the subject of digital signatures, Preview does not support this and as far as know, PDFPen can only add image stamps of a handwritten signature, not an official digital signature. To digitally sign PDFs on Mac, there's of course Adobe Acrobat. There's also a PDF tool called PDF Studio that can do that.
All that shows up when I download a pdf on my iMac is black. Is this a common problem and how do I fix?
Are you talking about a single PDF file -- or any PDF file from any site? The first means that there is just a problem with that one file. Contact the maker of the file. The second might mean you have a problem.
Any PDF from any site.
That's strange. Are you using Preview to video the PDFs? Or Adobe Reader? I'd look through all the menu choices and preferences for each. Also, make sure your video display preferences aren't set to something unusual, like thousands of colors instead of millions.
It's defaulting to Safari, and not opening in Adobe or Preview. Even when I use Firefox it still opens to a black pdf.
Try opening it in Preview then and see if that shows the PDFs properly.
I"m trying to convert a dissertation into a PDF file. Because some of my tables are large, I used page breaks to change a few of the pages to landscape style to fit the tables. Then I ended the page break, but had to tell the file to start numbering again where it left off. When I converted it into a PDF, it broke the file into separate files (4 or 5 in all) because of the page breaks. Is there a way to join the separate files into one PDF?
See episode 375: http://macmost.com/merging-pdf-documents-in-preview.html
I am selling a digital download document. Mac users can download and open the free sample but they can not open the full version. The full version is password protected. I suggested that they download and install Adobe Reader for Mac but this still does not solve the problem. Any ideas on what I should do?
How did you create the document? What software did you use? Whatever method you used, it sounds like it isn't compatible with Adobe Reader fully.
I used Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro.
Mac users only have a problem when it is password protected.
Right. Have you tried contacting Adobe support about it? Acrobat should be making cross-platform files. They should work on Adobe Reader for both Mac and Windows -- even password protected.
Other explanation: Despite the fact that you tell the users to "download Adobe Reader" perhaps they are not doing it. Or, perhaps they do it, install it, and then just double-click on the file anyway which would open it up in Preview, not Adobe Reader.
Suddenly, I cannot view any PDF form on my Mac. I get a blank white page. I have tried many sites such as irs.gov and opm.gov. Adobe is downloaded. i am almost computer illiterate but I recently could not get Youtube to pay and was advised to open Safari in 32-bit mode. I also installed Adobe Flashplayer. These are the only things that I have done recently. What can I do?
Do you mean you cannot view PDF forms in your browser on your Mac? Or at all (in applications like Reader and Preview)?
I would switch Safari back to 64-bit mode. Then re-install Flash again.
I have a document that will always open in preview. This document allows me to fill in the information and save it. But, when I send it over to someone else using a PC they will get the document, but none of the information that I have filled out is on the document. I am not sure just what I am doing wrong? On my end everything is great. How do I fix this problem?
I don't believe that you can save the data in a form in Preview. To do that try the free Adobe Reader application. But even then, it may not work. I believe that you can build PDF documents to allow you to save the data in forms, but you can also build them to not allow the data to be saved. So it depends on how they made that form.
So, the agreement (document) was orginally made on a PC in office. I too also have office for Mac 2011 on my Mac. The document opens up in Preview. Is there a different spot or location to open the document up and save the information that I fill in on it to send it over to someone that will use a PC? Or do you think that the Adobe Reader application is the way to go?
If it is a PDF, then you need to use a PDF viewer to look at it. If you have the original Word document, then you can use Word. So Adobe Reader is your best bet. You can also look into PDFPen if you really need to write on the document and save it.
HI THERE,
I DOWNLOAD PDF FILES AND SOME OF THEM OPEN BUT ARE ALL GREY WHY IS THIS?
Can't say for sure -- it depends how the PDFs are made. Try playing around with some of the settings. Try View, Show/Hide Document Background to see if that helps.
OK, here's one I can't find online anywhere. When I am at home I use a second 0 monitor on my Macbook. Adobe reader works just fine opening files and displaying them, but if I disconnect the monitor and just go to the single laptop screen, adobe will no longer display the pdf file. Reader stays open and will display the toolbar from the file or files I had open, but it won't display the actual documents. I have to quit reader and re-open it in order to display my files correctly.
Any ideas?
Sounds simply like a bug in Adobe Reader. Maybe the window is positioned for the second monitor so it can't be seen.
You could contact Adobe support. But it sounds like you already have a good solution: restart Reader.
PDF documents minimise to the title bar.
