Opening PDF files with fonts as outlines

[Herbert123]

Currently PhotoLine opens PDF files, but when it encounters missing fonts, it will ask for a font replacement.

It would be great if a PDF import option were available to tell PhotoLine to import such troublesome PDFs with automatic conversion to font outlines, working around the issue of missing fonts.

Often I just need to place a PDF file "as is" without the need for any editing, and I work around the issue by converting the PDF file to a bitmap version in PDF viewer, but this of course renders the text to a low-quality pixel version. It is far preferable to retain all the text as vector outlines.

I thought that by placing a PDF in an external placeholder layer the fonts would be rendered correctly, but alas, PhotoLine silently replaced the fonts anyway.

[Gerhard Huber]

Install and use the Ghostscript import to convert text to vector.

[Herbert123]

I actually never used that option before, and wasn't even aware of that! IT WORKS!

I've been dealing with this issue for quite some time now, and being able to open client PDF files with text formatting intact in spite of unavailable fonts is absolute GOLD! You guys & PhotoLine keep surprising me.

Super, super handy. Thanks!

[Herbert123]

PS small language bug: in the English version the File-->Import-->GS Import dialog still uses the German text for the font outlines option:

Schriften in Pfade wandeln (Mindestens GS 9.15) --> Convert Fonts to Outlines (Requires GhostScript v9.15 or higher).

[PhilM]

Could you explain how you install Ghostscript and set it up so it shows as an option in the File/Import menu ?

Thanks.

Phil

[Martin Huber]

Could you explain how you install Ghostscript and set it up so it shows as an option in the File/Import menu ?

On Windows Ghostscript has a DLL (Dynamic Link Library). If you place this DLL in the Hlp-directory of PhotoLine, PhotoLine will use it for importing. The 32-bit version of the DLL must be named “gsdll32.dll” and the 64-bit version “gsdll64.dll”.
On macOS there is the file “Ghostscript.framework”. You have to copy it to “/Library/Frameworks” in order to work correctly.

Martin

[Herbert123]

To expand on Martin's answer, there is no need to install Ghostscript (at least, not for Windows): download the installation file, and use a unarchiver like 7-zip to open the archive. The gsdllXX.dll file is found in the bin folder.

[PhilM]

Thanks Martin
Thanks Herbert

It works.

I still do not understand when it is useful. But it is there.

Photoline is a gem!

What else is hidden that we don't now ?

Best regards