ftp'ing pdf files

[sknowles]

This is slightly off-topic, but related to Websites. I converted some MS Word files (downloaded) to PDF's (on G5) for photo guide. They

view fine on the Mac in Acrobat and different browsers (Safari and Firefox), but after ftp'ing them to my Website, they won't display and

display error messages (bad embedded fonts) about corrupted files. I close the files and any software associated with the file (iPages,

Acrobat) and transfer the files using terminal mode and ftp command with ascii format. The files are fine here but not on the host (ISP). I'm

inquiring with them, but try to think out loud about possible answers.

[kuryan_thomas]

Have you tried binary transfer mode?

[kelly_flanigan1]

Are the fonts oddball and not embedded on the created PDF?

[Matt Laur]

Yeah, binary. PDFs are not text files.

[kelly_flanigan1]

Here we are a printer and receive many variants of PDF files. There are probably an order of magnatude more types of PDF types than womens shoe or fishing lures; or types of DNA. In some PDF's the file looks for the font; and if its not there the text will not show up on the document.

[nathan_stiles]

As mentioned-- binary transfer mode.

 

I have no idea why ftp now days doesn't just default to binary mode? Back in the days of "baud rates", ascii allowed you to send those large 2 megabyte, plain text books so much quicker by stripping off one bit of the byte. I don't think that is an issue now days w/ ascii files being an endagered species and connections so fast.

[kuryan_thomas]

<i>ascii allowed you to send those large 2 megabyte, plain text books so much quicker by stripping off one bit of the

byte</i>

<p>

It also converted between the CR-LF format of PCs, CR of Mac, and LF of Unix systems. Nowadays, Mac is Unix, so one

of those is gone - but you still need ASCII to convert between text files made on Windows versus Unix.

<p>

I agree that binary should be the default nowadays.

[kelly_flanigan1]

The PDF can become corrupt with a transfer thats not binary. The PDF can be mistaken as a ASCII file and become corrupted.

[sknowles]

Many thanks folks. I tried binary transfer the first time and it didn't work, and probably something else was the problem, so

I went back to ascii. Trying binary again worked. I knew it was a simple dumb thing I overlooked. Now if they can you

thinking straight pills in coffee I'd be really smart. Again, many thanks. Now onward to the rest of the files.