Often, after my mac has been in sleep mode, all or most of my open Adobe Reader windows 'minimise' themselves to title bars, which then hide at the bottom of my screen. I then have to 'maximise' them individually to be able to view them again. I am running Reader 9.4.4 on Mac OS X 10.6.7.
Sounds like a bug in Adobe Reader. I would contact Adobe for support. Is 9.4.4 the most recent version? If not, try with the most recent.
Thanks I will try on the adobe user forums.
Garth, I have exactly the same problem, and it's extremely annoying. I have Mac OS 10.5.8 and the latest Acrobat. It was interesting to know that this also happens with Mac OS 10.6. Do you know of any fix?
Hey Gary,
Thanks for the info.
When I try to fill out this form
https://etax.dor.ga.gov/inctax/2008_forms/TSD_HB-1133_FORM_IT-QEE-TP1.pdf
Instead of letting me type one letter in each box (as the form requires), it opens a text box, and whatever I type does not adhere to the 1 letter per box format.
Is there anything I can do for that besides using the Google Chrome browser?
Thanks!
I wouldn't try to fill that in using a browser. I would save that as a pdf file on your hard drive. Then I would try to fill it in using Preview. If that doesn't work, then I would simply use the free Adobe Reader.
Thanks Gary,
Unfortunately even using Adobe Reader it still does not force me to type one letter per box.
Any other suggestions?
Adobe Reader is the ultimate PDF viewer. So if the PDF doesn't behave properly with it, then the problem has to be with the PDF.
I had Preview App on my Mac Mini. I have the iMac OS X Version 10.6.8 and its on there to. I am always on my iMac,but sometimes i go on the Mac Mini now and again. Problem, its no longer on my Mac Mini. I might have done something wrong, and i have also tried to get a download from the Apple site. They seem to misunderstand Preview. They think i want to preview something,and they come up with a list thats got nothing to do with the Preview App. I was told you have to get it off the Discs that came with the Mac Mini,is this the case.
Right. You should get it from the discs. If you have the same version of OS X on both Machines, you may be able to copy it across from one to the other too. See episode 455: http://macmost.com/reinstalling-lost-mac-applications.html
Thanks for pointing this out.I just thought you could get a download from the Apple Store. I find the Apple site very confusing,because when i type in App Preview they come up with results thats got nothing to do with Preview. They also think i want a Preview on something. Believe it or not you are the only one that discusses Preview. I thought i was loosing it,because it`s the same on other Apple sites They just do not know what you mean. Thanks a lot Gary
The application Preview is part of the Mac OS X install. It isn't a separate application. That's why it isn't available for download -- it isn't a separate product.
The difficulty of searching is because Preview is the name of the application, but it is also a common word.
You can find the page on Apple.com that discusses Preview here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2506
Another way to restore a list application like this is to use your Time Machine backup, BTW. You should find it in a recent previous version of your Applications folder.
And in the future be sure to not throw something away from your Applications folder without being sure.
The App Preview has just vanished from my Mac Mini. I must of done something wrong. Where can i get a download of Preview.
Are you sure it is gone? Perhaps the alias is just missing from the Dock. Check in your Applications folder. If it is really gone, then see my comment to you above.
I thought that was the case. It is a common word,but when you type in the word Application Preview Apple should recognize this. This is first website that knows what you are talking about. Thanks Gary
Hello,
When filling out pdf forms using Preview on my new mac OSX10.7, it will allow typing but the check boxes reset/clear after several seconds.
Can this be fixed?
Thanks
It is probably specific to the document itself and how it was created. Try it in Adobe Reader and see if it works better.
I think i know what the answer is. I did what you said Gary but no sign. I had a closer look at all the details. When i put the disks in ect.. I noticed that it was the Tiger version,and i don`t think Time Machine or Preview was in that version. I looked again at the packages. The same as in your video, all the applications where there, but not Time Machine or Preview, can you confirm this, Gary.
Time Machine was definitely NOT in Tiger. But I thought Preview was. No way for me to check.
Hi Gary: When I open a PDF file of a magazine on my iMac, some of the letters look crowded together, as if spaces between words are missing. The same PDF looks fine on our other iMac (same version of Preview is on both). Why the difference and can I re-set Preview on the first machine so that the magazine looks the way it's supposed to? Thanks!
Perhaps it is a font issue? Some font that the PDF uses that isn't available on one of the Macs? But that shouldn't happen, so I'm not sure. Perhaps you re zoomed in slightly?
