Bug? Text lost when exporting to pdf in vector output mode

[maxz]

When exporting a R8 model to a pdf file in vector output mode, all text objects show up in the preview, but not in the result. To be certain I tried both export and export selected options, no difference.
Exporting in raster output mode is fine.

export selected vector.pdf (14.0 KB)

export selected raster.pdf (456.4 KB)

Deuren Bm.3dm (2.8 MB)

FWIIW printing in vector output mode is fine.

Rhino 8 SR8 2024-6-18 (Rhino 8, 8.8.24170.13002, Git hash:master @ c3cc7c123163b65d85b517aff795627d5b12166b)
License type: Commercial, build 2024-06-18
License details: Cloud Zoo

Apple macOS Version 14.5 (Build 23F79) (Physical RAM: 8GB)
Mac Model Identifier: Mac15,5
Language: nl (MacOS default)
.NET 7.0.0

Metal GPU Family Apple 7
Metal GPU Family Common 3
Metal GPU Family Mac 2
Graphics processors
Apple M3
iMac (2240 x 1260 @ 60.00Hz)

USB devices
None

Bluetooth devices
None

Third party kernel extensions
None

Third party plugins
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCore.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreFoundation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreGraphics.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreImage.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDarwin.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDispatch.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftIOKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMetal.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftOSLog.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftObjectiveC.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftQuartzCore.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftUniformTypeIdentifiers.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftXPC.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_Concurrency.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftos.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftsimd.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_StringProcessing.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_RegexParser.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCryptoTokenKit.dylib
/usr/lib/usd/libusd_ms.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreAudio.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreLocation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreMedia.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCompression.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreMIDI.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftAVFoundation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreML.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftFileProvider.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftIntents.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftAccelerate.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftGLKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftGameplayKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMetalKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftModelIO.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSceneKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSpriteKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftVision.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftRegexBuilder.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDemangle.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftShazamKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftObservation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftVideoToolbox.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftWebKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftNaturalLanguage.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSystem.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMapKit.dylib
/usr/lib/log/liblog_network.dylib

Rhino plugins that do not ship with Rhino

Rhino plugins that ship with Rhino
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhMaterialEditor.framework “Renderer Development Kit” 8.8.24170.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Commands.rhp “Commands” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/NamedSnapshots.rhp “Snapshots” 8.8.24170.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RDK_EtoUI.rhp “RDK_EtoUI” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/MeshCommands.rhp “MeshCommands” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/export_PDF.rhp “PDF Export” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoRenderCycles.rhp “Rhino Render” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoCycles.rhp “RhinoCycles” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/AnimationTools.rhp “AnimationTools” 8.8.24170.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/SectionTools.rhp “SectionTools” 8.8.24170.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Displacement.rhp “Displacement” 8.8.24170.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/PanelingTools.rhp “PanelingTools” 8.8.24170.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoDLR_Python.rhp “IronPython” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/GrasshopperPlugin.rhp “Grasshopper” 8.8.24170.13002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoCodePlugin.rhp “RhinoCodePlugin” 8.8.24170.13002

[maxz]

Printing with the Rhino PDF printer: same results

[wim (Wim Dekeyser)]

Hey Max -

@maxz

When exporting a R8 model to a pdf file in vector output mode, all text objects show up in the preview, but not in the result.

I’m not seeing that here:

@maxz

FWIIW printing in vector output mode is fine.

@maxz

Printing with the Rhino PDF printer: same results

What’s the difference between those two workflows?

Print settings are not saved in the file. Could you post screenshots of all the options in the print dialog?
-wim

[maxz]

@wim

What’s the difference between those two workflows?

printing to paper with my home printer gives the desired result, irrespective of vector/raster output option (raster is less clear, but text is definitely visible in both).

The result from “printing” a pdf with the Rhino PDF printer is the same as the export result: text only visible in the raster output setting.

[maxz]

It must be the Arial font I used, I changed one text object to Helvetica and hey presto, it showed up on a vector output based export to pdf!

Update: all text objects changed to Helvetica font, all now visible on a vector output export to pdf.

That raises the question, how can I persuade Rhino to use this font as a default?

[wim (Wim Dekeyser)]

Hi Max -

@maxz

That raises the question, how can I persuade Rhino to use this font as a default?

That is set in the template file that you are using. If you start from a default template and change the annotation styles that use Arial to Helvetica, you can then use the SaveAsTemplate command to put a custom template file in the correct folder. Then, when you launch Rhino, you can set the default template on the splash screen.

@maxz

It must be the Arial font I used […]

Just to make sure, our factory-default templates on macOS have Arial as the font for most annotation styles. Are you using an Arial font on your Mac that is not the standard Arial font on macOS?
-wim

[wim (Wim Dekeyser)]

Hey Max -

@maxz

It must be the Arial font I used, I changed one text object to Helvetica and hey presto, it showed up on a vector output based export to pdf!

I see there has been some recent fixes for text going missing when printing in some specific cases. These fixes are in the current 8.10 builds. You could try this one and see if that fixes the behavior on your system.

Note, that, on macOS, you can have different versions of Rhino 8 installed at the same time, so you can still have access to the stable 8.8 release that you are running now. Simply drag the Rhino icon onto the desktop after double-clicking the dmg file, and rename the icon on the desktop when done installing so that it doesn’t get overwritten by other versions.
-wim

[maxz]

@wim

Are you using an Arial font on your Mac that is not the standard Arial font on macOS?

As far as I know I am using the standard macOS font. I cannot remember ever having to replace this very basic font. I only acquired my current Mac a few days before last new year, and I did not see any conflict warnings when I transferred my files from the old to the new Mac.
As for testing a WIP-version, I am a bit nervous about doing that, sorry.

[stevebaer]

@maxz

As for testing a WIP-version, I am a bit nervous about doing that, sorry.

That’s ok; we will have 8.9 available next week so we can try that and see if it makes a difference.

[maxz]

@wim

If you start from a default template and change the annotation styles that use Arial to Helvetica,

That is what I was looking to do earlier on, however in the settings I could find nothing related to text blocks, just only about dimensions

[wim (Wim Dekeyser)]

@maxz

however in the settings I could find nothing related to text blocks, just only about dimensions

Text uses the same annotation styles as dimensions. The first tab (“Font”) defines the font to be used for all annotations that use the style.

-wim

[maxz]

Ah, you learn something every day. Thanks Wim.

It would have been helpful if the example picture had included an obvious text block, showing “Hello” or something similar.

[maxz]

@maxz

That is what I was looking to do earlier on, however in the settings I could find nothing related to text blocks, just only about dimensions

@wim

Text uses the same annotation styles as dimensions.

@maxz

Ah, you learn something every day. Thanks Wim.

No wonder I did not expect this, my latest version before Rhino8 was Rhino5.4.2, and there Text blocks did not use the dimension styles!

About the Arial font I am using, I checked it again in the catalog, and something is odd. Every style, like Standard, Bold, etc., is shown twice! However, it looks like there are no differences other than the spacings in the preview line shown:

This looks like two different fonts, both named Arial, have been merged in the transfer from my old to my new Mac…(Edit: no, it was already like that in my old Mac. I have no idea how that happened …)

Could this have caused the failed exports? And if so, how do I clean this up without endangering the many document files using this font?