Bold does not appear in PDF files

This is the place to discuss Help & Manual 4 issues. Please don't post questions on any other versions here!

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

Post Reply
Dale Derix
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:48 pm

Bold does not appear in PDF files

Unread post by Dale Derix »

Just started a new help project and text that I mark bold does not appear bold in PDF output. I also created a style for just bold and it does not appear bold in the PDF either. This was not a problem in my other projects.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Dale
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23328
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Bold does not appear in PDF files

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Dale,

You posted in the Help+Manual 4 forum. Are you really still using version 4? It is out of date by over ten years now. :?

This will be related to the font you are using and/or a problem with your PDF export driver. First try using a different font, ideally one of the standards like Arial or Times New Roman. Then change the export driver:

HM uses a printer driver to generate PDFs (remember that a PDF is really just raw printer data in a file, and a PDF viewer is basically a printer that prints to the screen instead of to paper). You can access the reference printer driver settings in View > Program Options > PDF in current versions of Help+Manual, and in Tools > Customize > PDF Export in Help+Manual 4. By default, HM will use the screen device driver, but you can often get better results by using a real printer driver. By the same token, some printer drivers can also cause problems, particularly optimized drivers from printer manufacturers. It is generally better to use one of the standard drivers supplied with Windows.

If the driver of your own installed printer doesn't work well you can activate and select one of the known good standard drivers included with Windows. You don't have to actually have the physical printer. Just add the driver with Add Printer in the printer section of the Windows Control Panel and then select it as your reference driver in Help & Manual. The standard Windows Brother HL-2040 and HL-2060 drivers deliver good results, and standard LaserJets and DeskJets are usually also OK. You can also use the Microsoft XPS Document Writer driver, which is always installed in all current Windows versions. However, this driver has the restriction that it can't be set to the higher output resolutions supported by more recent printer drivers.

Windows 10 no longer provides direct access to the list of standard drivers. To access it you must do this:

Select Add Printer, then click on "The printer I want isn't listed"
Next: Select "Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings"
Next: Accept the suggested port (this is irrelevant)
Next: Click on "Windows Update" and wait a couple of minutes for the list to display.

The last step can really take a few minutes. Go and make a cup of coffee... ;-)

​After this you will be able to select a driver from the list.​

Important Notes:

DON'T use "PDF printer drivers" like Adobe Distiller for this! This will not work properly and is actually counter-productive.

The output resolution and default paper size are set in the settings for the printer driver in the Windows Control Panel. The default page size set for the printer driver must be at least as large as the page size you have set in your print manual template. If it is smaller you will get clipping in your PDF pages.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Dale Derix
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:48 pm

Re: Bold does not appear in PDF files

Unread post by Dale Derix »

Tim,

Thank you so much for the detailed reply.... especially since it is for such an old version. I did try to buy v9 last week but my purchase request was denied (what!?!). I am resubmitting my request just after the new year and hopefully will get it approved.

Dale
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23328
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Bold does not appear in PDF files

Unread post by Tim Green »

Dale Derix wrote: Tue Dec 20, 2022 1:17 pm Thank you so much for the detailed reply.... especially since it is for such an old version. I did try to buy v9 last week but my purchase request was denied (what!?!). I am resubmitting my request just after the new year and hopefully will get it approved.
That's odd. Sometimes there are problems with the CC handling, particularly around Christmas when the card companies are more security conscious. If you continue to have problems, please do contact sales AT ec-software DOT com directly for assistance.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Dale Derix
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:48 pm

Re: Bold does not appear in PDF files

Unread post by Dale Derix »

Sorry... I just now saw this. The problem was on my end getting the purchased approved here where I work. I eventually got it through and have been happily using v9 for a while now.

Thanks,

Dale
Post Reply