Cannot print PDF files on Mac OS X

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Hi,

since some update from Reader 8.1 to 8.1.2 I cannot print PDF files anymore. Meanwhile I installed Reader 9, but with no luck.

If I crank up the preferences I get the error "Failed to load an application resource (internal error)." ... maybe there is something wrong with the installation, but even an reinstall doesnt fix it.

If I try to print I get only the message "The document could not be printed" and then "There were no pages selected to print." ... no matter what PDF I try to print.

The Apple Preview works without any problems, so the PDFs should be good.

Can anyone help me on this ... its really frustrating.

Best Regards

--Michael

[michaelkazlow]

Try resetting the printer system.

Mike

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Mike,

thanks for the reply ... I did this already.

I also did the following:

- deleted printer and reinstalled it
- repaired file permissions
- deleted font caches
- installed latest HP printer drivers

But no luck.

--Michael

[michaelkazlow]

Try to re-install the latest combo installer of the OS.

Mike

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Mike,

what do you mean by combo installer of the OS? 10.5.5 is already installed if that is what you mean?

--Michael

[michaelkazlow]

The regular installer installs the changes since the last OS version. In
fact, if you update from the Apple Update mechanism you may not even get
the standard installer, but one designed for your machine. The combo
installer gives you a full installer from the first version of the OS
installing everything from scratch. It contains all the parts needed for
any eligible computer. People use the combo installer to re-install what
may have gone flakey since the last install.

Mike

[Gary_S...@adobeforums.com]

I have the exact same problem. With Reader 8.1.2, I can open the Preferences window but not print ... it says "The document could not be printed.". With Reader 9, I cannot open the Preferences window or print ... exact same messages as listed in the first post.

Also, I installed the combo installer for 10.5.5 and nothing changed.

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Gary,

good to know that I'am not alone with this ... in that case I skip the 600MB combo download we hopefully get more hints to solve this issue.

--Michael

[Islam_P...@adobeforums.com]

its not printer problem its problem with the adobe software something to do with setting trust you'll be able to print with the old adobe acrobat reader installed

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Islam,

what do mean "setting trust" ... do you mean file permissions? Fact is even with 8.1.2 I was not able to print, but on my other mac I can without any probs. It's just my MacPro that does not print.

The problem does not looks so uncommon ... questions is "What does Adobe to solve this?".

--Michael

[Jay_W_...@adobeforums.com]

I found a fix. The problem isn't solved, but it's a workable work-around: Go to Advanced in the Printer dialog box, and check "print as image." My .pdf files will print now, but a little slower than usual. I'm still looking for knowledge of the underlying problem.
Jay

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Jay,

I heard about this "fix" a couple of times ... but it isn't working for me ... does not solve the error while opening the Preferences anyways.

I'am sure it just a simple thing to fix, maybe some permission hickup or missing file ... but I don't know where to look.

--Michael

[Islam_P...@adobeforums.com]

Lol i got mines working, i deleted all printer software and adobe acrobat reader making sure everything to do with the printer and adobe acrobat reader is uninstalled then i installed adobe acrobat reader first and then the printer i think anyway or was it vice verso both ways its definitely working, trust me it'll work

[Kir...@adobeforums.com]

Is this problem happening only on Mac OS 10.5.5 or on older OS versions?

[Gary_S...@adobeforums.com]

I've only had this problem on an Intel Mac Pro running 10.5.5. I think it also happened in 10.5.4.

[Kir...@adobeforums.com]

Apparently, Apple changed the default print resolution in OS 10.5.5 from 600dpi to 1200dpi. If you change it back to 600dpi, does it fix the problem?

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Hi,

setting the resolution to 600dpi does not fix it.

If I remember correctly it started with 10.5.4, maybe 10.5.3, but I'am not 100% sure here, definitly 10.5.4.

I think that the Reader installation is messed up, because I cannot crank up the preferences dialog. But I didn't found any way to fix it.

--Michael

[Kir...@adobeforums.com]

You said that reinstalling did not fix the error in Reader 9 when selecting the Preferences menu item: "Failed to load an application resource (internal error)." How exactly did you uninstall and reinstall Reader? This is a separate issue from printing, perhaps you should start a new topic with a more relevant title.

[Michael...@adobeforums.com]

Kirsten,

you are probably right that I should start a 2nd thread about the preferences, but for me its related, because "not printing" and "no preferences" started at the same time.

