PDF XChange Forum

When using the "Convert to PDF" ribbon bar option in Excel 2010, for cells that have borders with thin lines, these lines are not correctly converted. Instead, some borders are displayed as thick short dashes, whilst others are similar but also include the (correct) thin line.
Printing using the PDFX4 driver produces the correct output.
See attachments for examples.

Hello Bob,

Can you please also include the excel file - so that I can try and reproduce this at my end?

Thanks,
Stefan

Spreadsheet attached as requested.

Thanks for the sample Bob,

I managed to reproduce your problem. When using the office add-in button - dashed line instead of a single continuous one, and when printed via File -> Print - the expected thin line.

However both in the main excel window, and in the print preview - Excel is displaying this dashed line, so I presume it's something else that excel is doing at print time that causes this difference (check the attached files).

I will now discuss this with my colleagues to see if we can give any further advise.

Best,
Stefan

Hello Bob,

After discussing this further - it turns out to be a DPI issue. When the add-in is working inside Excel - it only has access to what excel has already rendered - and for displaying purposes excel uses just 96 DPI - so when the add-in converts your line - it uses the 96 DPI resolution and the "dotted" line excel uses in substitution of the expected thin one. There is no way to make excel increase that - so for this kind of file you will need to use the File -> Print I am afraid.

Best,
Stefan

Thanks for identifying the cause.

It appears there is a similar issue with MSWord 10. I copied the Excel table from the previous spreadsheet to Word then minimised the internal linewidths, see attachment.

The differences between pdfs produced via the PDFX options and the Word "Create a PDF/XPS" are also shown.
FTR although the PDFX print driver output came close, it wasn't quite as good as the Word generated pdf.

Hi,

I think maybe Jamie missed the point of your final comment and sample ...

The PDF-XChange drivers are in the process of complete rewrite/revision and these will be released in late March/April - once released I believe you will see major positive changes in many area's to the conversion process including the example you provide - perhaps when released you can test again and advise if this as expected.

Many thanks.

That's good to know - thanks John.

Pleasure Bob