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When I copy from an Adobe Reader PDF file that contains

Define an operation

I rather see

Dene an operation

when I paste the text, why is this?

How can I remedy this annoying problem?

I've also seen this occur in the past when I've print a Microsoft Office Word file to my printer.

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This sounds like a font issue. The PDF is probably using the OpenType fi ligature in the word define, and the current font of the destination application is missing that glyph.

I don't know if there's an easy way to get Acrobat to decompose the ligature on copy.

Your problems with printing are probably also font-related. Something's probably allowing the printer to substitute the document's font with its own built-in fonts and the printer's version of the font is also missing that particular glyph. You'd have to tell Windows to always download fonts to the printer to work around this problem.

Another possibility when printing: UniScribe may not be enabled. MS KB 2642020 talks about this and some possible workarounds (namely, to use RAW type printing rather than EMF type printing). Though the context is slightly different than your specific problem, the cause may be the same and the same workarounds may apply.

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Interesting about the ligatures, I wonder if it can somehow be configured to behave properly. Perhaps I could look how other PDF readers behave. Where exactly do I configure it so that the fonts get sent to the printer? – Tom Wijsman Jan 6 at 18:13
From an app's print dialog: Click Properties (or Preferences, depending on the dialog version) for the printer, make sure you're on the Layout or Quality tabs, click the Advanced button. In the Graphic group, change the TrueType Font option to Download as Softfont. This covers most PostScript printers and printers using Windows built-in dialogs (I think), but other drivers may have things moved around, or flat out missing. – afrazier Jan 6 at 18:25
You may find MS KB 2642020 of some use. I've edited my answer with that information. – afrazier Jan 10 at 19:41
Thanks for describing the problem. I haven't tried to solve this yet but will sure try when I encounter a printing problem again. I guess one of both solutions would sure solve this very specific problem... :) – Tom Wijsman Jan 10 at 21:30
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