Powerpoint to PDF page layout problem when using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro

[DocA]

Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro, the
page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct, but the
info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by about 0.5 inches
and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom (representing the edge of
the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try to convert.

When I make the PDF by printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance
the PDFs come out fine.

Is this a known bug?

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[Michael Koerner]

AFAIK, sending to distiller will always give you the better results. You might
want to start here. How can I make Acrobat PDFs from PowerPoint?
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00517.htm



--
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Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro, the
page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct, but the
info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by about 0.5 inches
and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom (representing the edge of
the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try to convert.

When I make the PDF by printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance
the PDFs come out fine.

Is this a known bug?

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[DocA]

Thanks, but I've got Acrobat version 5.0.5, which means that when I run the
Convert to Adobe PDF macro it should always uses the Distiller printer
instance anyway. The difference in results is not to do with differences in
the printer instance, but in something additional that the macro does.

Adrian

 

[Michael Koerner]

I don't have the Adobe stuff on my tool bar. But, ISTR there were options you
could change for the print job. Hopefully Steve will step in and straighten us
all out. He is definitely more knowledgeable in the Acrobat area than I am.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks, but I've got Acrobat version 5.0.5, which means that when I run the
Convert to Adobe PDF macro it should always uses the Distiller printer
instance anyway. The difference in results is not to do with differences in
the printer instance, but in something additional that the macro does.

Adrian

 

[DocA]

Thanks Michael. I don't think it's to do with settings...when converting
using the macro I have been using the same distiller job options file as
when I print the PDF directly. In other words, when I open the Conversion
Settings and look at the Settings tab I see the same job options file
selected as that which I see when I open Acrobat Distiller directly to
convert a PS file to PDF. (I created the job options file according to Adobe
recommendations and have already used it succesfully to create PDFs from
Word and FrameMaker, and PowerPoint when not using the macro.) The only
other options that are available when you convert using the macro are those
on the Security, Office and Display Options tabs, but I can't see any
setting in these tabs that looks like it could cause the results I'm seeing.
That's why I think it's a bug.

Thanks,

Adrian

I don't have the Adobe stuff on my tool bar. But, ISTR there were options you
could change for the print job. Hopefully Steve will step in and straighten us
all out. He is definitely more knowledgeable in the Acrobat area than I am.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks, but I've got Acrobat version 5.0.5, which means that when I run the
Convert to Adobe PDF macro it should always uses the Distiller printer
instance anyway. The difference in results is not to do with differences in
the printer instance, but in something additional that the macro does.

Adrian

AFAIK, sending to distiller will always give you the better results. You might
want to start here. How can I make Acrobat PDFs from PowerPoint?
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00517.htm



--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro, the
page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct, but the
info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by about 0.5 inches
and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom (representing the

edge

of
the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try to convert.

When I make the PDF by printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance
the PDFs come out fine.

Is this a known bug?

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[Michael Koerner]

Have you tried the Adobe Forum?

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks Michael. I don't think it's to do with settings...when converting
using the macro I have been using the same distiller job options file as
when I print the PDF directly. In other words, when I open the Conversion
Settings and look at the Settings tab I see the same job options file
selected as that which I see when I open Acrobat Distiller directly to
convert a PS file to PDF. (I created the job options file according to Adobe
recommendations and have already used it succesfully to create PDFs from
Word and FrameMaker, and PowerPoint when not using the macro.) The only
other options that are available when you convert using the macro are those
on the Security, Office and Display Options tabs, but I can't see any
setting in these tabs that looks like it could cause the results I'm seeing.
That's why I think it's a bug.

Thanks,

Adrian

I don't have the Adobe stuff on my tool bar. But, ISTR there were options you
could change for the print job. Hopefully Steve will step in and straighten us
all out. He is definitely more knowledgeable in the Acrobat area than I am.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks, but I've got Acrobat version 5.0.5, which means that when I run the
Convert to Adobe PDF macro it should always uses the Distiller printer
instance anyway. The difference in results is not to do with differences in
the printer instance, but in something additional that the macro does.

