I don't know if this problem is pervasive or unique to me...

In Sierra, before I command-P print a doc I open it as a PDF to see what it'll look like, and it invariably displays and prints a bigger font size than the actual doc...annoying beyond words to deal with. This happens with both Excel and Text Edit docs...the only ones I've tried.

Well, I just discovered that if I print the same doc from Finder it prints correctly.

Yaaay!

I use Save as PDF extensively, and I've seen a substantial number of issues. Lack of WYSIWYG being foremost. Pages that have weird java will often display with large chunks of the page missing, or white space and formatting problems. Occasionally font issues. Also java IS ACTIVE while the save dialog is open, and will change the page accordingly if you mouse-over an active element that's sitting under the mouse when you click Save. I see this a lot on eBay when I go to save the listing before buying something - I will save the page, and as I click, the print/save dialog is open over the listing's image, which has a zoom javascript. So from time to time I find I have a "click to zoom in" box displayed where the listing's image is supposed to be.

And I doubt they've bothered to fix root's inability to save to pdf, because apple apparently doesn't care in the slightest when they break something else in the root account.

I am not sure I understand…

• how are you creating the PDF?
• what application are you opening the PDF with to see what it'll look like?
• if you go directly to Print does the document appear correctly in the Pinter Preview window?

Command-P > PDF > Open PDF in Preview

The doc appears correctly in the command-P pane.

<https://imgur.com/a/QYVTr>

I can't replicate your problem in the High Sierra Gold Master, but you might check your View settings in Preview - particularly Zoom and Zoom to fit.

My Preview settings are apparently academic, because in addition to appearing incorrectly in Preview, the docs print incorrectly.

("Actual Size" and "Zoom to Fit" are checked, but greyed out, in Preview > View.)

More: I just found a Preview pref set for "Define 100% scale as: Size on screen equals size on printout", so "size on printout" apparently differs depending upon which way I initiate printing.