I was wondering what is the best way to flatten a pdf. From what I understand anything over a 1.4 can cause transparency issues on older rips. (I know flattening can cause other issues but let's forget them for now)
So the options are dropping the suspect pdf into indesign then exporting as a 1.4
or
Drop the suspect pdf into indesign and then post scripting out then distilling as a 1.4
You might try to preflight the pdf and save a a PDFx1a file. I believe it will flatten everything as it is part of the qualifying process.
Cool, what is the procedure exactly?
You could use the Flattener Preview in Acrobat.
V6 is limited, but 7-8 are pretty stable.
If you set the flattening default in InDesign to high quality, then place the PDF into InDesign and export as a PDF 1.3, you will get about the best flattening of any application I've tried short of flattening piece by piece.
Quote from: almaink on April 09, 2008, 09:18:55 AMYet more goodness from your friends at Adobe.
http://tv.adobe.com/
Good one on Transparency in Indy CS3
http://tv.adobe.com/#v=http%3A//adobe.edgeboss.net/flash/adobe/adobetvprod/escaping_murphys_law/56_eml_001.flv%3Frss_feedid%3D1071%26xmlvers%3D2
You could try this mini tutorial.
Quote from: almaink on April 12, 2008, 08:16:06 AMIf you set the flattening default in InDesign to high quality, then place the PDF into InDesign and export as a PDF 1.3, you will get about the best flattening of any application I've tried short of flattening piece by piece.
That's the best method I have found too.
There are rare occasions where that does not work though and my next method is to "Save As" out of Acrobat as a postscript file and then run that PDF through distiller. When you save it as postscript it automatically flattens it.
As usual, there are many ways to skin this cat.
My new work instists on printing a ps from Indesign then distilling,
If they are both set to 1.4 Press Quality
Is there any difference between doing this and just a straight export as pdf from indesign ?
Ya it takes at lest twice as long to do.
Quote from: Exploded on April 13, 2008, 03:15:27 AMMy new work instists on printing a ps from Indesign then distilling,
If they are both set to 1.4 Press Quality
Is there any difference between doing this and just a straight export as pdf from indesign ?
If you are printing to postscript and then distilling the version of PDF you make does not matter. Postscripting is what flattens it. If you want to export from InDesign and flatten you have to do it as a 1.3 PDF. An exported 1.4 PDF will retain transparency.
I'm siding with DCS on how to flatten PDF files: do it in Acrobat 8 using the Flattener Preview (which can be found in Advanced > Print Production).
3 reasons to prefer this way of doing it:
- It is the fastest since you don't have to import pages into another document
- It uses the same flattener technology as used in the other Adobe products
- Importing PDF pages in a new document adds unnecessary complexity to the process. Less intermediate steps usually equals less issues.
Hmmm, got the perfect file to experiment with this. Had to do a type edit in a PhSh PDF, in PhSh, which, mercifully, they had saved out properly, so opened up nicely, was editable, and recognised the activated fonts; [which they'd supplied...shock horror]. Once edited and saved it was 115 Mb. My route was to place in Indy CS2, and export according to my presets. File size now 15 Mb. No surprise to anyone. And a "nice" PDF.
However, I shall try opening it in Acro Pro 8, and do it that way.
My question...If I do a Save As via a particular route in there, Acro 8, will I be able to get a similarly smaller PDF. I guess it depends on presets, again.
[BTW, the Document Info on the original PDF showed PDF Creator as PhSh CS3. If I opened it in Acro Pro 7, PSP showed a big fat jpeg as the image,; not really editable! But was able to open it in PhSh CS3, where it was created, and then all was sweet. I'm still coming to grips with understanding the various flavours of PDF, what you can/can't...should/shouldn't do with them. But obviously, in this case, the file was only really editable in its creator program, PhSh...]. But at least now can usually resolve it, even if I don't fully understand why... :huh:].
[BTW, the Document Info on the original PDF showed PDF Creator as PhSh CS3. If I opened it in Acro Pro 7, PSP showed a big fat jpeg as the image,; not really editable!
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Yep - that is how it works.
