Best way to flatten a pdf ?

Started by Exploded, April 12, 2008, 06:18:39 AM

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Exploded

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






LoganBlade

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.
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Exploded

Cool, what is the procedure exactly?

DigitalCrapShoveler

You could use the Flattener Preview in Acrobat.

V6 is limited, but 7-8 are pretty stable.
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almaink

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.
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Joe

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.
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Exploded

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 ?

almaink

Ya it takes at lest twice as long to do.
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Joe

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.
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Laurens

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.




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frailer

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:].
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WharfRat

[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!
-----
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


ninjaPB_43

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.. 
People will notice the change in your attitude towards them, but won't notice their behavior that made you change.  -Bob Marley

Joe

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.
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.