Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended and Framemaker 9 vs. Framemaker 9 and Adobe PDFMaker Plugin

[Spectrum Writing]

All,

Let me summarize so that I can answer several offlist replies and comments
as well. When all you have is an installation disk and all you can do is
follow the prompts and you have troubles after what should be a 1-2-3
installation, troubleshooting becomes rather difficult to say the least. 

1.) Six different computers - two different setups (one setup for one group
of three/second setup for second group of three) - Setup 1: Adobe Acrobat
Pro Extended and Framemaker 9 (both patched and current); Setup 2:
Framemaker 9 and Adobe PDFMaker Plugin (FM9 fully patched and current).
2.) During installation of Setup #2, the prompt that opens in the
Installation wizard specifically states that the PDFMaker Plugin is for the
making of PDFs from FM9 files and other applications. Based on what I
thought was my correct understanding of this Plugin (and what Fred verified
in his response), this is NOT the case. The PDFMaker Plugin is NOT required
for generating PDFs from FM9 files, so answer "No" at the prompt and finish
the installation.
3.) On all three systems - open FM9, open the exact same file request to
Save as PDF. FM hangs and absolutely no PDF is generated. (And yes, the
Adobe PDF printer is supposedly installed -there is an entry for it in the
Devices and Printers window.) Try again - same issue - FM is unable to
generate a PDF.
4.) Uninstall and reinstall FM9 (with apologies to Dov and this use of
uninstall/reinstallzheimers). Repeat process of trying to generate a PDF
using Save as PDF. Same issue.
5.) Insert FM9 installation Disk and install Plugin.  Repeat process of
trying to generate a PDF using Save as PDF. Voila - PDF successfully
generated without any issues whatsoever, which defies all logic and
understanding of the process. HOWEVER, this issue was seen on three separate
systems by three different users with exactly the same setup - Win7, 64 bit,
FM9 (fully patched BEFORE trying to generate a PDF).

Second issue -
Three systems Win7, 64 bit, identical system for applications, FM folder
structure, identical FM files from the same source (Adobe Acrobat Pro
Extended and Framemaker 9 (both patched and current). Trying to Print an FM9
file to a postscript file that contains ONLY Arial and Times New Roman fonts
and it has been unequivocally confirmed that these fonts are installed on
all three systems -

1.) One user must AlWAYS deselect the option "Rely on system fonts only. do
not use document fonts" or no PDF can be generated. 
2.) One user must sometimes deselect the option for some files; other times,
it's not an issue.
2.) One user NEVER has to deselect this option. Postscript generation is no
issue as it should be based on the fonts used in the document and the fonts
installed on the system.

I have had two very savvy colleagues write me offlist (and these guys are
savvy - they build their own systems) and say that they too have to always
deselect the option "Rely on system fonts only. do not use document fonts"
to successfully generate a PDF - every single flippin' time and they cannot
figure out why.
Two people responded onlist a few weeks ago and stated that they run into
option two - sometimes they have to deselect the option, other times they
don't.
And, of course, there were the respondents stating that they fall into the
third situation - it works as expected.

And, if the exact same setup (Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended and Framemaker 9
(both patched and current)) is installed on a Windows XP SP3 32 bit system,
then it's always the third option with the exact same files - you do not
have to deselect the option.

The only commonality in all these issues - Adobe products. No problems are
seen for the Win7 systems with any other of the installed applications -
SnagIt, MS Office, Camtasia, etc. No matter the OS (Win7, XP, 32 bit, 64
bit), they all install just fine and give no issues. 

 
So, if anyone can shed light onto these two issues - it would be greatly
appreciated. I have searched the Adobe forums and issues such as this are
all over the board - people losing their hair over issues that shouldn't be
and others saying that they have no such issues at all. 

thanks,

TVB