That is one reason a Photoshop PDF should always have its extension changed to the proper ".pdp"
1 - the prepress will recognise it as a Photoshop file
2 - double clicking will open with Photoshop and not with Acrobat
3 - "Edit Original" in InDesign will open it in Photoshop and not Acrobat (where you can no editing)
I think this is very poor of Adobe not to automatically have Photoshop PDFs saved with the proper extension.
I wish they would create a "custom" extension for Illustrator PDFs - so all of the above would apply, as well.
MSD
I, essentially, do what Alma and Joe have said since I do all my layouts in Indesign and just export a v1.3 PDF from there to send to RIP/Trueflow.. but Im thinking Im going to take a look at the Flattener preview via Acrobat 8, now that DCS and Laurens have both recommended..
Quote from: Laurens on April 13, 2008, 12:21:05 PMI'm siding with DCS on how to flatten PDF files: do it in Acrobat 8 using the Flattener Preview (which can be found in Advanced > Print Production).
3 reasons to prefer this way of doing it:
- It is the fastest since you don't have to import pages into another document
- It uses the same flattener technology as used in the other Adobe products
- Importing PDF pages in a new document adds unnecessary complexity to the process. Less intermediate steps usually equals less issues.
I'll have to try it in 8 because I've gotten some pretty horrible results in 7 (and 6). Problem is I just absolutely hate using Acrobat 8. It's garbage for trying to preflight a PDF with a lot of pages in it. Take 3 to 4 times as long to preflight a file in 8 than it did in 7.
LOL looks like someone actually likes Acrobat 8? I'm with Joe on this one tho, I'm almost ready to trash version 8 at work it's such an annoyance.
Quote from: almaink on April 14, 2008, 06:00:12 PMLOL looks like someone actually likes Acrobat 8? I'm with Joe on this one tho, I'm almost ready to trash version 8 at work it's such an annoyance.
I decided that tonight I would use Acro 8 all night and not open 7 no matter how bad it got. I'm half way through the shift right now and have only considered going into the store room and hanging myself a half dozen times or so. :cool:
Quote from: WharfRat on April 14, 2008, 05:32:05 AM[BTW, the Document Info on the original PDF showed PDF Creator as PhSh CS3. If I opened it in Acro Pro 7, PSP showed a big fat jpeg as the image,; not really editable!
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Yep - that is how it works.
That is one reason a Photoshop PDF should always have its extension changed to the proper ".pdp"
1 - the prepress will recognise it as a Photoshop file
2 - double clicking will open with Photoshop and not with Acrobat
3 - "Edit Original" in InDesign will open it in Photoshop and not Acrobat (where you can no editing)
I think this is very poor of Adobe not to automatically have Photoshop PDFs saved with the proper extension.
I wish they would create a "custom" extension for Illustrator PDFs - so all of the above would apply, as well.
MSD
Thanks WharfRat. Keep posting stuff like this! I changed the suffix to .pdp on a copy of the file, double-clicked and presto, opened in PhShCS3.
On less hurried examination, the things got more layers than a Viennese chocolate torte. :rolleyes:
But a piece o' shite in Acrobat Pro/PitStop as a PDF. I'll be watching "PDF Creator" in Doc Properties more closely in future. :cheesy:
Joe, am sorry to hear your experience with #8. But remember, as someone wisecracked, [here, I think], it's Fisher-Price Acrobat! Looks like expectations have to be kept in line with its appearance. Another case of marketing/revenue overriding technical functionality. I've been able to avoid it so far, but will be dragged kicking and screaming soon, I suspect.
I have Acrobat 6-8 loaded on my machine. Depending on the severity of the problems, I work in alternate versions. If it is just straight flattening, I use 8. If it requires a lot of rework, I use 7. I don't really know why I keep 6, but I can't bring myself to trash it just yet. I don't like 8 because it is too slow, flattening seems more stable however.
Is anyone actually surprised that bloated software is the best for flattening stuff? :laugh:
Talk about resurrecting the dead....
