PDF doesn't convert fonts properly

Are you using the MicroSoft provided 'Save as PDF' feature of MS Office 2007+?

Acrobat provides a PDF Maker addin for MS Office that can embed the necessary font metrics into the PDF, so if a use does not have that font sent available, Acrobat/Reader can display the character.

I have tried both the Microsoft and Adobe versions of creating a PDF from Word and both result in smeared fonts and black boxes when others view them... they always look fine to me. This only started happening on Windows 7 as far as I can tell.

Was the font embedded?

You will have inspect the PDF's "Properties" "Font" tab to see if the font has been embedded.

If it has not been embedded then you will need adjust the PDF Maker conversion settings to embed the font.

i found the properties, font tab you were refering to, and it is not listed as an embedded font. how do i change the PDF maker, which appears under the 'save as' Adobe PDF option in Word to ensure fonts get embedded?

the situation just got worse :) I have Reader 9, and Acrobat Prof 8 - i just tried to create the PDF from a word doc from the 'save as Adobe PDF' with Word AND I also tried opening the file to 'Create PDF' from Acrobat itself, neither method works.

Pull up the Acrobat ribbon and click on the 'change conversion settings'.

thanks, found the options but as per last message, the PDF creation process is not working from word or acrobat... does acrobat 8 work on windows 7 under 64x?