Opening PDF's and JPG's on Windows - issues.
Ok
Here's the problem. All of a sudden my client cannot open both PDF's AND JPG's on her system. Her IT people (after asking what we used to "generate these files (yeah go figure)" have come to the conclusion that"
"If the picture was generated with ICC profile, you could have this issue opening by different devices that do not have the same feature. . .Since was mentioned that it was used a Adobe CS2 for Apple, I confirmed that standard ICC profiles are provided by Adobe Co. in all their products, I opened your pictures with Adobe Photoshop and save them again without ICC feature. I suggest you ask your Provider to send the files in both versions, so you can continue the normal process for print or publish that is in place and will be also possible to open them under snow environment without changes."
They also sent us a WHOLE run down on what ICC profiles are! LOL
Can anyone tell me what A. He's talking about and B. how can we resolve this problem. Mind you OUR windows machines ARE opening the files fine.
thanks
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I'll bet the files are just
I'll bet the files are just getting corrupted on transfer. Have you tried zipping them?
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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
Yes, surely natobasso is
Yes, surely natobasso is right. If she's using Lotus Notes I'm 100% sure about it. It's a known issue.
Ahhhh. . .
Right click it and zip it. . . ok
Problem: I dunno if he'll be able to UNZIP it! lol The client isn't VERY tech saavy that's why he's got the IT department running around trying to 'solve' the problem. But I will suggest it. :)
Thanks.
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
yeah, the IT guy's response
yeah, the IT guy's response to the issue makes absolutely no sense to me.
This is getting weirder. . .
I sent a response to their IT asking them if its the Lotus Server OR an Anti-Virus that's preventing the attachments from opening. . . This is PART of the response I got. . . sigh. . .
"I opened your pictures with Adobe Photoshop and save them again without ICC feature after which we were able to open the files."
Then he (IT guy) wants me to "support on this change to avoid this problem in the future as per my original request."
HELP!
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
If you both are on PC
If you both are on PC computers, using the same app, it shouldn't matter. If ot
s sent from Apple to PC you can have directory block issues that will corrupt the file on transit.
I still think it's the file getting corrupted. I've never heard of an ICC profile making a file unopenable unless their photoshop doesn't have the profile you're using (HIGHLY doubtful). Doesn't mean it's not possible, though.
Why are IT people snobby? Because it means less work for them.
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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
Hmmm
Its going from Mac (Art Studio) to PC (Client Service) and then PC to PC (Client's office) we use exchange. The Client service can open the files BUT the client can't. . .
I need to get more info though. . .
The thing is that we are creating our JPGS via the Mac OS (screen capture) BUT that STILL does not explain the inability to open PDFS!
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Ahhhh - UPDATED!
Well this quote accurately seems to have summed it up for the time being:
“It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
-Sherlock Holmes
The files were saved as CMYK jpgs and CMYK Photoshop PDF's (Why would ANYONE save a photoshop PDF is beyond me. . . just save it as a JPG and you'll be fine. . .)
Ah well I see another "Studio Meeting" to impress on "How to save files properly for Client and Press" sigh. . .
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
most microsoft applications
most microsoft applications will not open CMYK bitmaps.
Good for gwells....he's
Good for gwells....he's right. It's the dreaded CMYK--RGB issue rearing its venomous head. Most (all?) Windows' apps cannot open CMYK files, only RGB.
And the door swings both ways; there's nothing quite as ugly as seeing a beautifully rendered ad reproduced using an RGB image. Talk about washout.
"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
— Frank Zappa
no no, it has nothing to do
no no, it has nothing to do with windows. it's the MS Office package. Office programs only work in RGB.
Okay. Learn something new
Okay. Learn something new every day. I've always been a Mac user and was always led to believe that windows users could not open CMYK files. Silly me.
"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
— Frank Zappa
it always amuses me to see
it always amuses me to see the misinformation about PCs. no, PCs can handle any color space the mac can.
and you can't open CMYK bitmap files in Word for the mac, either.
I seriously hope they aren't
I seriously hope they aren't trying to print bitmapped images from Office files. Ugh! :)
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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
LOL
Microsoft Word isn't the worst software ever, but it's got to be close to being the worst design software ever. I hated preparing them because of all the font and color issues. The unfortunate thing is that almost every business has it, and most do not have Illy or Indesign, etc. so it's become a standard that will haunt us for a long time.
as to photoshop PDF, people who don't have photoshop can still open it preformated for a particular page size. it's easier to print a proof at print size, and a PDF can include page box info for trim and bleed... all things a JPG alone doesn't have. Of course, the chances are that most people don't understand the difference, but know that a pdf can be opened by almost anyone.
PC vs Mac again... sigh
That's like the myths that still persist that macs are more stable and better for graphics apps, maybe it was true once... but not any more. it's about even now. though as far as I know they are still better where viruses are concerned.
Darn it! this problem's back!
But its still our fault.
