Indesign pdf export problem, text outline ghosts?
metrognome (6 points) | Thu, 2008-03-06 22:49I am working on a multipage EPK (electronic press kit) with indesign. when I export it as a pdf my text has displays as though there is another layer of the text just above or below it made of hairline outlines. This creates a slightly distorting effect when viewed in Acrobat. I have tried messing with various settings and I am stumped as to what would be causing this. has anyone else experienced this? I am posting a sample of the file if this doesn't make sense to anyone else. on the sample notice the text on the right side, which displays the ghost lines, also appears bolder even though the settings and font are exactly the same as those on the left column.
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| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BYAG08epksample.pdf | 1.45 MB |
Have you tried printing it? Sometimes pdf files get artifacts from ID layer effects (drop shadow being a main culprit) that don't actually print. Zoom in on the text and you will see the distortions actually disappear.
Exporting as pdf/x1-a? I'd use that format as preferred.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I am fairly sure it wont show up in print but the document will also be distributed digitally which is why the appearance is an issue. Also they seem to still be there when i zoom in, they actually display differently at each level of zoom.
If onscreen viewing is important to you then I'd suggest going for highest quality pdf, though this will give you a much bigger file.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
flikWORLD Design
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Dirt and Rust
It seems like it is trapping. If you look at where the problem areas are which have a color background, and compare to the area that is correct, which have no background, just white. However, I am unsure on how that is achieved through Export PDF. Especially as a composite and not as a separation. Trapping is to build in tolerance for press registration. A hairline will help hide any slight mis-registration.
Maybe the black is Rich Black? That could do weird things with trapping as the pdf will try to 'show' that there are more than one layer where the black text resides (the rich black text that is).
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Powerpoint is not a design application
flikWORLD Design
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Dirt and Rust
Flatten the transparency. . . I know its not a 'fix' fix but I was just nosing around for some InDesign tips and I stumbled onto this site: VERY easy to digest and full of stuff I didn't know. . .
http://www.danrodney.com/indesign/index.html
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
i know exactly what you mean. it happens when the graphic box is over the top of the text box. move the text box to the top of the layer. i think it would effect the print as it doubles up the characters, one version a font and the other an outlined version. there is also a slight split of the characters if you zoom right in.
saying that. i have literally just had this problem again (hence me being here) and my plan didn't work this time. i even split the text onto another layer but the bugger just would not go. luckily the graphic could be cropped in photoshop and the so the offending part was no longer over the text box.
good luck people, any other solutions, please enlighten me...
Suggestions:
1. Make sure no text is in illustrator. If you are placing graphics and text in Illustrator and then placing that whole thing in ID you're asking for trouble. (Not sure if you did this)
2. Make sure no text is in photoshop unless you absolutely have to (stylized titles). Defeats the purpose of having fonts.
3. Make sure ALL your text is in InDesign.
4. Try to not use shadows on text as much as you can.
5. RIP PDF/X1-a files
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
I have had the same problem with InDesign CS2, Hair lines showing up in my press-quality pdf's. They are the layers edges showing up and printing as fine lines over other layers? If I import the pdf file into Flexi-8 and print it on my HP Designjet 9000s wide formate printer the lines show up. I have tried all types of fixes but one fix causes some other problem. I can get by but I would love to solve the problem. Before I save the InDesign file as a pdf Should I group my layers, Flatten the transparency, create outlines? or just go back to Photoshop. Haha
Thanks.
A few things to check:
Make sure all your artwork is CMYK. Adding a drop shadow or other transparency effect in InDesign on top of a background image that is RGB will cause this problem (due to transparency flattening)
Make sure you export your PDF at the highest PDF version you can. Version 7 or higher is best for on-screen viewing because it deals with transparency much better. For printing, exporting as X-1a is best because it flattens everything - but if your printer supports the higher versions, use them.
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I feel your pain! I had this EXACT same problem with my pdfs created using CS2, and the only solution I found was to rasterize the artwork or whole pages where the outlines are appearing. That has made the lines go away from the pdfs and printouts. I tried everything else before, and rasterizing was the ONLY solution.
It seems to appear when I use images with transparency.
Go back to InDesign
Create a new layer, see that this layer is the top layer in your layers panel.
Select the textbox with your black arrow and in the layers panel drag the little square to the newly created layer.
Your problem will disappear when you create the pdf.
Indeed it has to do with flattening and rasterising, but when you put your text as mentioned above you won't have that problem again.
So to avoid these kind of problems I always create a separate layer where I put my text on and see that is the top layer in my layers panel.
hope this helps
fidel
I've been fighting this as well... I've done as Fidel advised and put text on it's own layer, but still have transparency/line issues in export. My work-around was to temporarily hide the layers with the text, then Exported that "image" only layer as EPS (make sure you keep your bleed settings). I then placed this EPS file as a background image, turned on the Text layer as the top layer, and exported with no lines.
Assuming all the text was created in InDesign and not imported from another application...
The black is showing up as rich black for me - change everything to 100% black (only) instead. Then check your trapping. This looks like an auto-trapping mistake on InDesign's part (that's why it's only occurring over the graphic as someone noted above). Select all the black text and set it to overprint (even the text on the left just to be sure). That should solve your problem.
Yes, after a little research - that is the problem without a doubt - an InDesign trapping mistake. Whether or not InDesign is automatically changing the text to rich black - I'm not sure (but I think so). Here is the solution...
Select all the copy, check to see if it is rich black. If so, change it to 100% black ONLY.
Then trap it manually by going to your Attributes panel (or window) and set the selected text to "Overprint Fill" (just like you would do in Illustrator).
That should fix it.
I have to add that - judging by the way Adobe is throwing around the term "rich black" on their website - it's no surprise so many people in this thread are having trapping problems. Rich black (when used to trap) is for a specific purpose - to prevent the background under the black ink from showing thru. That won't happen with text this size. And why Adobe is using rich black in their auto trapping at all is a mystery to me. I've often wondered if anyone at that company has actually ever spoken to a real live printer.