[pdftex] Pale print with Adobe Reader

[George N. White III]

On 3/8/07, Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina at gmail.com> wrote:

> I did:
>
>  $ tex file.tex
>
> and got file.dvi; then
>
>  $ dvips file.dvi -o
>
> and got file.ps; then
>
>  $ ps2pdf file.ps
>
> and got file.pdf. Now, with some printers the print all right; with some it
> comes out very pale. If I use pdftex:
>
>  $ pdftex file.tex
>
> , the result is even worse. The same printer prints other pdf files fine.
> I need printing my pdf file through MS Windows and Adobe or Acrobat Reader. I
> tried all the possible settings and options in the print dialog window with no
> result. Any hint? Maybe a way to properly set the brightness/resolution when
> creating the pdf file with ps2pdf or with pdftex?

With current outline fonts, most systems are quite good at reproducing
the intended
appearance.  With bitmapped fonts, there can be considerable variation
in the appearance of a given document depending on the settings used
to generate the bitmapped (.pk) fonts, the version of Adobe Reader and
the printer.

To understand the problem, you need to examine the following questions:

1.  which fonts are used in the pdf files?

2. do the pdf files contain outline fonts or bitmapped?

Adobe Reader can provide some information, as can the logs and output
from your commands.

3.  How does your document with a properly typeset example (e.g., a
book or journal) using the same fonts?

For most implementations, the default will be some derivative of the
Computer Modern fonts.  Certainly the CM fonts have quite narrow
stokes when compared to more widely used fonts, but that is by design.

If you just want "darker" fonts, there are many font families that can
be used with pdftex.
Most current TeX distributions support a number of free font families,
and there are commercial fonts suitable for use with pdftex.

-- 
George N. White III <aa056 at chebucto.ns.ca>
Head of St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia