I know this is a bit late in answering this forum but I have been experiencing the same issue. The way I fixed it was to go to the Advanced Options tab in my printer properties (we have an HP T1100) and there is an option under Printer Features for Max. Application Resolution. Instead of the default I chose 300. This, for some reason, got rid of my strange lines.
I also learned that if you choose to "Show Preview before Printing" the previews actually show the mysterious lines. I kept changing settings until I found the change above, where the extra lines disappeared in the preview.
I don't know if this helps others but it solved my problem with this particular map!
I am seeing a pattern to this problem now.
I am as well using data driven pages, ALSO with a negative rotation and experiencing these extra lines that match other polylines in my map. I adjusted to a positive rotatation, but this is still ocurring.
I also have numerous shapefiles, and two data frames on my map. Does this apply to anyone else with this issue?
Not sure what the work around is right now... but hopefully ESRI can recreate this to fix it.
actually... this did work.
I only changed the rotation in the map document, not the actual tiling shapefile I'm using.
Nice solution!
I also found I had this problem using ArcGISPro - it only happens with certain datasets and at certain scales when I export to Adobe PDF and try to print it to a non-PostScript printer. Not being able upgrade my printer driver to PostScript4 - a workaround is to print from another PDF reader such as Sumatra PDF reader for example, where the extra lines do not occur on print.
Some links that may be helpful understanding this better:
PDF file showing extra line when printed from A... | Adobe Community
Troubleshoot problems printing to non-PostScript printers | Illustrator).
Good luck!
I have had this problem for years, and on various brands of plotters. Your suggestion to try a different .pdf reader program worked perfect for me.
Thank you!
I'll add some more information:
ArcGIS 10.6.1
Windows 7 Pro 64-bit
HP DesignJet T1120 (44-inch with a 42-inch roll installed)
Adobe Reader 11.0.23
One line and one polygon shapefile, each displaying extra lines
Geometry check showed four null geometries in the line layer and no problems in the polygon layer
Copied line data to a FGDB, still produced extra lines
All ArcGIS PDF exports at 300dpi
Data frame in ArcGIS left a 1/4-inch margin to the page edge
Unless otherwise stated, PDF dialog used "Actual Size"
Unless otherwise stated, ArcGIS paper size = printer selected paper size
30x42 map at 1:126,720 scale produced extra lines
Tried the above printer settings (Advanced > Max Application Resolution) changed from Default to 600dpi
==> same problem
Changed setting to 300dpi
==> no problem
Changed back to Default. Set custom scale in PDF print dialog. Anything below 98.1% did not have extra lines.
Shrinking to smaller paper size (using PDF "Fit" option) did not have extra lines.
Creating a PDF with a larger scale (1:100,000 and 1:80,000) in ArcGIS still had extra lines (but different lines).
Changed ArcGIS export dpi (300, 200, 100) all had extra lines (looked like same lines)
19x42 map at 1:126,720 scale produced extra lines
Export at a 1:100,000 scale - still extra lines but they are different
Set custom scale in PDF print dialog. Anything below 92.9% did not have extra lines.
24x30, 1:126,720 did not have extra lines
16x18, 1:126:720 did not have extra lines
30x41, 1:126,720 had extra lines
29x41, 1:126,720 printed on 42x30 paper, Actual size, had extra lines
29x41, 1:126,720 printed on 41x29 paper, Actual size, had extra lines
24x36, 1:110,984 did not have extra lines
24x36, 1:126,720 did not have extra lines
26x39, 1:126,720 did not have extra lines
28x40, 1:126,720 had extra lines
28x40, 1:126,720 printed on 30x40 paper, Actual size, had extra lines
It looks like data frame size, paper size, and scale might play a role, but I cannot spend any more time to narrow it down.
This is a rather old post, but the problem is still there. I am using ArcPro 2.7.2. Exported PDF looks fine until a map is printed on one of the office printers. we are using HPs.
We do have Adobe in the office and a Nitro PDF. Testing which one works better - Nitro PDF did not have any extra lines created. Adobe PDF would create extra lines in the unpredictable pattern.
I tried downsizing using Adobe PDF, I converted it into Illustrator product and then back to PDF - same issues. Printing our of a non-Adobe product seems to work better.
I am leaning towards the issue being on the side of the Adobe and neither the printer not the GIS.
I too am still having this issue and we just upgraded to ArcPro 2.9.2.
Reducing the resolution to 300 dpi and printing as an image solved the problem.
Also, the preview corrected indicates if the spurious line will be an issue.