I tried a couple of uninstall:

- delete the files in the application folder and crank up installer afterwards
- use AppDelete and crank up installer afterwards
- searched the whole hdd for adobe related files, deleted them and installer afterwards

I'am not aware of any offiical uninstaller from adobe.

--Michael

[Saurab...@adobeforums.com]

Hello,

I'm having the same problems on my Mac machines running 10.5.5. I've tried re-installing Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 but I still cannot print PDF files to printer and I cannot open up the Preferences from a non-administrator account.

Has Adobe fixed this problem?

[coni_...@adobeforums.com]

if this is a file that was sent to you click on the 'security settings (the lock)' on the left hand side and see what it says - i just rec'd a document that i wanted to print and nothing happened - i tried everything, then i suddenly thought to check the icons on the left side and i had rec'd a document that needs a password (which i had) and then it reads 'you cannot edit, print or copy this document' and there is a 'permission details' section - so i was sent a protected document ... usually i can copy and paste into word, and i could not...so i typed it! when you cannot join them, you can almost always beat them!

[Saurab...@adobeforums.com]

Coni,

This is a problem I've experienced on files that have no security settings. I've tried uninstalling the app by simply removing the folder in "Applications" and I've also tried to remove the app by using a utility like AppDelete. In either case, reinstalling the app does not fix the problem. This is a problem only on machines running the 10.5.x operating system; I can print from Acrobat Reader on my old 10.4.x machines.

[Jake_C...@adobeforums.com]

All,

Register one more with the problem, and all suggested solutions in this forum have been tried. I'm running Mac OS X 10.5.6, with the latest Adobe Installer and updates. I too would be interested in seeing Adobe fix this, and their other non-conforming software such as the OS X mixed-case file system problems, (Adobe doesn't support POSIX either,) instead of chastising their users.

Adobe, just fix your software and quit blaming your users.

Jake

[Nathan...@adobeforums.com]

I, too, have the exact same problem: both with the printing and the preferences.

On printing, I get "The Document Could Not Be Printed".

On attempting to open the Preferences, I get "Failed to load an application resource".

I've tried all the above suggestions for removing and re-installing printer drivers and Acrobat, but no change.

How can someone log a problem with Adobe? This has been a problem in the last 3 versions for me, and many others it would seem. It's obviously common enough that something should be done about it. If Adobe wants Acrobat to be a standard, and the only way to manipulate their documents is with their software, then they have to support their software.

Does anyone from Adobe even check these forums for input to the QA or improvement processes?

Cheers.

[Jae_...@adobeforums.com]

Huh, I just solved this problem. I removed all my network printers, reconnected, then set one of them as default (Adobe was default before). Voila, works!

[Kate_W...@adobeforums.com]

I am having the same exact problem. When I try to print pdf files I get an error message "No pages found!" Selecting the option "Print as image" allows me to print. Printing works from all other applications. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling the software, deleting and adding printers, etc. Nothing seems to work. Adobe is not the default as post #24 suggested might fix the problem. Anyone solved this?

[Rich...@adobeforums.com]

Hello,

This was a very frustrating problem for me as well. I use older software (Abobe Reader 7.0.8 on Mac OS 10.3.9)--same problem as all above; i.e, one goes to a site to retrieve a form or documentation of some sort--the (pdf.) doc opens w/Adobe Reader but the user cannot print it within that program. Why can't Adobe fix this?

A remedy is to open the downloaded file in Preview (or Acrobat if you have it) and then print.

Hope this is helpful.

[michaelkazlow]

Are they printing, by choosing Print from the File menu or they using
the printer icon on the toolbar from within Safari.

Mike

[Saurab...@adobeforums.com]

Mike,

I've tried printing from the application's File->Print menu and by using the print icon from within Safari/Firefox. Neither of them work.

-Saurabh

[michaelkazlow]

Only the icon is meant to work. Firefox does not work in Mac OS X to
view PDF files using Adobe technology, so if you are having a problem
there, it is clear that your problem is not Acrobat related. Perhaps you
should reset your printing subsystem.

Mike

[Kate_W...@adobeforums.com]

I called Adobe today and spoke with their technical support. The tech said they are aware of the problem of not being able to print pdfs from the Mac OSX platform and are developing a fix. When it's ready the fix will be available as an update on their website, so keep checking back. They had "no information" as to when the fix would be ready. In the meantime, use the workaround of printing as an image.