I have a proof pdf I have sent to the customer, and they are telling me stuff is missing. I look at the file and immediately recognize that it's because I have my overprint preview on, and the customer is in Acrobat Reader. I could explain how to preview it on their end, but they're too stupid to understand, so I need a pdf that shows what this damned thing looks like. I ended up taking a screen shot and saving it as a pdf to get it out quickly, because I couldn't figure out how to flatten it and show the correct image. See screenshot to see what I am dealing with (screenshot has overprint preview turned off - note the drop shadow on the bottom line of text disappears too)... Rasterizing it in Photoshop doesn't do the trick, and I don't have a RIP to rasterize it and save a pdf from, unless CWS can do it.
Other than my backwards ass hick screenshot, how else can I show the pdf so they see it properly on their end?
There is a difference between overprint preview and transparency. Acrobat Reader does have a setting for overprint preview and Acrobat Reader can also view transparency fine as well. Are you sure they are using Acrobat Reader because what you are saying they see it is like they are viewing it either in their email software or a web browser or with Preview on the Mac? If you go ahead and apply the flattener in flattener preview does it look screwed up?
It looks all hollowed out like in the screenshot, and all the drop shadows disappear. In Reader to view it correctly, the overprint preview has to be on, but like I said, I can't seem to convey this to the customer - and you know how that goes... :vomit:
Reader does have an Overprint Preview option. I used to keep an email handy with screenshots that I could send to the CSRs for distribution to their clients when questions would come up.
Just yesterday I ran into this, spot 2 color Illustrator file, tried rasterizing it in photoshop but it didn't look the way it was supposed to look.
Had to import it into InDesign then export it out of Indesign as a jpeg, 300 dpi, cmyk, with the bleeds but you can't get the marks this way for some reason.
Had to reimport the jpeg back into inDesign and export with marks. (the salesman wants all his clients to see the trim marks.)
The client sees a pdf and would never know what kind it is, I tested it at the rip and it's ok.
Pain in the ass but it doesn't come up very often.
Quote from: pspdfppdfxhd on January 15, 2019, 08:32:37 AMJust yesterday I ran into this, spot 2 color Illustrator file, tried rasterizing it in photoshop but it didn't look the way it was supposed to look.
Had to import it into InDesign then export it out of Indesign as a jpeg, 300 dpi, cmyk, with the bleeds but you can't get the marks this way for some reason.
Had to reimport the jpeg back into inDesign and export with marks. (the salesman wants all his clients to see the trim marks.)
The client sees a pdf and would never know what kind it is, I tested it at the rip and it's ok.
Pain in the ass but it doesn't come up very often.
I almost always do it this way. 90% of the time I'm dealing with transparency and I have to be careful to change the transparency blend space to RGB before outputting a jpg.
Quote from: andyfest on January 14, 2019, 07:05:10 PMReader does have an Overprint Preview option. I used to keep an email handy with screenshots that I could send to the CSRs for distribution to their clients when questions would come up.
Again.... dealing with a guy with an IQ just above plant life.
Quote from: pspdfppdfxhd on January 15, 2019, 08:32:37 AMJust yesterday I ran into this, spot 2 color Illustrator file, tried rasterizing it in photoshop but it didn't look the way it was supposed to look.
Had to import it into InDesign then export it out of Indesign as a jpeg, 300 dpi, cmyk, with the bleeds but you can't get the marks this way for some reason.
Had to reimport the jpeg back into inDesign and export with marks. (the salesman wants all his clients to see the trim marks.)
The client sees a pdf and would never know what kind it is, I tested it at the rip and it's ok.
Pain in the ass but it doesn't come up very often.
It didn't work for this job. Still drops out and appears hollow. :shoots_self:
[edit] Follow-up. The screenshot worked fine, and the job got approved and is in production.
Yeah, I do the screenshot method too.
I'll be damned if I would have done a screen grab. I would taken a picture of the monitor with my cell phone and then printed it out and faxed it to him.
Joe, you have to put it in Excel first, then place it in MSWord...
or Powerpoint, both work equally as well.
Thanks!
:shoots_self:
MSPaint would be better. And then maybe Publisher to get a good PDF to send to the customer.
Damn...I knew I was forgetting something!
Come on Joe, keep up with technology!
I would have taken the PDF out to the cutter and smashed it flat with the clamp. While you were out there you could also cut it down to size so the customer can see what the finished PDF will look like...