PDF format with Type 1 fonts (scalable), not Type3 (bit mapped)

Most conferences require you to submit papers in PDF format with Type 1 fonts. The Python plotting library, matplotlib, uses Type 3 fonts by default

Check PDF file for fonts via Document Viewer

Open the PDF File and go to properties ->Fonts.

It will show you output as below :

Check PDF file for fonts via Linux command line

Type the following command with pdf file as argument –

pdffonts file_name.pdf

It will output as below, the second column shows the font type.

FIX IT!!

Most of the times default Type 3 font is used while generating plots or figures using matplotlib. You could change the default font to type 1 by adding these 3 lines to your matplotlib script file –

import matplotlib
matplotlib.rcParams[‘pdf.fonttype’] = 42
matplotlib.rcParams[‘ps.fonttype’] = 42

Now if you regenerate your plots PDF file, it will be using Type 1 font.