The problem does not change if I change the zoom, so I'll check the font. Thanks so much for your suggestions.
Thanks so much for the great info Gary! I looked over the comments and didn't see anyone else ask about the issues I'm having with forwarding PDF documents via email. I have Mac OS X Ver. 10.6 and have no trouble viewing PDFs in Preview - that works great. Recently, however, when I try to email with a PDF document attached, the recipiant (several different people) do not get the attachment at all! This happens with both, PDFs sent to me, or those I've created or "saved as". I've had my laptop for 2 years and this just started happening recently. Any feedback would be much appreciated!
Not sure. Are you using an IMAP (or gmail, exchange, MobileMe) email solution? If so, have you checked on the web-based interface to see if your "sent" message contains the attachment? If it does, then the problem may be at their end.
Some pdf documents when opened on my iMac have black lines in them. However she n I open the same pdf on a PC it doesn't have the lines. It doesn't do this for all PDF's but quite a few.
Did you try any of the suggestions? Like opening it in Adobe Reader instead of Preview to see?
Here is the deal: Mac Preview is an awesome application... for people who don't share. If you ever create or annotate a .pdf and want to share it with PC users, you have to use Adobe.
Hi, I'm trying to open a multipage PDF but only the cover page is opening. What's wrong with it?
Perhaps you have to "dig into it." Does it appear in the sidebar? If so try double-clicking it.
Hi,
I'm having problems opening PDF's on my Mac. I've tried to download the latest Adobe Acrobat and still unable to fully install it....can you possibly send the link to where I can download the correct version on Adobe / or maybe instructions? I'm new to the Mac world, so this is really frustrating and confusing to me!
Just go to the Adobe site. Click on Downloads at the top. Then look for the link to "Get Adobe Reader." http://get.adobe.com/reader/
I have exported a Pages document to PDF with password protection. I can open it in Preview fine using the password but when I try to 'Save As' in Preview a dialogue box appears and asks for the owner password. When I enter the password the dialogue box just reappears and I can't save the document. What gives?
Not sure. Did you try entering the password again? If you want to save it out as a new unprotected document, then go back to the original in Pages.
I have a 150 mb PDF file containing 200 architectural drawings each drawing originally 2' x 3'. I tried reading this file on a new iMac 27" 3.1 ghz in the apple store and it seriously bogged down, taking 5 seconds or more to "turn a page." After a few minutes of paging zooming and the machine hung up, preview stopped responding. Is there a hardware or software fix applicable to viewing this type of PDF file?
Sounds like a pretty complex large PDF file. Have you tried opening it in Adobe Reader? See if that helps.
Otherwise, splitting it up may be your only hope.
Thanks, Adobe Reader helps with the large file both on the new 4 core 27' iMac and my old 24" 2Ghz Core Duo. The new machine is disappointing in comparison. The new 27" display is beautiful but the the zoom and pan are jerkey, can't zoom at all with the track pad. Is there a hardware solution? More main memory, faster processor, better display card w/ more memory, maybe even a solid-state drive?
Do you mean your new Mac is slower than your old one when zooming in on PDF documents? That's odd. It shouldn't be.
I can open pdf files but all of the letters/words show up as gray or colored rectangles. I can still see other images on the document, just not the actual words. How do I fix it?
Does this happen for all PDF files, or just one (or all those from the same source). If just from the same source, contact them about what might be wrong.
It's all pdf files saved on my computers & attached files that people send in emails. I can't see them when I open it. I had a flight itinerary I was able to print but when I tried to print preview (pdf format) I could view either.
Odd. I'm not sure what the problem could be. Maybe try to stop by the Genius Bar and have them take a look.
Everytime I open Adobe Reader, I get this message :
"Abobe Reader wants to make changes. Type your password to allow this".
Is there any way to avoid having to do this ?
Perhaps try re-installing Adobe Reader?
I downloaded a pfd document from the internet and this is the message I got
" Please wait.............
if this message is not eventually replaced by the proper contents of the documents, your PDF viewer may not be able to display this type of documents"
Please help. The document link is a s follows: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/IMM0008DEPENU.pdf
Did you try using Adobe Reader to open it instead?
I made some Illustrator files into PDFs (on a Windows computer) to put on a website.
All the PDF files open perfectly on a Windows computer with IE, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. However, when I try to open them on my 2 Mac computers the Chrome PDF versions are fine BUT Firefox and Safari PDFs contain old layers of notes on many pages...I can not understand it. Can you help, please? Thank you!