Adrian

AFAIK, sending to distiller will always give you the better results. You might
want to start here. How can I make Acrobat PDFs from PowerPoint?
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00517.htm



--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro, the
page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct, but the
info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by about 0.5 inches
and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom (representing the

edge

of
the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try to convert.

When I make the PDF by printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance
the PDFs come out fine.

Is this a known bug?

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[DocA]

I posted there a few hours ago, but nobody's replied.

If I hear anything definitive from there, I'll copy the post to this
newsgroup.

Thanks Michael.

Adrian

Have you tried the Adobe Forum?

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks Michael. I don't think it's to do with settings...when converting
using the macro I have been using the same distiller job options file as
when I print the PDF directly. In other words, when I open the Conversion
Settings and look at the Settings tab I see the same job options file
selected as that which I see when I open Acrobat Distiller directly to
convert a PS file to PDF. (I created the job options file according to Adobe
recommendations and have already used it succesfully to create PDFs from
Word and FrameMaker, and PowerPoint when not using the macro.) The only
other options that are available when you convert using the macro are those
on the Security, Office and Display Options tabs, but I can't see any
setting in these tabs that looks like it could cause the results I'm seeing.
That's why I think it's a bug.

Thanks,

Adrian

I don't have the Adobe stuff on my tool bar. But, ISTR there were

options

you
could change for the print job. Hopefully Steve will step in and straighten us
all out. He is definitely more knowledgeable in the Acrobat area than I am.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks, but I've got Acrobat version 5.0.5, which means that when I run the
Convert to Adobe PDF macro it should always uses the Distiller printer
instance anyway. The difference in results is not to do with differences in
the printer instance, but in something additional that the macro does.

Adrian

AFAIK, sending to distiller will always give you the better results.

You
might

want to start here. How can I make Acrobat PDFs from PowerPoint?
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00517.htm



--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro, the
page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct, but the
info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by about 0.5 inches
and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom (representing the

edge

of
the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try to convert.

When I make the PDF by printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance
the PDFs come out fine.

Is this a known bug?

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[Michael Koerner]

Saw the post, will keep an eye on it myself, as I am also interested.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


I posted there a few hours ago, but nobody's replied.

If I hear anything definitive from there, I'll copy the post to this
newsgroup.

Thanks Michael.

Adrian

Have you tried the Adobe Forum?

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks Michael. I don't think it's to do with settings...when converting
using the macro I have been using the same distiller job options file as
when I print the PDF directly. In other words, when I open the Conversion
Settings and look at the Settings tab I see the same job options file
selected as that which I see when I open Acrobat Distiller directly to
convert a PS file to PDF. (I created the job options file according to Adobe
recommendations and have already used it succesfully to create PDFs from
Word and FrameMaker, and PowerPoint when not using the macro.) The only
other options that are available when you convert using the macro are those
on the Security, Office and Display Options tabs, but I can't see any
setting in these tabs that looks like it could cause the results I'm seeing.
That's why I think it's a bug.

Thanks,

Adrian

I don't have the Adobe stuff on my tool bar. But, ISTR there were

options

you
could change for the print job. Hopefully Steve will step in and straighten us
all out. He is definitely more knowledgeable in the Acrobat area than I am.

--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Thanks, but I've got Acrobat version 5.0.5, which means that when I run the
Convert to Adobe PDF macro it should always uses the Distiller printer
instance anyway. The difference in results is not to do with differences in
the printer instance, but in something additional that the macro does.

Adrian

AFAIK, sending to distiller will always give you the better results.

You
might

want to start here. How can I make Acrobat PDFs from PowerPoint?
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00517.htm



--
<>Please post all follow-up questions/replies to the newsgroup<>
<><>Email unless specifically requested will not be opened<><>
<><><>Do Provide The Version Of PowerPoint You Are Using<><><>
<><><>Do Not Post Attachments In This Newsgroup<><><>
Michael Koerner [MS PPT MVP]


Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro, the
page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct, but the
info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by about 0.5 inches
and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom (representing the

edge

of
the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try to convert.

