Characters replaced by numbers when exporting to PDF — .IDML file saved as afpub

[theDoxologist]

Hey, I opened my .idml resume up made some edits, then saved the file as a .afpub.

Exported it as a PDF (tried various PDF versions) and am still getting two characters replaced with numbers.

I'm using Open Sans. Arial exports fine...

SOLVED: Publisher 2 gets confused with standard ligatures (double "f" and "fi"). At least with Open Sans, UNCHECKING Standard Ligatures fixes the issue.

 

Edited March 15, 2023 by theDoxologist
Solved issue by unchecking Standard Ligatures

[kenmcd]

Could you please attach the source .idml file?
I would like to take a look at the actual characters included in the IDML file
to see how they should/could have been converted.
Or if the issue is in the IDML file itself.
Note: does not need to be the entire file if that is an issue; just the text from your image above should suffice.

Also, which version of Open Sans are you using? (and from where?)

[theDoxologist]

Open Sans from Google fonts, downloaded to harddrive.

Attached is the idml, indd and the afpub

mcglaughlin_daniel_resume_withCoverletter_2023_retail.afpub mcglaughlin_daniel_resume_withCoverletter_2023.idml mcglaughlin_daniel_resume_withCoverletter_2023.indd

[kenmcd]

Thanks. Will look at them tomorrow. 

[kenmcd]

On 3/15/2023 at 10:09 AM, theDoxologist said:

Exported it as a PDF (tried various PDF versions) and am still getting two characters replaced with numbers.

Hmmmm... had no problems.

Had the original Open Sans (v1.10) fonts installed so tried that first.
Both the IDML file and the APub file exported to PDF - and both looked fine.
Even checked the PDF and the single ligature characters are there.

Replaced my installed fonts with the Google Fonts version (v3.001).
Exported both to PDF again - both look fine.

Poked around the IDML content XML files, and saw no odd characters around where the ligatures would be.

Sooooo... not sure what is happening on your end.

Just to be sure - do not have the variable fonts installed at the same time as the statics.
Google Fonts makes them interchangeable so there are name conflicts.
But I doubt that is an issue here, but just never do that.

[theDoxologist]

That is peculiar... system diff?

2017 Macbook Pro 15"

Catalina

[kenmcd]

I am on Windows 10.

The only thing I can think of... MacOS 10.xx has some bugs in its Coretext shaper engine and it may not play well with the type of OpenType look-ups in the newer GF fonts.

I am in the drive-thru line for In-N-Out burger so I am on my phone and cannot look at fonts at the moment. 

Some things to try - newer macOS if you have access to it.

Could try the original Open Sans fonts (older, they may have a different structure - note the weights are a bit different). 

[theDoxologist]

Copy that. Enjoy the best burgers in the world (fight me on this, 5 Guys lovers).
I'll see about the new OS and report back.

[kenmcd]

Compared the older and newer fonts - nothing there that would explain this.
Same look-up type on the liga feature in both versions.
And after I thought about it, APub is using its own shaper not Coretext anyway.

Note the ligatures look exactly the same as the separate characters in these fonts.
So turning-off the Standard Ligatures has no visible effect.

Perhaps try clearing your font cache.

Weird one tho. Out of ideas.