Cidfontf1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 Updated Jun 2026
If all else fails, you can attempt to convert the PDF using a virtual printer:
from reportlab.pdfbase import pdfmetrics from reportlab.pdfbase.cidfonts import CIDFont
The most common cause is a failed subset embedding . To save space, PDF creators often only embed the specific characters used in the text. If the recipient doesn't have the original font installed and the embedding fails, the PDF viewer resorts to these CID placeholders, which often results in text being displayed as dots, squares, or garbled symbols . Updated Solutions to Fix CIDFont Issues
A CID-keyed font is essentially a collection of multiple sub-fonts combined into one resource. For instance, one sub-font might hold all the Latin letters, another the Japanese Kana, and a third the complex Kanji characters. Unlike standard fonts, CID-keyed fonts do not rely on glyph names. Instead, they utilize a numeric index system known as the to retrieve the correct glyph. cidfontf1 f2 f3 f4 f5 f6 updated
Go to File > Options > Save . Check the box that says Embed fonts in the file . Uncheck "Embed only the characters used in the document." Method 2: Convert Text to Outlines (Vector Graphics)
Save the new file. This process strips the complex CID coding and converts the layout into a standard, readable format. Solutions for Creators (If you are making the PDF)
A CIDFont (Character Identifier font) is not a commercial font family you can download or purchase. Instead, it is an or system label assigned by PDF generation software (such as scanners, CAD software, or Microsoft Word) when exporting a document. If all else fails, you can attempt to
:
The key is never to use the generic F1–F6 as final identifiers.
A (Character Identifier Font) is a type of font file format designed for large character sets, particularly for languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (CJK). Unlike simple TrueType or OpenType fonts, CIDFonts separate the character shape (glyph) from the character code. Updated Solutions to Fix CIDFont Issues A CID-keyed
pdfmetrics.registerFont(CIDFont('F1', 'NotoSansCJK-Regular'))
Select (Windows) or Save as PDF (Mac) as your printer destination. Click Print and save the file under a new name.
An "update" regarding these fonts typically signals a change in how a printing device or software library maps, embeds, or renders these specific typefaces. This write-up explores the technical definition of these fonts, why they are updated, and the impact of these changes on document workflows.
For example, the library uses a PdfType0Font class to generate CIDFont dictionaries, specifically for CIDFontType2 (TrueType outlines). Updates to a document’s font references at this level involve: