Cannot Extract Embedded Font in PDF Report Generated Using Crystal Reports XI

[Former Member]

The issue is that sometimes the PDF reports generated by Crystal Report XI are not showing the fonts properly. Arial font is used in the Crystal report template(.rpt file) for field label and data elements. When the report is opened in Adobe Reader, it displays the message - "Cannot extract the embedded font 'AAAAAA+ArialBold'. some characters may not display or print correctly." Other PDF Readers like Foxit show blank spaces instead. I tried to change the font to Courier New, Times New Roman etc but still getting the same message.

The issue is consistent when the application is deployed in Windows server. When deployed in Unix server the issue happens very occasionally. The font files are available and installed in the UNIX box.

Please tell me why this error message is shown and also tell me how to get it fixed.

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

More than likely this is because the fonts are not allowed to be embedded.

See KBA: 1198880 - Font is not allowed to be embedded in document when exporting report to PDF for more details.

Also, always quote the actual version of CR you are using. CR XI is not enough as many people mean CR XI (v. 11.0) or CR XI R2 (11.5). There is a big, bit difference between the two. So big, that I'd recommend updating to CR XI R2 (if you are indeed using CR XI). See this blog on how to.

- Ludek

Senior Support Engineer AGS Product Support, Global Support Center Canada

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[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Is it possible to change to font, so that it can be embedded?

if the fonts are embedded, they would only display properly... if the person has that font

loaded on their machine.

It seems to work some times, but not others

I think the CR version we are using is 12.2.209.1094.

but, I'm not the primary person working on the issue

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

Yes of course you can use a different font. But you will have to determine if that font can be embedded. Typically Arial or Times New Roman do not have issues.

Version 12.2.209.1094 tells me that you are not even using CR XI... Rather you are using CR 2008, (version 12.x) and that you are on SP 2. Last full service pack for CR 2008 is SP 6:

SP 6:

https://share.sap.com/a:328ro3/MyAttachments/098c9a21-c9be-41c2-b218-b16c5457331c/

MSI:

https://share.sap.com/a:328ro3/MyAttachments/35630157-98d0-4ce4-b4d4-22de41ef9960/

MSM:

https://share.sap.com/a:328ro3/MyAttachments/8d3c9bd8-0587-43af-a0ef-678201f0bf74/

ClickOnce:

https://share.sap.com/a:328ro3/MyAttachments/2120c9fa-6021-430b-9d87-ebd457fb19b5/

Highly recommended that you get to SP 6. It will not help with the font embedding issue as that is an Adobe issue, but you should always try to be current.

- Ludek

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thank you so much. I already tried the fonts - Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New but it didn't help solve the problem. I will try to use the latest version of CrystalRuntime jar and see if it helps.

Is there anything else I can try other than using the latest jar and/or exporting to RTF and then saving it as PDF ?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Ludek

    We had a couple of questions.

We have some developers that create crystal reports on windows machines.   These reports are loaded either to a windows or linux server, where they are run by an SDK.

Currently the reports are setup to produce pdf's... which are then pulled up, in a browser window.

1st question.  

    Some of our developers are creating the reports under crystal 2008, while some are 2011.

    Could this be a problem, when they are run by the SDK?

    Should we upgrade all our developers to crystal 2011?

2nd question

    When the report is run, to create the pdf... why would it actually embed the font on the pdf?

    if they weren't embedded.. wouldn't it just pull up the proper font, if the user's pc had that font on their

    pc?

    if it does the common fonts aren't embedded, we would just have to worry about the things like

    barcode 3 of 9

3rd question

    Would the fonts, just need to be installed on the server?   we've seen some indication, that they

    also need to be in a java sub-directory

We may have some more questions... we have a few people out this week, for spring break.

We paid for an incident.  Hopefully, we can have a conference call some time next week.

[former_member183750 · Accepted solution]

Hi Scot

Just replied to your email re. conf call.

In the meantime.

1st question.   
    Some of our developers are creating the reports under crystal 2008, while some are 2011.
    Could this be a problem, when they are run by the SDK?
    Should we upgrade all our developers to crystal 2011?

The version of CR a report is created in should not matter at all. I am 100% certain this is not the issue.

2nd question
    When the report is run, to create the pdf... why would it actually embed the font on the pdf?
    if they weren't embedded.. wouldn't it just pull up the proper font, if the user's pc had that font on their
    pc?
    if it does the common fonts aren't embedded, we would just have to worry about the things like
    barcode 3 of 9

I can not answer this as that essentially is the way the product is designed. It may look like a limitation, but there are no work-arounds and I would not consider this to be a bug. Perhaps an enhancement, but a pretty faint hope there. And even if, enhancements take very, very low priority and take long, long time before implementation.

3rd question
    Would the fonts, just need to be installed on the server?   we've seen some indication, that they 
    also need to be in a java sub-directory

The fonts must be on the server as that is where the report engine does it's work, then the report is streamed to the user's browser. E.g.; there is no work done on the browser. Also, the process must have rights to access the fonts.

One last point. You mention deployment to Linux. Linux is not supported. Please see: SAP Crystal Reports, Developer Version for Microsoft Visual Studio - Supported Platforms

I suspect this is more an issue with CR not working with the framework for Linux.

- Ludek