PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

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zhugecaomao
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PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by zhugecaomao »

I notice that same PDF file shows totally different in PDF-XChange Editor and Adobe PDF.

So I tested with few PDF software such as Adobe, Foxit, MS Edge etc.. Seems Adobe, Foxit and MS Edge shows same, only PDF-XChange Editor shows different.

I face this issue few times, is there anyone facing the same issue?

I attached one sample PDF, the yellow color area totally different with other PDF softwares.
image.png
Sample PDF.pdf
(195.85 KiB) Downloaded 50 times
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

Hi,

To me it seems like there is a problem with the 'Sample PDF' itself. When opening this file in Adobe Acrobat Reader, there is an error message (see attachment).

In PDF-XChange Editor and Foxit PDF Reader the indicated content (yellow zone) is shown, in Adobe Reader, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge it is missing or incomplete. None of these applications shows an error when opening the PDF.

I suppose the PDF has been created by yourself by using 'PDF24 Creator'? Maybe you can try with an other PDF creator?

Maybe Tracker Support can tell us something more about the problem with this Sample PDF.

Kind regards.
Attachments
Acrobat Reader - Error message.png
Last edited by Willy Van Nuffel on Wed Jun 29, 2022 12:28 pm, edited 3 times in total.
zhugecaomao
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by zhugecaomao »

Willy Van Nuffel wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 12:22 pm Hi,

To me it seems like there is a problem with the PDF itself. When opening the file in Adobe Reader, there is an error message (see attachment).

In PDF-XChange Editor and Foxit PDF Reader the indicated content is shown, in Adobe Reader, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge it is missing. None of these applications shows an error when opening the PDF.

Maybe Tracker Support can tell us something more about this.

Kind regards.
thanks for your input Willy!
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Tracker Supp-Stefan
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hello zhugecaomao,

I believe this is the same file as in your other topic!
I was not aware that Adobe does not like this file until I saw this one. Indeed there seems to be something not quite right with this document. Please see if Willy's advice above will help!

Kind regards,
Stefan
zhugecaomao
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by zhugecaomao »

Tracker Supp-Stefan wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 12:43 pm Hello zhugecaomao,

I believe this is the same file as in your other topic!
I was not aware that Adobe does not like this file until I saw this one. Indeed there seems to be something not quite right with this document. Please see if Willy's advice above will help!

Kind regards,
Stefan
hi Stefan, thanks for your reply. Allow me to explain more details.

First of all, I received one PDF file from others, I tested this file is ok, shows consistent in PDF XChange, Adobe Reader, Foxit and MS Edge.

After that I did some comments (Textbox and Rectangle) and minor edit (only minor delete some page content), I do know that comments may show different in different PDF software, so I always flatten all comments before I send to others.

After I send this PDF to other people, they are not able to see all the comments, and also some of the original content looks much different with mine (as I highlighted in yellow color of above pic), so I tested with few PDF software and found it is true.

These contents are disappear if use Adobe Reader, Foxit PDF and MS Edge....

I tried few time to remark comments / re-flatten this file, but result is the same...

In the end, I have to use PDF Printer to print this PDF file to PDF again...

p.s. One more case I recall, is that I have one PDF, and I make some comments, but after I flatten the file & save it. All the comments will disappear when I reopen it, file size also become smaller. Anyone facing the same issue?
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David.P
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by David.P »

Hi all,

the file seems to contain a number of tiny bitmaps, some of which are very far (almost 2m) off the page. If you select and delete all bitmaps (easiest with the "Gearbox Button" -> "Select" -> "Images" menu in the Content Pane) then the file seems to display correctly in other PDF readers.

HtH & Cheers
David
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Tracker Supp-Stefan
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

Hello David.P,

Thanks for looking into this!
Yes - there is indeed content that is outside of the current file's crop box and it misbehaves. The suggested correction should help!

