[reportlab-users] PDFs generated by ReportLab not printing

[Andy Robinson]

2009/5/21 King Simon-NFHD78 <simon.king at motorola.com>:

>

> Unfortunately, I can't reproduce the error myself. Does anyone know of

> any tools for analysing PDF files that might help in tracking down the

> problem?


I'm told that one should use Acrobat Professional, which has a
"pre-flight tool".  This is something Adobe bought from Callas
Software which checks hundreds of things printers have been known to
have problems with in the past.

Sadly the PDF spec was a bit too loose in the early days ad there were
'many ways to do it' for printing, which means there isn't really a
formal test of 'correctness for printing', and instead you get these
firms doing pre-flighting tools who have been learning from
experience.   Most such tools are very expensive ($5000+), as it's a
specialised area and still cheap compared to the average printing
press, and the Acrobat one is the most affordable.   Also, I hope, it
could be deemed "official", and if it passes you could tell the
printer it was their problem  ;-)

We will be getting a copy soon, but don't have it yet as we could test
all we needed with the Standard version to date.   If you have an
offending PDF you can send in, we'll certainly keep it on file and
check it. We are developing other print-related features in the next
couple of months.

Best Regards,


-- 
Andy Robinson
CEO/Chief Architect
ReportLab Europe Ltd.
Media House, 3 Palmerston Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 1PG, UK
Tel +44-20-8545-1570