topic Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly in ArcGIS Enterprise Questions

Exporting to PDF not working correctly

IanBroad — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:39:26 GMT

I've setup a web map that allows a user to export to PDF using an MXD template I created, but the text and symbols are all messed up. However, if I export to something like PNG, it looks okay.

Any idea what could be causing the PDF to not export correctly? I've read about different fonts like Calibri causing problems, but I'm using Arial.

Our server is currently running Windows Server 2007 with ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS for Server 10.2.1.

PNG export:

PDF export:

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

SunnyWisher — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:54:49 GMT

Try the export options at the bottom when you export the map to pdf

Options common to EPS, PDF, AI, EMF

The Picture Symbol drop-down list allows you to select the method used to render picture marker symbols. Choose the Vectorize layers with bitmap markers/fills option to convert the raster markers/fills to polygons. This will prevent rasterization of the map, at the expense of some details of the bitmap marker/fill. The option to rasterize marker symbols is also available. The Convert Markers To Polygons option controls whether marker symbols that are based on font characters will be exported as text or as polygons. Check this option if you plan to view the output on a machine that does not have the appropriate fonts installed, but you cannot embed the fonts due to licensing or file format restrictions (AI cannot embed fonts). On PDF or EPS exports, use the Embed All Document Fonts option instead. Note that having this option enabled effectively disables the Embed All Document Fonts option for font-based marker symbols in formats that support embedding. -Exporting your map

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

SunnyWisher — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:57:21 GMT

On PDF or EPS exports, use the Embed All Document Fonts option instead. Note that having this option enabled effectively disables the Embed All Document Fonts option for font-based marker symbols in formats that support embedding. or the Convert Markers To Polygons option sometimes helps

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

IanBroad — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 22:58:19 GMT

Thanks, but I've tried every possible combination for the different options, and nothing works.

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

Sol_Wuensch — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:03:27 GMT

Hey Ian, Have you tried printing to a PDF writer instead? It will flatten the output considerably though, if all you need the pdf image it works for me often with smaller file size.

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

IanBroad — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:09:11 GMT

Well, the whole point of this is to export to a PDF via a web map. If it comes down to it I suppose I'll have to export to PNG instead, but I'd prefer PDF.

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

Sol_Wuensch — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:12:48 GMT

I see, so are you using code to export to a PDF then? I guess it does this manually as well... I would have to test on my end and cannot at the moment, sorry. Anything different about that text (annotation, labeling engine, font, etc?)

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

SunnyWisher — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:17:37 GMT

Exporting map to pdf (ArcMap 10.3) could it have anything to do with this?

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

Sol_Wuensch — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:20:54 GMT

Yeah, maybe this is a bug? What version are you using? When reading through the link that sunny posted above, maybe there are some possible work-arounds like this one - 35095 - Convert EPS, PDF, and AI text to graphic objects while exporting

I understand wanting to figure out the cause, or possible solutions, even if exporting to PNG is an alternative. Maybe someone else or someone from ESRI will have a better solution. Please let us know if you find a solution. Thanks!

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

IanBroad — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:24:44 GMT

Yeah, I'm using the ArcGIS JavaScript API for the web map, and then I published a Python geoprocessing tool to the server that does the exporting.

It's all very similar to this guide, but more customized for what we need:

ArcGIS Help (10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2)

And there's nothing different about the text. If you compare the two images above, you can see that the pole / light / fuse symbols are also missing from the PDF version. Very strange.

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

Sol_Wuensch — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:28:23 GMT

Sorry I don't have more helpful advice. Perhaps cross post this (the correct way) in the ArcGIS API for JavaScript place?

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

Sol_Wuensch — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:38:39 GMT

not sure if this helps any? ArcGIS JavaScript API printing through PDF | ArcGIS Blog

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

SunnyWisher — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:40:53 GMT

before exporting it try converting labels to annotation and/or then convert them to graphiz??

Re: Exporting to PDF not working correctly

BernardKontz — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 14:03:36 GMT

It's just errors with OCR and proper scaling, as I can guess from the screenshots. It also depends on in what software to work with pdf's you're opening this before sending to print. Try to upload them to this thing actually created for filling ds11 forms I think it will display them correctly, or show where is the issue to fix if there's so. It's a paid one and has the uptime as low when the file is more then 50 mb size, speaking from experience, but it should work nevertheless