Export to PDF, points are black

Question

Sometimes when I export a map to PDF, some of the points are solid black instead of the intended colour. It doesn't always happen, there doesn't seem to be any reason I can detect. One day it happens, the next it doesn't (to the same mxd document) Sometimes if I increase the dpi to 400, 500, 600 etc. the problem goes away, but this isn't a practical solution.

TedKowal · Answer

I don't know if this will help ... but check to see if you have the font for the symbols being used on the machine you are printing from.  I am assuming that you have some vector or esri fonts in your graphic.

I had similar problems and the relate to font substitutions being made when the pdf conversion cannot find them on the machine the document is being printed from.

michaelcollins1 · Answer

This is specific to exporting to PDF, it never happens when exporting to JPG.

ChrisSmith7 · Answer

Michael,

Issues crop-up with exporting to PDF from time-to-time - I can remember all sorts of fun stuff happening years back, like fire hydrants turning into hurricane symbols on export, etc.

I would recommend looking over 17783 - Diagnose an ArcMap printing or exporting problem

There's some info on troubleshooting the export and some recommendations on how to remedy.