6 Using PDF in Oracle Reports

6.1.1.1 Setup

By default, PDF output generated by Oracle Reports is compressed. To specify the level of compression, use PDFCOMP on the command line. For more information, see Section A.3.83, "PDFCOMP".

Although compressed files download quickly, the time taken to generate a compressed file is much more when compared to a non-compressed file.

Figure 6-1 Compressed Output Versus Non-Compressed Output

Description of "Figure 6-1 Compressed Output Versus Non-Compressed Output"

6.1.2.1 Font Aliasing

Font aliasing enables you to substitute one font for another; that is, font-to-font substitution. This font-to-font substitution is usually used when porting applications (in this case, your PDF file) across platforms. You can alias multibyte fonts as well as character sets. For font aliasing considerations when designing multilingual applications, see Section 18.2.1.2.2, "Font Aliasing Considerations".

Font aliasing occurs at the time of generating the PDF file. The PDF file will contain only the necessary font information required to display the output. The fonts used will not be embedded in the PDF file.

At the time of viewing the report, Adobe Acrobat replaces the aliased fonts based on the following:

1. If the fonts do not exist on the machine displaying the output, Adobe Acrobat substitutes it with the Adobe Sans MM font.

2. If the Adobe Sans MM font does not match, the output may display dots for the data.

Font aliasing will work with any or all of the following:

• Single byte fonts, including Eastern European fonts for both ASCII and IS0-Latin character sets.

• Adobe multibyte Character ID (CID) fonts listed in Table 6-1, which are available as a free download from Adobe.

• Type1 PostScript fonts.

• TrueType fonts.

Table 6-1 outlines the mapping between Oracle NLS_CHARACTERSET, CMap name, and CID font name used in PDF font aliasing for multibyte fonts.

(*) These fonts are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 and later.

(**) These fonts are available in Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 and later.

It is recommended that you use Version 5.0 CID fonts (*) in order to avoid unexpected font mapping, which results in multibyte characters overlapping. Version 5.0 fonts are compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 and later.

[ PDF ]
/*Alias TrueType to available Type1 font */
"Kino MT" = UtopiaBold
/*Alias multibyte to available CID font */
.....SJIS = "HeiseiKakuGo-W5-Acro"

6.1.2.2 Font Subsetting

With font subsetting, the PDF file includes the font information needed to render the PDF, regardless of the availability of that font on the machine used to view the report. PDF font subsetting works for single byte, multibyte, and Unicode fonts and is the preferred method of creating multibyte reports.

When you subset a font in a PDF file, the font information is embedded into the PDF output for only those characters that are needed for the report output.

PDF font subsetting enhancements and improved font support in Oracle Reports 10g Release 2 (10.1.2) generate PDF output that is clearer, smoother, searchable, and accessible.

6.1.2.2.1 Setup

Before using font subsetting, you must:

• Include the font file paths in the REPORTS_PATH environment variable. Oracle Reports looks for fonts in the path specified in the REPORTS_PATH environment variable when generating a PDF file.

• Include the font subsetting entries in the uifont.ali file. Oracle Reports subsets the fonts only when the font entries listed in the uifont.ali file exist in the PDF file being generated.

Note: The uifont.ali file is located in: ORACLE_HOME\tools\common (Windows) ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin (UNIX)

The section for font subset in the uifont.ali file is [PDF:Subset] and the entry is:

[PDF:Subset]
font_name = "font_file_name"

where

font_name is the font name, which must be enclosed in quotes if it contains more than one word.

font_file_name is the font file name, which must always be enclosed in quotes, and is case-sensitive. If it does not exactly match the existing font file name, Oracle Reports generates a REP-1924 error.

The font files can be saved in any folder; for example, ORACLE_HOME/reports/font_folder. Add the font file's path to the REPORTS_PATH environment variable.

Note: The font_file_name is not the font name displayed in Reports Builder.

Example 1

[PDF:Subset]
Arial = "Arial.ttf"

To use TrueType fonts in a TrueType Collection (.ttc) file, the syntax for the entry in the [PDF:Subset] section in uifont.ali is:

[PDF:Subset]
font_name = "ttc_file_name[,table_directory_number]"

where

font_name is the font name, which must be enclosed in quotes if it contains more than one word.

ttc_file_name is a TrueType Collection file name.

table_directory_number is the Table Directory number for the TrueType font in a TrueType Collection file, using a zero-based index (for example, "MS PGothic" = "msgothic.ttc,1" indicates that Oracle Reports should use the second font in the TrueType Collection file). If the table_directory_number is omitted or if you supply an invalid value, Oracle Reports will always subset the first font program in the TrueType Collection file.

