Fix Acrobat Distiller Stops Creating PDF from PostScript File
Question details
Acrobat Distiller abruptly stops processing and fails to generate a PDF from a PostScript file, requiring troubleshooting steps to locate the exact cause of the interruption.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Distiller
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a PostScript (.ps) file to a PDF document using Adobe Acrobat Distiller.
- Observed behavior
- The conversion process stops abruptly before completion, and Distiller outputs the error message: 'Flushing rest of job to end of file will be ignored.'
Ensure you have access to the original PostScript file and the associated log file generated by Distiller during the failed conversion attempt.
Analyze the Complete Acrobat Distiller Log File
The final status line often masks the root cause. Checking the full log file will reveal the specific font, missing resource, or driver error that triggered the failure.
Acrobat Distiller records the step-by-step progress of the PostScript conversion in a log file. The 'flushing rest of job' message is merely the symptom of a critical failure that occurred earlier in the conversion sequence.
Navigate to the folder containing your original PostScript file or the designated Distiller output folder to find the file ending in a '.log' extension.
Right-click the '.log' file, select 'Open with', and choose a plain text editor such as Notepad or Word.
Scroll up from the final 'Flushing rest of job to end of file will be ignored' message to locate the first actual error reported. Look for warnings about missing fonts, syntax errors, or memory limits.
Use the exact error code found earlier in the log to address the specific problem, such as installing a missing font or re-exporting the PostScript file with different driver settings.
Compare Distiller Settings with a Working Configuration
If the log file does not clearly specify the error, comparing Distiller settings and drivers with a computer that successfully converts the file can identify misconfigurations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat Distiller say 'Flushing rest of job to end of file'?
This message is a generic fatal error notification indicating that Distiller has stopped processing the current PostScript file due to a prior critical error. It is typically caused by missing fonts, corrupt image data, or incompatible PostScript operators.
Where can I find the Acrobat Distiller log files?
Distiller typically saves log files in the same directory as the original PostScript file or the resulting PDF. The file is usually named identically to the source document but has a '.log' extension, and it can be opened with standard text editors like Notepad.
How can I prevent PostScript file conversion errors?
To minimize conversion failures, always ensure that all required fonts are embedded when creating the initial PostScript file, keep your PostScript printer drivers updated, and verify that your Distiller job options match the specific requirements of the source document.