Kind regards,
Stefan
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Jensen Head
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Jensen Head »

zhugecaomao wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 10:57 amSeems Adobe, Foxit and MS Edge shows same, only PDF-XChange Editor shows different.
I ran into a similar situation, but related to displaying text. The document has been edited in PDF-XChange Editor with font replacement. The saved fragment of the document does not contain the font used, but it is installed on the computer on which the test was performed. Only PDF-XChange Editor renders the font correctly, while Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Adobe Acrobat change the text font to something that looks significantly different.
_
PDF-XChange Editor.png
Mozilla Firefox.png
Microsoft Edge.png
Adobe Acrobat.png
_
Fira Sans / Fira Sans Thin by Carrois Apostrophe
https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Fira+Sans

Upd. Even after saving in PDF/A-2u and PDF/A-3u, the resulting documents look different in other applications.
Zoomed text rendering artifacts. PDF-A 2u.pdf
(431.76 KiB) Downloaded 22 times
Zoomed text rendering artifacts. PDF-A 3u.pdf
(431.76 KiB) Downloaded 22 times
Do I need to create a separate thread for this, or can I continue discussing it here?
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

Hi,

It seems like the text looks different in PDF-XChange Editor because the "Thin Lines" option is active (in the View-ribbon).
INFO: https://www.pdf-xchange.com/knowle ... nge-Editor

When "Thin Lines" is turned off, the presentation seems to be similar to the other PDF-viewers.

Print Preview should give the correct presentation.

Kind regards.
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Jensen Head
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Jensen Head »

Willy Van Nuffel wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 2:54 pmIt seems like the text looks different in PDF-XChange Editor because the "Thin Lines" option is active
You're right. Thanks for help! It's a pity that this setting was turned on all the time while the document was being typeset.
Last edited by Jensen Head on Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

Maybe the people at Tracker Support can tell us why this "Thin Lines" has an influence on the presentation of text characters (fonts).

Following the explanation of "Thin Lines" it should only have an effect on annotation lines.

Thanks in advance.
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David.P
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by David.P »

Hello all,

that is because the text has a non-zero (1.1 pt) width outline that also has a color applied to it:

image.png

If you remove the outline and/or its color, the text will lose the artifacts.

Normally, basic text should not have an outline wider than 0pt, nor should the outline have a color assigned to it.

Hth & cheers
David.P
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Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

Thanks David for the information.

The "Stroke Color" and the "Border Width" of the text was something I did not pay attention to. I am still learning.

It seems like there is still a small difference in presentation when the "Border Width" has already been set to zero, and after that, the "Stroke Color" is being set to none. The most important thing seems to be the stroke color equal to none.

Kind regards.
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Sean - Tracker
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Sean - Tracker »

Hi Willy,

Thanks for the feedback - would you be able to share a screenshot detailing this 'small difference in presentation'?

Kind regards,
Sean Godley
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Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD
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Fax: +1 (250) 324-1623
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

If it can help...

Border Width = zero / Stroke Color = gray
PDF-XChange Editor - Border width zero and Stroke color black.png
Border Width = zero / Stroke Color = none
PDF-XChange Editor - Border width zero and Stroke color none.png
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Paul - Tracker Supp
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Paul - Tracker Supp »

Well thanks for this discussion, I learned somethig today.

Willy, I learned that in your PDF it is all about the border on the font.
image(1).png
image(1).png (15.98 KiB) Viewed 1070 times
That border is not actually part of the font, it is a set of, are you ready?... lines! These lines take the shape of the font which defines them. They are still however just a bunch of lines that "happen" to coincide with the size and shape of the font used. That is why they respond to the "Thin Lines" tool, they are lines. :)

To illustrate, we set the Border Width to 0.1 (1.1 on an 8 point font is HUGE) and now one can see, after changing the colour of the border the distinction between the font itself, and the lines that make up the border of the letters defined by the font.
image.png
So yes, in this case it's because there ARE a bunch of lines to respond to the Thin Lines Tool.

I hope that explanation is helpful.
Best regards

Paul O'Rorke
Tracker Support North America
http://www.tracker-software.com
Willy Van Nuffel
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Re: PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Willy Van Nuffel »

Thanks @Paul for the additional information.
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PDF Content shows different with Adobe PDF / Foxit PDF / Edge

Post by Tracker Supp-Stefan »

:)
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