How to embed Arial in PDF when PDF has Helvetica?

Posted by Brooks Moses on Super User See other posts from Super User or by Brooks Moses
Published on 2009-09-10T17:45:18Z Indexed on 2011/01/10 22:55 UTC
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So, I've got a PDF file that's generated by a program that uses the Base 14 fonts, so that it contains "Helvetica" and "Times Roman". When I look at that in my copy of Acrobat 7.0 on Windows (for example), it shows these with Arial and Times New Roman. I'm fine with that.

The issue is that I'd like to publish this PDF file on lulu.com, and they want all fonts embedded. Including the Base 14. I don't have a copy of Helvetica, so what seems the natural thing to do is substitute Arial for Helvetica and embed Arial. How can I do that?

I tried using the Print feature in Acrobat (note: this is the full version, not Reader) to print to a PDF file using Adobe's "Print to PDF" printer driver, and selected the "Embed All Fonts" option in the print settings. This worked for the fonts that I had actual copies of, but instead of "printing" Arial for Helvetica -- which it would do if printing to a real printer -- it leaves all the Helvetica as Helvetica and doesn't embed it.

Any suggestions for alternate ways to do this? What I really want is just a copy of my PDF file with ALL fonts embedded, and I'm quite happy if doing that means making one of the usual substitutions for the "Helvetica" that's in it. I'd be happiest if I can do that within Acrobat or other software that I have (pdftex, maybe?), but I'm willing to install another free utility if I need to.

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