Example 2

[PDF:Subset]
"MS PGothic" = "msgothic.ttc,1"
"MS UI Gothic" = "msgothic.ttc,2"

Table 6-2 shows the font name and Table Directory number values for common East Asian TrueType Collection files on the Windows platform.

Table 6-2 Common East Asian TrueType Collection Files on the Windows Platform

TTC File Name	Font Name	Table Directory Number
batang.ttc	Batang BatangChe Gungsuh GungsuhChe	0 1 2 3
gulim.ttc	Gulim GulimChe Dotum DotumChe	0 1 2 3
mingliu.ttc	MingLiU PMingLiU	0 1
msgothic.ttc	MS Gothic MS PGothic MS UI Gothic	0 1 2
msmincho.ttc	MS Mincho MS PMincho	0 1
simsun.ttc	SimSun NSimSun	0 1

You can view the fonts used in your reports as follows:

• In Acrobat Reader 6.0 and later, choose File > Document Properties > Fonts. (In prior releases, beginning with Acrobat Reader 3.0, choose File > Document Info > Fonts.)

• The Document Font dialog box displays Original Font, Type, Encoding, Actual Font (or the font used), and Type.

Figure 6-2 Font Subsetting

Description of "Figure 6-2 Font Subsetting"

Note: In the case of font subsetting: The Encoding column will display Identity-H. The Actual Font column will display Embedded Subset. The Type column will display TrueType.

6.1.2.3 Font Embedding

PDF font embedding is the process of including the entire font set along with the data in the PDF file. PDF font subsetting and font embedding are mutually exclusive.

PDF font embedding in Oracle Reports is for Type1 fonts only (single byte fonts) and not for TrueType fonts. Convert TrueType fonts to Type1 fonts using available 3rd party tools in order to include specific Type1 fonts in your report.

PDF font embedding with Oracle Reports occurs between a font and a set of font file names.

6.1.2.3.1 Setup

The setup for PDF embedding includes:

• A command line keyword: PDFEMBED

• A uifont.ali File Entry:[PDF:Embed]

PDFEMBED

The command line keyword PDFEMBED is used to specify whether Oracle Reports will embed the Type1 PostScript fonts specified in the uifont.ali file into the PDF output. For more information, see Section A.3.84, "PDFEMBED".

uifont.ali File Entry

The section for font aliasing in the uifont.ali file is [PDF:Embed].

(Windows only) The entry in the uifont.ali file should be:

font_name = "font_name.pfm font_name.pfb"

(UNIX only) The entry in the uifont.ali file should be:

font_name = "font_name.afm font_name.pfa"

Example 6-1 Font Embedding

[PDF:Embed]
Symbol = "Symbol.pfm Symbol.pfb"

In Example 6-1, the Symbol font is embedded into the PDF file. This ensures portability by:

1. Creating the report with the Symbol font.

2. Embedding the Symbol font in the PDF file (Figure 6-3).

Figure 6-3 Font Embedding

Description of "Figure 6-3 Font Embedding"

6.1.2.4 Font Feature Summary

Table 6-3 summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of font aliasing, font embedding, and font subsetting.

6.2.2.1 Generating a PDF Report Using Single Byte Fonts

This section outlines the steps involved in generating a PDF report (using single byte fonts) designed on the Windows or UNIX platform. These steps are required only if you see font alignment issues in your PDF output. Before using the font features covered in this section, refer to Table 6-3 to determine which feature best suits your application needs.

This example uses PDF font subsettting:

1. Create a report on the Windows platform with TrueType fonts. For this procedure, the fonts referred to are arial.ttf and tahoma.ttf.

2. Copy the fonts (arial.ttf and tahoma.ttf) and your report's .rdf file to the UNIX platform. The path for the font files should be ORACLE_HOME/reports/font_folder. Add the font file's path to the REPORTS_PATH environment variable.

