Subtle layout changes independent from CSS in PDF

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Niels
Propeller Head
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:41 am
Location: Köln

Subtle layout changes independent from CSS in PDF

Post by Niels »

We use MadCap Flare 2018 R1 and create PDF print output where the layout all of a sudden has slightly changed and we cannot see the reason why. We have not upgraded MadCap Flare and neither have we changed our single master stylesheet during the time period in that this layout change occurred:
When I compile the same PDF target that I compiled in November 2018 now, the PDF output has slightly larger line spacing which also results in a larger PDF containing more pages.
What can be the root cause for this? Does it depend on some internally used PDF engine, where we do not have any control over?

RATIONALE:
In our review process, in particular when there were only smaller changes, we use free PDF diff tools but these are not fit to elegantly visualize differences when the (same) content moves to different pages. So without this unexplainable difference in line spacing, we'd have a much easier time with our "PDF quick comparison process".
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Niels
Propeller Head
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:41 am
Location: Köln

Re: Subtle layout changes independent from CSS in PDF

Post by Niels »

The root cause obviously was a conflicting font face and/or the unexpecetd behavior that Flare falls back on a font face with a similar name starting with the same prefix if the one with the exactly same name is not available. Uninstalling these fonts / font faces and reinstalling the desired ones solved the issue. The hint to use the "Install for all users" option (posted in another thread in this forum) certainly also helped to clear things up.
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