[pissed-of...@adobeforums.com]

I'm having this trouble with Adobe 9.x on Windows XP. The problem is NOT a printer issue - printing from ALL other apps works fine. Printing as image does not work for me, saving a copy does not work either. Error is: document cannot be printed. Followed by: There were no pages selected to print. "Current View" and "All" are the only print rage choices available but neither selection successfully prints the document. Nothing is selected for default range in the document properties.

Adobe - you've built in a bug
PDF writers - Learn from this content and make sure you can print your documents before you publish them.
Users - upgrade to an older (likely vulnerable) version of Adobe.

Not being able to print this document is costing me $20.00!

[Michael Kazlow]

Kate,

Thanks for the update.

Mike

[Michael Kazlow]

PO-ed,

I'm sorry you are having difficulty, but this thread concerns Mac OS X
related issues. If you want help, try posting to a new thread.

Mike

[Mike...@adobeforums.com]

I had this same problem. I did a clean install of OS X 10.5.6 to an USB hard drive, installed Adobe Reader 9, and tried printing. It worked fine. Then I cloned the external drive back onto the internal drive and it failed with the same no pages selected problem.

It turns out that my filesystem on my internal hard drive is case sensitive, but the external hard drive had the default case-insensitive file system.

To fix, do this:

Go get yourself an external firewire or usb hard drive at least as big as your internal drive. Plug it in and use Disk Utility.app (under /Applications/Utilities) to Erase it and format it as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". The download CarbonCopyCloaner, a free utility that can copy an entire drive. Use CCC to clone your Macintosh HD to the external drive.

Now that you have a backup drive, go to System Preferences and choose Startup Disk. Pick the external drive as the the startup drive. Reboot and check that your printing works properly now.

If that fixed your problem, while you are booted from the external drive, use Disk Utility to erase Macintosh HD and format it as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" not "Mac OS Extended (Journaled) case-sensitive". Then use CCC to copy everything back. Reboot.

[Saurab...@adobeforums.com]

The file systems on my Macs are also case-sensitive. I think this might be the problem. But I need my file systems to be case sensitive because of the development environment constraints. It is not an option to reformat the file system as Mac OS Journaled. I'll wait for Adobe to fix this problem.

[Michael Kazlow]

Adobe will not fix the problem. Adobe software doesn't support the
case-sensitive file system. This has been true since it was made
available for Apple servers. Adobe has not announced a change in policy.
Do not expect a fix for this in the current version. If you want to
suggest support for a future version:

<http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform>

...Mike

[Saurab...@adobeforums.com]

But Adobe does support the case-sensitive ext3 filesystem in Linux. I use the Adobe Reader software in Linux and it works (prints) fine. It's not like Adobe doesn't know how to do it. I hope they fix it in the new version.

[Michael Kazlow]

But they don't with the Mac---end of story. File a wish for future
support. Adobe does listen, but it needs to be a priority for more than
a few users before it will become a priority.

Mike

[darre...@adobeforums.com]

I've created a work around. As default use MAC OS X PREVIEW to view and print your PDF files. When you want to work on a PDF use Acrobat. It's not a fix, but it'll get you working again.

[darre...@adobeforums.com]

As a follow up, I feel compelled to warn others about ADOBE's customer service/technical service which is garbage. I just purchased ADOBE 8.0 Pro for my company a few months ago. 9.0 came out a week later but I wasn't aware of it, to get a free upgrade I had to find a receipt, scan it, and email it in but given work and the holidays it wasn't the first thing on my mind. The free upgrade was available up until JAN 9th, but I forgot to look into it since I thought 8.0 was doing fine. It turns out, even though I just bought 8.0, they won't support it, instead of the standard year of support, they stopped offering support after 90 days from 9.0 coming out. WHO KNEW?? So, now in order to get support on this software I just bought, they expect $50.00 for tech support, or I have to buy 9.0 which was being offered for free, but now I'm a week late from an offer I never knew about. In addition to this rip off, my only option for support is to talk to people in India who have been nothing but rude and uncaring about how wrong this situation is. I bought this software at full price with the understanding that it had support behind it, not just 90 days. On top of that, I'm a registered ADOBE user, but never got any notices about a limited window for upgrading this software that I registered with ADOBE. Adobe's customer service should be named, customer disservice. They've just lost my business due to their lack of common sense, rude customer service supervisors, broken products, and greed. I'll be taking a much closer look at other alternatives to their products and canceling our planned CS4 upgrades. I hope the work-around I posted above helps others in the mean time, and my warning helps others know what they're buying into. Had I known, I would have walked away. Cheers.