3. Create the AFM files for the font files (arial.ttf and tahoma.ttf) using a freely available utility, such as ttf2pt1. Do not attempt to convert to a TFM file, as this may not produce reliable results.

4. Copy the AFM files (arial.afm and tahoma.afm) generated to ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/AFM.

   
   

   Note: The AFM files should be copied to the AFM directory without the .afm extension. Additionally, ensure that the name of AFM file, the name of the font in the PPD file, and the name of the font the uifont.ali file are an exact match.

   
   

5. Edit the screenprinter.ppd file with any text editor.

   
   

   Note: If you have defined a default printer by including an entry in ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/uiprint.txt, then you will have to make the appropriate entries in the printer's PPD file for a PostScript printer or in the HPD file for a PCL printer. Beginning with Oracle Reports 10g Release 1 (9.0.4), a default printer surface that mimics the screen (screenprinter.ppd) is used for formatting if you have not set up a default printer. You will also need to make the necessary font and resolution entries in the screenprinter.ppd file, if you have not set up a default printer. The PPD files are located at: ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/PPD The HPD files are located at: ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/HPD Refer to Section 3.10.1, "ScreenPrinter" for more information on the screenprinter.ppd file.

   
   

   Ensure that the PPD/HPD file used contains an entry for each AFM or TFM file that you use in your report. PPD/HPD files are configuration files containing printer driver settings and the list of all the fonts supported by the printer.

   Navigate to the to the Font Information section in the PPD file and add the necessary entries for the font files in the following format:

   *FONTNAME:ENCODING:VERSION:LOCATION
   
   

   For example:

   *Font Arial: Standard "(Version 2.76)" Standard ROM
   *Font CourierNew: Standard "(Version 2.76)" Standard ROM
   
   

   Ensure that the AFM file name exactly matches the font name specified in the PPD file as Oracle Reports searches for this file based on the font name in the PPD file.

6. Ensure that the uiprint.txt file has the following entry:

   printer name:PostScript:2:test:default.ppd:
   
   

   For example:

   hrprinter:PostScript:2:test:default.ppd:
   
   

7. Add the AFM entries to the PPD file.

   
   

   Note: This PPD file is the first entry in the uiprint.txt file and contains your font information. The default PPD file is datap462.ppd.

   
   

   *Font arial: Standard "(001.001)" Standard ROM
   *Font tahoma: Standard "(001.001)" Standard ROM
   
   

8. Ensure that there are no entries in the [PDF:Subset] section at this time in the uifont.ali file.

9. Run the report to generate the PDF file. In Acrobat Reader 6.0 and later, choose File > Document Properties > Fonts. (In prior releases, beginning with Acrobat Reader 3.0, choose File > Document Info > Fonts):

   1. The Original Font column displays the Arial and Tahoma fonts.

   2. There will be some font alignment issues.

10. Add the following entry in the uifont.ali file:

    [ PDF:Subset ]
    "arial" = "arial.ttf"
    "tahoma" = "tahoma.ttf"
    
    

11. Run the report again to generate the PDF file. The PDF file should not contain any font alignment issues.

    To confirm that the fonts are subset in the PDF file:

    1. In Acrobat Reader 6.0 and later, choose File > Document Properties > Fonts. (In prior releases, beginning with Acrobat Reader 3.0, choose File > Document Info > Fonts).

    2. The Original Font column should display the font name, the Encoding column should display Identity-H, and the Type column should display TrueType.

6.2.2.2 Generating a PDF Report Using Multibyte and Unicode Fonts

There are additional steps for generating reports with multibyte and Unicode fonts. Before using the font features covered in this section, refer to Table 6-3 to determine which feature best suits your application needs.

The steps involved in resolving font issues with PDF font subsetting when deploying multibyte and Unicode reports on UNIX platforms are as follows:

1. Create a report on the Windows platform using TrueType multibyte fonts with the appropriate character set. For this procedure the font and the character sets referred to are the Korean font h2mjsm.ttf and the KO16KSC5601 character set.

2. Copy the Korean font h2mjsm.ttf and your report's .rdf file to the UNIX platform. The font file path should be $ORACLE_HOME/reports/font_folder. Add the font file's path to the REPORTS_PATH environment variable.