I need some advice on how to handle this. The problem is really more of a management one. I have tried (and failed) to get all the artists in the studio to send PDF's to the clients rather than JPGS. Well let me re-phrase that: I have FAILED in getting them to SAVE pdf's from ILLUSTRATOR. They seem to like doing it the long way: Take a OS screen shot (which saves a PNG) and then open it up in Photoshop and then save it as a Photoshop PDF. . . OY! I've repeatadly told them that they are only wasting time by doing this, if they are going to save a screen shot (low rez RGB) then they might as well save it as a JPG. . .
Help me out here. How can I (calmly and rationally) tell the department. "Yo fuko's! STOP doing it this way and start doing it this way!"
lol
Our clients are becoming frustrated that they cannot open files on their end and its pointing back at the WAY we save our files. I have never had a problem since I just save as PDF from InDesign (or Illustrator) and I can do it really fast. . .
Help! I'm ready to read the riot act here. . . please inject some sanity into my life LOL
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
so.... any rational
so.... any rational explanation from them as to why they're doing it the long way? the way that creates a crappier file and takes more time?
are you actually their supervisor? if so, stop accepting them doing the work improperly. you need to get serious about disciplining people who can't follow basic directions and studio procedures. if the proper procedure for sending a proof from illustrator to a client is to do a save as PDF, then that's the only acceptable way. period. no BS. no excuses. do it right.
Rationale?
That's like "logic" right? Lol I don't seem to be dealing with logic here.
I'm not really their "supervisor" just the guy they turn to when things start NOT working lol. . . a "we have a problem and this is how we fix it" guy. . . I am a senior artist BUT my boss the CD makes the policy. I have discussed this with him, he's asked me to come up with a solution. . . I already showed them the "procedure" MONTHS ago. . . I guess Nato's right, I NEED management backing (by putting it in writing) that THIS is how it has to be done until someone ELSE says stop. . .lol
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Tell the artists their jobs
Tell the artists their jobs are on the line if they don't follow procedure, but also make sure that procedure is clear and in writing. For the first week, monitor the files they send. This should send the message to them that you are serious about the new protocol.
Have you considered posting jpgs to a website rather than sending pdfs? Since they aren't proofs for color, this could be a quicker solution.
Again, why are your designers doing their layouts in Illustrator? They should be using InDesign; then pdfs are a simiple command + E away.
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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
sigh... shaking my head in dismay... screenshots?
if they are not your employees directly, then you need to go to their manager and have him/her take care of it or get permission to. be political about it, but be sure the manager knows that his department is close to losing customers to his employees incompetence (it has to seem like they thought of it, not you), and give him/her a list of how it should be done and document everything with CC's to anyone involved that can keep it from getting swept under a rug. if your company offers free online training for management skills, available to everyone, take the time to do it, it's enlightening...and will show you how they think, then you can manipulate them better...
beyond that, don't let them send anything to a customer, have them give you the Illy file instead then YOU can send it properly
Is every machine's settings the same for PDF? make it as easy as possible for them to do it right... possibly even create a hot folder, worse comes to worse you can have them print a file to a hot folder that runs acrobat distiller
Thanks for the tips
I know what I have to do now. . .
(where's my gun? lol just kidding!
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
I know how you feel
I always hated the political tightrope...if they feel like you insulted them or stepped on their toes, they look for a way to get rid of you or make you a scapegoat, and yet if you do nothing, everything falls apart and you still get blamed.
Suggested reading for all corporate employees:
"The Ropes to Skip, and the Ropes to Know"
I forget who the author is...and I loaned it to someone
Also for all situations:
"The 48 Laws of Power"
(it's like the Kama Sutra of strategy and human psychology, only more interesting)
Good read. . .
Its on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/6hsy5a
thanks for the recommendation. :)
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
glad to help
even having read most of both books, I still have a hard time remembering to apply the concepts, but be that as it may, "48 laws" has so many real-life examples out of history and fables, and quotes from famous historical figures, that I couldn't put it down.
one of the best stories in "48 laws" is about the guys who sold the Eiffel tower to a scrapper... and got away clean 3 times because no one wanted to admit they'd been so easily duped. Another was the Brooklyn Bridge.
"ropes" was a bit drier in content, but more oriented towards the corporate world, discussing the Relationship between employee/employee and manager/employee.
also regarding "ropes":
I used to work in prepress for RR Donelley, I was involved in an incident with a pressman who had been a real jerk through my entire employment there (and not just to me). because of the incident (in a "last straw" moment I told him to do something physically impossible) I was required to do some reading. Most of it was psychological propaganda designed to keep people quiet and cowed and not ask for raises etc., all of which was dicussed in "ropes" almost verbatum! among the other available "lessons" on thier intranet were lessons for management about dealing with employees, and after seeing how close the required one was to "ropes" I decided to do some extra-curricular reading. As I'm sure you won't be shocked to hear, that stuff was written in a read-between-the-lines kind of way but was described in "ropes" as well.
As you read "ropes" all sorts of past incidents that you thought were innocent, or that confused you because they made no sense at the time, will become clear, and then you get confimation like I did and you'll be amazed that management are actually trained to do this to people!