[Stephani...@adobeforums.com]

I had the same problem. I changed the default printer in System Preferences to my HP2200. Then it printed. Not sure why, but it worked. Good luck!

[Bruce...@adobeforums.com]

This problem with Adobe Reader 9
occurs also in Windows XP (SP3),
so has nothing to do with Mac OS.
Same symptoms as other report here.
Did not occur with Adobe Reader 8.
Perhaps the fix is to delete printer and remove Reader 9
then re-install in a particular order -- I would guess
Reader, then printer, but who knows?

Workaround to print as image (Advanced printing options)
does NOT work for us.

[Guillerm...@adobeforums.com]

I just found this thread. I am also having the issue and thanks to the thread am now using the workaround of printing as an image. However this does not fix the issue. How frustrating that Adobe still has not fixed the problem. It has been ongoing for months. When is this going to be fixed?

[Robert_...@adobeforums.com]

I was having the same problem of not being able to print from Adobe Reader. I have two printers on my network. One is a networked HP laserjet printer. Printing from Adobe Reader to the HP laserjet printer works just fine. I also have a USB Epson inkjet printer, which is shared on the network through one of my desktop Macs. Trying to print to the Epson printer from Adobe Reader did not work. I monitored the communications between the origination print queue (on the computer where the PDF file resides) and the destination queue (on the computer that is sharing the Epson printer to others on the network). I noticed what appeared to be proper communications between the origination and destination queue and the PDF file appeared to be successfully transferred to the destination queue. However, the PDF file was never sent to the printer from the destination queue...the destination queue would just empty without any notification that the PDF file never got sent to the Epson printer.

After investigating the printer configuration settings within the Adobe Reader Print... dialog box, I was able to come up with a workaround that allowed me to print from Adobe Reader to the USB Epson printer. Within the Print... dialog box for the selected printer, select the following:

Print...->Advanced... button->Print as image check box

After doing this, I was able to print PDF files from Adobe Reader to the USB Epson inkjet printer from two Mac computers that previously were unable to do so.

Let me know if this works for anyone else.

Robert Bohannon

[Zeigh_...@adobeforums.com]

Hello,

Same problem printing PDF files from Adobe Reader in latest versions of Mac OS 10.5x. Tried uninstalling/reinstalling latest version and other standard troubleshooting methods without success. Same files can be accessed via Apple's Preview and printed fine. So, WTF does anyone need Adobe Reader or any line of their similar products for? Tried to appeal to their tech support and should have saved time and frustration by just pounding a nail into my eye.

Poor product compatibility for Mac, poor technical support, poor pricing structure for upgraded product line. The business is just too competitive for me to waste any more time with Adobe. Do yourself a a favor and simply bypass Adobe Reader all together. There are other FREE and lower cost options out there.

“Technological change is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.” (Albert Einstein, 1941),
Dr. Z.

[Officiou...@adobeforums.com]

Greetings,

I was having the same problem, running Mac 10.5.6, Adobe Reader 8.1.4, and the Canon Mac drivers V1.81. I tried the Print as image check box, and that worked well, though slowly. I tried the resolution issue, and that did nothing. Finally, on the verge of yanking the software out and throttling it like a rent-delinquent roommate, I tried a reset of the Printing system:

System Preferences --> Print and Fax --> Right click the printer and select Reset Printing System. Bang, I was back in business. Root cause? Underlying jam up in the CUPS process, or bogus commands to from the software, or the printer she is...unwell. Who knows.

[Officiou...@adobeforums.com]

Sorry, forgot to mention that resetting isn't a figure of speech. You have to add back the printer, and point it at the driver, just like you were installing the printer.

[Dawn_...@adobeforums.com]

I spoke with tech support at HP. They told me to print as image, and that worked. The other part to look at was most current drivers for the printer being used and firmware updates on the printer. I don't like the idea of print as image all the time. The tech also said it can be cause by a corrupt file or font. Check out those. I can open back down to an earlier vs. of Adobe and it works, but is a pain. Good luck.