3. Create the AFM files for the Korean font h2mjsm.ttf.

4. Copy the AFM file to the following location:

   $ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/AFM/.
   % cp h2mjsm.afm ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/AFM/h2mjsm
   
   

5. Edit the screenprinter.ppd file with any text editor.

   
   

   Note: If you have defined a default printer by including an entry in ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/uiprint.txt, then you will have to make the appropriate entries in the printer's PPD file for a PostScript printer or in the HPD file for a PCL printer. Beginning with Oracle Reports 10g Release 1 (9.0.4), a default printer surface that mimics the screen (screenprinter.ppd) is used for formatting if you have not set up a default printer. You will also need to make the necessary font and resolution entries in the screenprinter.ppd file, if you have not set up a default printer. The PPD files are located at: ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/PPD The HPD files are located at: ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin/HPD Refer to Section 3.10.1, "ScreenPrinter" for more information on the screenprinter.ppd file.

   
   

   Ensure that the PPD/HPD file used contains an entry for each AFM or TFM file that you use in your report. PPD/HPD files are configuration files containing printer driver settings and the list of all the fonts supported by the printer.

   Navigate to the to the Font Information section in the PPD file and add the necessary entries for the font files in the following format:

   *FONTNAME:ENCODING:VERSION:LOCATION
   
   

   For example:

   *Font Arial: Standard "(Version 2.76)" Standard ROM
   *Font CourierNew: Standard "(Version 2.76)" Standard ROM
   
   

   Ensure that the AFM file name exactly matches the font name specified in the PPD file as Oracle Reports searches for this file based on the font name in the PPD file.

6. Ensure the uiprint.txt file has the following entry:

   printer name:PostScript:2:test:default.ppd:
   
   

   For example:

   hrprinter:PostScript:2:test:default.ppd:
   
   

7. Add the following lines in the PPD file:

   
   

   Note: This PPD file is the first entry in the uiprint.txt file and contains your font information. The default PPD file is datap462.ppd.

   
   

   *DefaultFont: h2mjsm
   *Font h2mjsm: Special "(001.001)" Special ROM
   
   

8. Comment the Symbol line in the file:

   *%Font Symbol: Special "(001.001)" Special ROM
   
   

9. Edit the following section in the uifont.ali file to mention the font used for the character set:

   
   

   Note: The uifont.ali file is located in: ORACLE_HOME\tools\common (Windows) ORACLE_HOME/guicommon/tk/admin (UNIX) The uifont.ali file is the configuration file controlling all the Oracle Reports PDF font enhancements. Refer to Chapter 4, "Managing Fonts in Oracle Reports" for more information.

   
   

   [ Global ]
   .....ko16ksc5601 ="h2mjsm"
   [ Printer:PostScript2 ]
   .....ko16ksc5601 ="h2mjsm"
   
   

10. Ensure that there are no entries in any of the [PDF] or [PDF:Subset] sections at this time in the uifont.ali file.

11. Run the report to generate the PDF file. In Acrobat Reader 6.0 and later, choose File > Document Properties > Fonts. (In prior releases, beginning with Acrobat Reader 3.0, choose File > Document Info > Fonts):

    1. The Original Font column displays the h2mjsm font.

    2. There will be some font alignment issues.

12. Add the following entries in the uifont.ali file to enable PDF subsetting:

    [ PDF:Subset ]
    "h2mjsm"="h2mjsm.ttf"
    
    

13. Run the report again to generate the PDF file. The PDF file should not contain any font alignment issues.

    To confirm that the fonts are subset in the PDF file:

    1. In Acrobat Reader 6.0 and later, choose File > Document Properties > Fonts. (In prior releases, beginning with Acrobat Reader 3.0, choose File > Document Info > Fonts).

    2. The Original Font column should display the font name, the Encoding column should display Identity-H, and the Type column should display TrueType.

       
       

       Note: There might be some variations in the alignment, as the font metrics handling is different in UNIX and Windows. An alternative is to purchase the proper AFM file from a font vendor. The AFM file generated by a third party utility may not have exactly similar font metrics as the font used on the design platform. A PDF file generated with the font subsetting enabled should not have any font style issues. However, if you have set REPORTS_ENHANCED_SUBSET=NO, then you might see some font style issues (for example, some content may be displayed as bold) when viewed in Acrobat Reader. See Section 6.1.2.2.2, "Backward Compatibility" for more information on how to smoothen the display for Type3 fonts.