Hard to say what might be causing the issue. Obviously the old layers are still there, and viewing them with some things (Adobe's plug-in?) doesn't show them while some other things (native viewing with Preview/Safari) does. Try exporting it using different settings until it behaves properly, I guess.
Thanks, Gary.
I did some more searching and found that for the Illustrator pages in question - when saving as a pdf - I needed to do a few things...first in Illustrator look at the Layers box to check was was visible and not and lock the ones I wanted, such as text and image but not others. Then when Saving As a PDF in Adobe to deselect the Preserve Illustrator Editing Capability and Create Acrobat Layers from top-level Layers boxes. It's an issue that seems to happen with non Adobe pdf readers - the "Hidden' layers seem to stay available. This is why I had the problem when viewing in Preview and the Safari 'Quick View'. Also, the problem still stays if you do a Print as a PDF of the Illustrator pages...you must do Save As and choose PDF from the drop down menu. I did a test with one page and now know how to fix the problem.
Thanks again for a quick response.
Gary
I have a mbp with all the newest updates and I also have adobe set to open all PDFs however when I get to my work website( mergisgroup.com/eforms it says download adobe. I have tried Firefox and chrome as well. Any ideas thanks
Hard to troubleshoot that, and the problem may in fact lie with the web site, not on your end.
Why do you think the Apple preview functionality is a really cool thing (45sec) when it disrupts the original intentionality of the PDF platform independence. From a content publisher point of view I find this to be an impossible work around. Your suggestions will never be accommodated or implemented by the majority of the mac users and videos will never be able to be viewed inside of PDFs for MAC users because of the PDF intercept construct.
Do you know what would cause PDF files on a MAC OSX to be saved with a {3a} in bedded in the file i.e. Bowen 2012 -{3a}- ISA Advice Note.pdf. Not sure what version of Adobe yet or OS version,but if this is relevant I will get more details
What are you using to create/edit the PDFs?
HI Gary,
I think these are scanned and then saved onto the drive,I'm going to run through the scanning mechanism to see if thats adding in the extras. Oh , it's an Epson scanner(whether that's relevant)
You'll need to identify which application is naming the files to figure out why it is doing that. It sounds like it is the scanning software, so start there. Contact the support for that software to investigate.
They are scanning PDF reports via an Epson Scanner and then saving these onto there C drive. I'm going to look into this further which might me the root cause of issue. i.e renaming the files incorrectly
Hello,
I make a pdf from InDesign CS5 and sent to print in a laser print and everything O.K. But when I sent to professional printers (offset) a little part of text disappeared (a part of a text-row of a table of Indesign) (on screen it appears) . They say me that it can be the rip, that is not updated... or may be a problem while doing the pdf?
Thank you
When I send pdf files from my mac to a pc user they can see my text's in side of the document before they click on the file. When they click and open the file they cant see any of the text that I wrote but they can see the check marks in the boxes designed for yes no & na. I was using pdf editor pro trial version at one point, which worked fine but it leaves the water mark of wondershare which I dont need. (not paying for the full version) I've been using pdf escape thats an online pdf editor. when the columns high light them selves automatically for me to fill in the text it does but like I said when the pc user gets the file they cant see what I wrote when they open the file. Today I actually used the text tool on the same program then unlocked the highlighted area but im not sure if it worked because the person hasn't responded yet. I have also tried going to zamzar.com and converting the file for pc use but that didnt work either. Please respond as soon as you can this is an important business matter. Thank you in advance and have a great day. Oh and when I fill the info out in the mac pdf viewer which works fine the same problem happens.
When you fill out information in a PDF form, whether the information stays there depends on if the maker of the PDF file enabled that. But you can always print it out -- print "to PDF" -- to get a new PDF and then check that one before you send it.
How do I enable that?
Nothing to enable. Just print it, choose PDF. You can do that with anything you print on a Mac: http://macmost.com/create-pdf-files-by-printing.html
I opened up some forms saved from my old Win.XPSP3 computer with the intent of "saving as" a form in which I'd make a few changes to content. However, the form's filled-in content disappeared after my "save as" a pdf! What/how accounts for that?!?
Sounds like the PDF was created in such a way that the data in the form fields are not retained when you save. I'm not a PDF expert, but I know a lot of this has to do with how the PDF was made.
On my Macbook Pro a PDF document opens in fine Safari but when I send it to print it is gibberish. In the print screen if open it as a PDF I get the same gibberish. I've tried everything I can think.
Have you tried saving it as a file and opening it in Preview? Or, how about opening it in Adobe Reader?