Pagemaker 7 PDF Issue

riven2000 · 02-16-2013, 11:19 AM

I'm using PageMaker 7 on G4 in OS 9.2.2, and am getting an error when exporting PM files to PDF - "Cannot open the Distiller. This may be caused by not enough virtual memory...." or similar. I adjusted memory settings on PM and Distiller 5 but same issue. I've been using the Acrobat PPD. Not sure if this is really a memory issue or some setting is off somewhere. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

acme.mail.order · 02-16-2013, 07:28 PM

First bit of advice would be reinstall Acrobat.

Second bit would be that it's time to upgrade. Your OS is a decade out of date, and your hardware is at least 8 years old. You WILL be upgrading fairly soon when some important part of your hardware fails, and it usually happens at an inconvenient time.

If you are still using the original drive, and don't have a backup, consider your data to be living on borrowed time.

riven2000 · 02-17-2013, 09:54 AM

Already reinstalled Acrobat. It's actually NOT time to upgrade right now. My Mac has been heavily upgraded but I can't afford InDesign, etc. so I have to use what I have.

benwiggy · 02-17-2013, 11:16 AM

Can you launch Distiller independently and having it already running when you export from PM?

It's been 10 years since I used OS 9, so I can't really remember much. I would be surprised if it an actual memory problem, though.

Can you describe your setup in much more detail, and exactly what steps you take, and the exact error message?

DeltaMac · 02-17-2013, 11:26 AM

How much RAM do you have installed in your G4?

Have you tried that both with virtual memory turned on, and with it turned OFF?
(I'm guessing that it won't function with virtual memory OFF, but I don't recall any more)

Has this error started happening only recently, and all worked OK before that?

acme.mail.order · 02-17-2013, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riven2000


	It's actually NOT time to upgrade right now. My Mac has been heavily upgraded but I can't afford InDesign, etc. so I have to use what I have.

Your hardware may have other plans for the future, likely including permanent retirement, so start saving up for it.

riven2000 · 02-17-2013, 09:49 PM

I've tried launching Distiller separately, no change. The error messge is attached. This is a Digital Audio G4 at 1.6 Ghz, OS X 10.4.11 and 9.2.2. I've tried this in Classic and booted into OS 9. I can't turn virtual memory on at all - the control panel says Too Much RAM To Turn On VM. The error started after I upgraded to PM 7 and Distiller 5.

acme, I'm sure the machine will give out eventually but it's all I have right now.

DeltaMac · 02-17-2013, 10:05 PM

This may be some limitation of your old Adobe software, and the large amount of RAM you have. Try removing some RAM sticks, so you can try turning on virtual memory to see if that makes a difference. You would need to be less than 1GB installed, I think, to turn on virtual memory. I also wonder if you might have some incompatibility with your processor upgrade card, and the Adobe software. That's a good time to try swapping in your original processor card - again, just to see if that makes any difference.

mclbruce · 02-17-2013, 11:12 PM

Print to PostScript from PageMaker and then open the PostScript files in Acrobat/Distiller? Seems to me this was a workaround that was used back in the day.

benwiggy · 02-18-2013, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riven2000


	I can't turn virtual memory on at all - the control panel says Too Much RAM To Turn On VM.

How much RAM do you have? And how much free space on the disk?

riven2000 · 02-21-2013, 08:54 PM

Thank you all for your help. I finally decided to try mclbruce's suggestion and print to PS file - seems to be working.

02-16-2013, 11:19 AM	#1
riven2000 Prospect Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 36	Pagemaker 7 PDF Issue I'm using PageMaker 7 on G4 in OS 9.2.2, and am getting an error when exporting PM files to PDF - "Cannot open the Distiller. This may be caused by not enough virtual memory...." or similar. I adjusted memory settings on PM and Distiller 5 but same issue. I've been using the Acrobat PPD. Not sure if this is really a memory issue or some setting is off somewhere. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

02-17-2013, 09:49 PM	#7
riven2000 Prospect Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 36	I've tried launching Distiller separately, no change. The error messge is attached. This is a Digital Audio G4 at 1.6 Ghz, OS X 10.4.11 and 9.2.2. I've tried this in Classic and booted into OS 9. I can't turn virtual memory on at all - the control panel says Too Much RAM To Turn On VM. The error started after I upgraded to PM 7 and Distiller 5. acme, I'm sure the machine will give out eventually but it's all I have right now. Attached Thumbnails

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02-16-2013, 07:28 PM	#2
acme.mail.order League Commissioner Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tokyo Posts: 6,057	First bit of advice would be reinstall Acrobat. Second bit would be that it's time to upgrade. Your OS is a decade out of date, and your hardware is at least 8 years old. You WILL be upgrading fairly soon when some important part of your hardware fails, and it usually happens at an inconvenient time. If you are still using the original drive, and don't have a backup, consider your data to be living on borrowed time.

02-17-2013, 09:54 AM	#3
riven2000 Prospect Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 36	Already reinstalled Acrobat. It's actually NOT time to upgrade right now. My Mac has been heavily upgraded but I can't afford InDesign, etc. so I have to use what I have.

02-17-2013, 11:16 AM	#4
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,071	Can you launch Distiller independently and having it already running when you export from PM? It's been 10 years since I used OS 9, so I can't really remember much. I would be surprised if it an actual memory problem, though. Can you describe your setup in much more detail, and exactly what steps you take, and the exact error message?

02-17-2013, 11:26 AM	#5
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,998	How much RAM do you have installed in your G4? Have you tried that both with virtual memory turned on, and with it turned OFF? (I'm guessing that it won't function with virtual memory OFF, but I don't recall any more) Has this error started happening only recently, and all worked OK before that?

02-17-2013, 10:05 PM	#8
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,998	This may be some limitation of your old Adobe software, and the large amount of RAM you have. Try removing some RAM sticks, so you can try turning on virtual memory to see if that makes a difference. You would need to be less than 1GB installed, I think, to turn on virtual memory. I also wonder if you might have some incompatibility with your processor upgrade card, and the Adobe software. That's a good time to try swapping in your original processor card - again, just to see if that makes any difference.

02-17-2013, 11:12 PM	#9
mclbruce Hall of Famer Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,870	Print to PostScript from PageMaker and then open the PostScript files in Acrobat/Distiller? Seems to me this was a workaround that was used back in the day.

02-21-2013, 08:54 PM	#11
riven2000 Prospect Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 36	Thank you all for your help. I finally decided to try mclbruce's suggestion and print to PS file - seems to be working.