When I make the PDF by printing to the Acrobat Distiller printer instance
the PDFs come out fine.

Is this a known bug?

Thanks,

Adrian

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks Michael. I don't think it's to do with settings...when converting
using the macro I have been using the same distiller job options file as
when I print the PDF directly.

That's good; cuts down on confusion.

A couple of things to check:

- Do you have the most up-to-date version of Acrobat 5? It should show 5.0.5
in Acrobat's Help, About screen. And remind me of the PPT version and Win
version.

- Acrobat can be a bit weird with PPT page sizing. I've never quite pinned
down all the specifics but a fair number of it's quirks can be fixed by opening
the PDF in Acrobat and choosing Document, Crop Pages then adjusting the crops.

- You may need to have the "Allow PS to override settings" option selected in
the Job Options, Advanced tab

- What's the slide page size set to in PowerPoint? What's the default page
size set to in Distiller?

- In PowerPoint, choose Tools, Options. On the Print tab, make sure it's set
to "Use most recently yadayada print options" rather than "Use the following
..." (If it's set to specific options, PDFMaker won't be able to override the
settings)

That's why I think it's a bug.

Or what we might call a "multi-limbed anomalous interaction"? ;-)

Let us know what you come up with re the above.

 

[DocA]

Hi Steve,

Based on your suggestions, I've done some testing and it turns out to be
related to the way automatic cropping differs depending on whether you print
directly or use the macro.

My setup is as follows:
Acrobat 5.0.5, PowerPoint XP sp2, the Page Setup in PPT is 10'' x 7.5''

When printing directly...
The PDF page size is determined by the "paper" size I print the PS file to;
it is not effected by either the page size set in the Page Setup dialog box
in PPT or the page size set in the Distiller job options file.
Whether or not the pages are automatically cropped seems to depend on the
"paper" size I choose when printing the PS file...if the size is smaller
than the "Page Setup" size in PPT, then no cropping occurs; if the paper
size is a little larger than the page setup size (e.g Letter compared with
10'' x 7.5'') then symmetric cropping occurs in such a way that the PDF page
size is cropped to the PPT page setup size; if the paper size is a lot
larger than the Page Setup size in PPT (e.g Tabloid compared with 10'' x
7.5'') then no cropping occurs.

When printing using the macro....
As with direct printing, the PDF page size is determined by the "paper" size
I print the PS file to; it is not effected by either the page size set in
the Page Setup dialog box in PPT or the page size set in the Distiller job
options file.
However, when using the macro it seems that the PDF pages are always
cropped, no matter what the paper size set up by default for the Distiller
pinter instance. Furthermore, the cropping settings always seem to be poorly
determined and asymmetric, so that data is pushed off the page at one or
more ends. (The horizontal line I was seeing was the bottom part of the
frame around the slide, the other three sides being cropped out of view.) As
you said, this can be corrected by changing the cropping settings.

In my case, changing the "Allow PS to override job options" setting did not
have any effect whatsoever on the results.

I'm not sure whether this is a bug or an MLAI ;-) but it isn't working as
I'd expect it too!

Thanks a lot for the pointers!

Adrian

PS, I found another MLAI, but this time in Acrobat...the dialog box for
cropping page shows this text: "Cropped page size=...". However, the values
shown correspond to those of the last PDF that was cropped....if you click
on the text it will change to the correct values.

That's good; cuts down on confusion.

A couple of things to check:

- Do you have the most up-to-date version of Acrobat 5? It should show 5.0.5
in Acrobat's Help, About screen. And remind me of the PPT version and Win
version.

- Acrobat can be a bit weird with PPT page sizing. I've never quite pinned
down all the specifics but a fair number of it's quirks can be fixed by opening
the PDF in Acrobat and choosing Document, Crop Pages then adjusting the crops.

- You may need to have the "Allow PS to override settings" option selected in
the Job Options, Advanced tab

- What's the slide page size set to in PowerPoint? What's the default page
size set to in Distiller?

- In PowerPoint, choose Tools, Options. On the Print tab, make sure it's set
to "Use most recently yadayada print options" rather than "Use the following
.." (If it's set to specific options, PDFMaker won't be able to override the

Or what we might call a "multi-limbed anomalous interaction"? ;-)

Let us know what you come up with re the above.

Whenever I convert a PPT to PDF using the Convert to Adobe PDF macro,

the page layout does not come out correctly. The page size is correct,

but the info on each page is shifted towards the top of the page by

about 0.5 inches and a dark horizontal line appears near the bottom

(representing the edge of the slide). This happens for all PPTs I try

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Based on your suggestions, I've done some testing and it turns out to be

related to the way automatic cropping differs depending on whether you print
directly or use the macro.

First, thanks for coming back with this info. That's what makes this newgroup
the great resource it is.

My setup is as follows:
Acrobat 5.0.5, PowerPoint XP sp2, the Page Setup in PPT is 10'' x 7.5''

Good ... that means we can eliminate Office/Acrobat mismatches as a possible
source of trouble.

When printing directly...
The PDF page size is determined by the "paper" size I print the PS file to;
it is not effected by either the page size set in the Page Setup dialog box
in PPT or the page size set in the Distiller job options file.

To fill in a bit:

- PowerPoint's slide size (set in Page Setup) is entirely independent of the
paper size (chosen in the driver setup - ie, click Properties next to the
chosen printer in PPT's print dialog box). Depending on the "Fit to page"
setting, PowerPoint will either enlarge the slide to fill the printer page
(centered, uncropped) or print the slide to the chosen printer page size
(centered on the page's printable area if slide is smaller than page, cropped
at edges if slide is larger than page)

- Most printer drivers/applications put a request for the current page size
into the PostScript they produce at print time. If so, that's what Distiller
uses. The Distiller Page Size setting in Job Options is *only* used if the PS
doesn't specifically request a page size. The output from PPT will always
request a page size, so Distiller's setting can pretty much be ignored for
present purposes.

Whether or not the pages are automatically cropped seems to depend on the
"paper" size I choose when printing the PS file...if the size is smaller
than the "Page Setup" size in PPT, then no cropping occurs; if the paper
size is a little larger than the page setup size (e.g Letter compared with
10'' x 7.5'') then symmetric cropping occurs in such a way that the PDF page
size is cropped to the PPT page setup size; if the paper size is a lot
larger than the Page Setup size in PPT (e.g Tabloid compared with 10'' x
7.5'') then no cropping occurs.

Interesting. I always get a bit of cropping here too but hadn't noticed this
particular trick. It appears to be a bug in Acrobat (I put the blame there for
a couple of reasons; one, the same problem doesn't occur in Acrobat 4 and 3;
two, there are ways of including specific cropping instructions in the PS
output, but Acrobat 5 pretty much ignores them; again, it works in earlier
versions.)

When printing using the macro....
As with direct printing, the PDF page size is determined by the "paper" size
I print the PS file to; it is not effected by either the page size set in
the Page Setup dialog box in PPT or the page size set in the Distiller job
options file.

The macro probably forces the "Fit to page" setting to "On". That would fit.

However, when using the macro it seems that the PDF pages are always
cropped, no matter what the paper size set up by default for the Distiller
pinter instance. Furthermore, the cropping settings always seem to be poorly
determined and asymmetric, so that data is pushed off the page at one or
more ends. (The horizontal line I was seeing was the bottom part of the
frame around the slide, the other three sides being cropped out of view.) As
you said, this can be corrected by changing the cropping settings.

In my case, changing the "Allow PS to override job options" setting did not
have any effect whatsoever on the results.

I'm not sure whether this is a bug or an MLAI ;-) but it isn't working as
I'd expect it too!

Thanks a lot for the pointers!

Adrian

PS, I found another MLAI, but this time in Acrobat...the dialog box for
cropping page shows this text: "Cropped page size=...". However, the values
shown correspond to those of the last PDF that was cropped....if you click
on the text it will change to the correct values.

I'd noticed some oddities there too. Bugs.