Cannot export Writer documents as pdf [solved]

[kim_bastin]

I am unable to export documents from Writer as pdf files. I am using LO 5.4.0.3 under Windows 10 (Anniversary). When I click on Export as PDF… the Writer window loses focus, but the PDF options dialogue does not appear (it is not hidden behind another window, I have looked), no PDF is created, and I cannot return the focus to the Writer window. My only option at that point is Task Manager.

The last time I attempted to export files as PDF was in November last year, under Windows 7, using whatever was the current LO version at that time. I never had any problem.

The problem is possibly wider than described above. I have, in theory at least, two other options for producing PDF files, namely Microsoft Print to PDF and Foxit Reader PDF Printer. Both of these produce PDFs, but the PDFs are empty (no text).

I do not believe the problem(s) can be with the files I am attempting to export/print. They include .odt files I have produced myself in LO Writer, and a Microsoft Word .doc file produced by a friend on a Mac and opened by me in LO. Exactly the same problems appears with all of them when I attempt to produce PDF files.

Can anyone help?

[mariosv]

Please update againg there was a bug resolved about this matter.

https://downloadarchive.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/old/?C=M;O=D

[mikekaganski]

The resolved bug was about printing blank pages from LO IIRC? Namely, tdf#109281 that caused the hotfix1.

[kim_bastin]

The new LO 5.4.0.3 (‘hot fix’) does not fix the Export to PDF problem. Exactly the same behaviour occurs as I described in my question.
It does fix the bug with Microsoft Print to PDF. The resulting PDF file appears correct.
The Foxit Reader PDF Printer now produces a PDF in which the file contents appear twice. I have not previously used Foxit Reader PDF Printer, so do not know if this was a pre-existing problem with that driver.

[mikekaganski]

It’s absolutely strange that installing/updating LO has any effect to MS print/Foxit/…

And the only plausible relation I see some problem with Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable that somehow gets screwed up with 5.4. Please try to either use Windows Update, or install the redistributable (bitness should match LO bitness).

[mariosv]

I have no problem with “Export to PDF”. Version: 5.4.0.3 (x64)
Build ID: 7556cbc6811c9d992f4064ab9287069087d7f62c
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 6.19; UI render: default;

[kim_bastin]

‘It’s absolutely strange that installing/updating LO has any effect to MS print/Foxit/…’: Is this not the printing blank pages bug that you mentioned? ‘bitness should match LO bitness’: this means nothing to me, I’m sorry.
In any case, the MS Print/Foxit PDF Printer problem is resolved by the update. But my primary problem was and remains that Export to PDF results in a freeze.

[mikekaganski]

Is this not the printing blank pages bug that you mentioned?

No It was only about printing (PDF stayed OK); but most important that it only affected LibreOffice.

[kim_bastin]

The problem was that the PDF options dialogue box was somewhere off the screen. I typed Alt-Space and was able to move it onto a monitor. Possible explanation: since the last time I used this feature I have acquired a new computer and added a third monitor to my setup. LO was evidently using settings that made sense on the old setup but which placed this dialogue box in an invisible location, beyond the edges of the screen, on the new one.

Thank you to the people who offered help!