Matplotlib output to PDF for Corel Draw

Question

Update: The fonts issue was actaully solved by using rc("pdf", fonttype=42) but unfortunately it is combined with another - whenever is used any type of marker I tried CorelDraw comes with error "File is corrupted".

When I output my charts from Matplotlib into PDF I am not able to open it in Corel Draw. I highly suspect that the major issue might be with texts / fonts.

Simple code example which I need update to make PDF with text and markers import correctly in Corel Draw:

from matplotlib.backends.backend_pdf import PdfPages
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import rc
rc("pdf", fonttype=42)

with PdfPages("simple.pdf") as pdf:
  points_y = points_x = [1,2,3]
  plt.plot(points_x, points_y, marker="o")
  pdf.savefig()
  plt.close()

Example of Corel vs Matplotlib / PDF Reader when not used rc("pdf", fonttype=42) and marker. If marker used PDF doesn't open and CorelDraw says "File is corrupted".

You need to provide more info, like a full working example that produces the unwanted behavior. — Sasha, May 31 '16 at 07:35
If you want to open / post-process the figures with Corel Draw, why not save them as `svg` specifying `matplotlib.rcParams['svg.fonttype'] = 'path'`, I tested it with Inkscape and that indeed embeds the characters as paths instead of fonts. — Bart, Nov 14 '16 at 08:12
@Bart I do post-processing only in some percentage of cases when needed some additional adjustments. But the final product is always PDF as charts are part of bigger study which is provided to client as PDF. The best solution for me would be to actually have texts and not curves because of smaller size and easier editing but I tried all the tricks I could find setting rcParams without any success so my bet is on curves now... — Miro, Nov 14 '16 at 11:34
Please review your updated question; you write *"CorelDraw comes with error saying"* followed by nothing? — Bart, Nov 16 '16 at 13:53
@Bart Thank you, fixed to *CorelDraw comes with error "File is corrupted".* — Miro, Nov 16 '16 at 22:20

Miro · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-17T03:55:07.897

It turned out there are two important issues which ruins import of Matplotlib generated PDF into CorelDraw.

Setting up the font type from the default rc("pdf", fonttype=3) to rc("pdf", fonttype=42)
Not using multiple markers. Only one marker per plot allowed! Possible to replace by text. (no pyplot.scatter, not in pyplot.plot etc.). When using any markers in number of 2 or more per plot CorelDraw finds the PDF corrupted and wont open it at all.

Code rewritten to plot only one marker per plot plus only one marker in the legend:

from matplotlib.backends.backend_pdf import PdfPages
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import rc
rc("pdf", fonttype=42)

with PdfPages("simple.pdf") as pdf:
    points_y = points_x = [1,2,3]
    plt.plot(points_x, points_y,color="r")
    # plot points one be one otherwise "File is corrupted" in CorelDraw
    # also plot first point out of loop to make appropriate legend
    plt.plot(points_x[0], points_y[0],marker="o",color="r",markerfacecolor="b",label="Legend label")
    for i in range(1,len(points_x)):
        plt.plot(points_x[i], points_y[i],marker="o",markerfacecolor="b")
    plt.legend(numpoints=1) #Only 1 point in legend because in CorelDraw "File is corrupted" if default two or more 
    pdf.savefig()
    plt.close()

As a possible replacement for points (markers) pyplot.text can be used, for my example in question updated code looks like this:

from matplotlib.backends.backend_pdf import PdfPages
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import rc
rc("pdf", fonttype=42)

with PdfPages("simple.pdf") as pdf:
    points_y = points_x = [1,2,3]
    plt.plot(points_x, points_y)
    # print points as + symbol
    for i in range(len(points_x)):
        plt.text(points_x[i], points_y[i],"+",ha="center", va="center")
    pdf.savefig()
    plt.close()

If you end up using this solution, make sure to set `ha='center', va='center'` in your `plt.text`, otherwise the `+` markers will be off compared to markers plotted with `plt.plot(marker='+')`. — Bart, Nov 16 '16 at 14:00
@Bart thank you, yes, I was actually using these. But yesterday I figured out that **it is possible to use markers as far as there is only one marker on line** (same for legend). So using loop to plot every point separately instead of plt.plot(points_x, points_y, marker="o") actually produces PDF which can be read by CorelDraw. I am going to update my answer once I test it a bit more. — Miro, Nov 16 '16 at 22:27

Matplotlib output to PDF for Corel Draw

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