# Mac OSX opens blank pdf files **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030 "2005-11-08T13:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BoringDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BoringDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoringDad)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/1 "2005-11-08T13:16:30Z")
Sorry if this has come up before… all the key words are only 3 letters, so it’s hard to search. I have Mac OSX 10.3 and use Preview to open adobe pdf files. Lately, random pdf files have opened blank. I can see how many pages are in the document, but no text. Anyone else experienced this? Any solutions? As far as I know I have the latest version of Preview. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/2 "2005-11-08T13:25:34Z")
There’s no solution that I know of. These pdfs should open in Adobe Reader. I suspect that Preview doesn’t open pdfs made with the latest version of Acrobat. ---
**Author:** ![Foaming\_Cleanser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Foaming\_Cleanser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foaming_Cleanser)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/3 "2005-11-08T15:23:38Z")
Could you supply a link to a problem file? If it occurs on more than one Mac, and perhaps running a different version of X, it would eliminate the possibility of a problem with your machine. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/4 "2005-11-08T15:30:22Z")
…and if I can open it no problem in Acrobat 7 Pro on my PC, I may be able to establish what features the problem file has. ---
**Author:** ![eyoung123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@eyoung123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eyoung123)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/5 "2005-11-08T15:38:17Z")
Do they open OK in Acrobat reader? Have you tried deleting the .plist? ( a panacea I know… but often useful in diagnosing these oddities). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/6 "2005-11-08T15:46:16Z")
It’s a recurrent issue (enough so that I recall reading about it) and usually pertains to a bollixed-up font. Test-print from a word processing document, using different fonts, and see if you can isolate the problem to a specific font. ---
**Author:** ![BoringDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BoringDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoringDad)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/7 "2005-11-09T00:57:58Z")
> [@eyoung123](#): > > Do they open OK in Acrobat reader? Have you tried deleting the .plist? ( a panacea I know… but often useful in diagnosing these oddities). What is the .plist? Oddly enough. I had not thought of getting Acrobat Reader. Preview had been working so well I had never had a need. Based on the peopel who sent the files, they are very likely in the latest version pdf. The files open fine in Reader, so I gues I’ll use that. Thanks everyone for the input. ---
**Author:** ![Foaming\_Cleanser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Foaming\_Cleanser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foaming_Cleanser)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/8 "2005-11-09T01:40:35Z")
> [@BoringDad](#): > > What is the .plist? Plist stands for preferences list, and the one that might be giving you trouble is named com.apple.Preview.plist. It’s in the Preferences folder inside your Home-Library folder, the Home folder being the one with your name on it. Quit Preview if it’s running, find the plist file, trash it and empty the trash. Then start Preview. Don’t be concerned about trashing the plist. A new one will be generated as soon as the program starts. ---
**Author:** ![eyoung123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@eyoung123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eyoung123)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mac-osx-opens-blank-pdf-files/330030/9 "2005-11-09T13:46:18Z")
> [@BoringDad](#): > > What is the .plist? > > Oddly enough. I had not thought of getting Acrobat Reader. Preview had been working so well I had never had a need. Based on the people who sent the files, they are very likely in the latest version pdf. The files open fine in Reader, so I gues I’ll use that. Thanks everyone for the input. Sorry… the .pilst is the OSX equivalent to the prefs file in OS9- or somewhat akin to an .ini file on the PeeCee. these hold application information, settings and whatnot. The .plist for Preview would be located at: /Users/_yourusername_/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.plist I personally prefer Preview myself… but having Acrobat reader on hand can be handy.