How does crop pages work in Acrobat?

[Guest]

Although I have "eliminated white space" from pdfs for email attachments, recently I tried cropping a pdf before placing it in an InDesign document (it was saved as a pdf from a crossword puzzle-creating application and sent to me). I seemed to be able to crop it, save the cropped version, and verify that it was cropped by opening the pdf in Acrobat, but when I place the pdf, it always displays the image uncropped. IT suggests that the problem might be that CS2 has difficulties with Vista, although when I try it on my Mac at home, I see the same thing. Is cropping only a function available for viewing pdfs in Acrobat?

Mac OS 10.4.11, CS3

PC Vista, CS2

[Phillip_M_Jones]

lactarius wrote:

Although I have "eliminated white space" from pdfs for email attachments, recently I tried cropping a pdf before placing it in an InDesign document (it was saved as a pdf from a crossword puzzle-creating application and sent to me). I seemed to be able to crop it, save the cropped version, and verify that it was cropped by opening the pdf in Acrobat, but when I place the pdf, it always displays the image uncropped. IT suggests that the problem might be that CS2 has difficulties with Vista, although when I try it on my Mac at home, I see the same thing. Is cropping only a function available for viewing pdfs in Acrobat?

Mac OS 10.4.11, CS3

PC Vista, CS2

If you have never used acrobat:

Go to Documents > Crop pages.

when window opens you will see a preview window showing left, right, top, bottom

each up or down button moves in 1/8 " increments (if using inches).  if you move the entire window around you can actually see the affect of the changes.

Now to what it actually does. Crop in Acrobat is actually a misnomer. Technically its actually hides the area or mask the area. It performs what is called a non-distructive Crop.

However you can make it a permanent crop (or disctructive) by Re-Frying the PDF. (saving the cropped PDF as a new PDF).

IT a non-distructive crop is that way because you might want to change your mind and back off a little this way, or that way and allows you to do so.

However, when you view the PDF it appears cropped; But, all the information contained in the original uncropped PDF is still there.

I have no idea how crop works in Illustrator, InDesign, or any other Adobe Product, as the only other applications I own are Studio 8 which were originally MacroMedia Products (DreamWeaver, Flash Pro, Fireworks, Contribute).

[Guest]

Thanks, Phillip, I'll give it a try!

OK, so if I want to actually crop the image, I

[Phillip_M_Jones]

lactarius wrote:

Thanks, Phillip, I'll give it a try!

OK, so if I want to actually crop the image, I

Open Acrobat Load the PDF to Crop. Click on Document menu and select Crop pages.

when windo open use either the up or down buttons in either the left, right, top, bottom Depending upon how you want to crop the image.

Now  close out of crop pages. The Image will show as cropped.

If you want to save premanently as cropped. the Choose Save As... and choose PDF. This will make a PDF of the PDF. (AKA: ReFrying).

One note: you don't want to ReFry to many times as image quality will suffer.

[Guest]

I wasn't sure exactly what refrying entailed, but I wasn't successful

when I tried saving the cropped PDF as PDF (it still resulted in a

non-cropped image when imported). It did work, though, when I saved

it as postscript and double-clicked the PS file, which I guess

distilled it.

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Glad I was of some help.

Sure your correct saving a PS then Droping on Distiller.

Its been a while since I've had to do so.  I did now you had to make a new PDF from the altered PDF (ReFry) in order to make Changes permanent.

[Guest]

Thanks for your help, Phillip! But now that I know how to do it, I'm

not sure it would often be worth it, since I can crop images in

InDesign (my usual destination)-- I had assumed that the crop tool in

Acrobat would do the same job (in one step).

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Acrobat is the only Application I am aware of that has a non-destructive Crop.  I guess to make it easy to rest in case you made a mistake. In other applications you just save an extra copy to cover yourself.

So I agree with you.  It can be done but ist not worth it.

[AnneMarie Concepcion]

FWIW, Photoshop's Crop command is also non-destructive. You have to choose Trim after the crop to truly remove the data.

The recommendation to "refry" the PDF was correct; as far as I know it's the only way to truly get rid of the masked/hidden data. I even have a lynda.com video tutorial all about refrying to get rid of cropped data (part of my Acrobat Pro 9.0 Tips and Techniques title). It can be frustrating, especially if you're trying to crop out questionable/embarrassing data 😉

AM

[Guest]

AnneMarie,

But when I place a cropped image from Photoshop into Indesign, for

instance, only the portion within the marquee is displayed in my

Indesign doc; do you mean that the rest of the image is still there

unless I choose Trim after cropping? The file size is reduced after

cropping, though--I guess I thought that was an indication that the

data was removed.

[Phillip_M_Jones]

lactarius wrote:

AnneMarie,

But when I place a cropped image from Photoshop into Indesign, for 

instance, only the portion within the marquee is displayed in my 

Indesign doc; do you mean that the rest of the image is still there 

unless I choose Trim after cropping? The file size is reduced after 

cropping, though--I guess I thought that was an indication that the 

data was removed.

Sounds like that is what AnneMarie is saying.

[Guest]

AnneMarie and Phillip,

Sorry to be thick-headed, but can you explain how what I observed

about Photoshop cropped images demonstrates that Photoshop does non-

destructive cropping? Obviously there's something I'm not getting!

[Phillip_M_Jones]

I can't tell how to prove in Photoshop unless the fllowing in Acrobat works in Photoshop.

Create a PDF now crop it as per previous instructions. (Don't ReFry).

Now save changes Close Acrobat.

Now wait a while. or do something else. Come back to Acrobat by opening the PDF.

Notice its still cropped.

Now open Crop, and click on opposite buttons as you used to crop toi remove cropping.

now loof at PDF notice the cropping has disappeared or changed.

Now open Photoshop and use Photoshop's Crop tool see if you can reverse a crop if so it was a non-destructive crop. If you used Trim (based on AnneMarie's info) it won't change.

[Phillip_M_Jones]

pardon my typing skills, using hunt & peck I sometimes leave a letter out here and there. I proof, but sometimes even I see the post as correct until after posted.

Glad to know that Photoshop has non-destructive crop.

[lopesjl · Accepted solution]

I came in late on this one, but I think I can help. You shouldn't need to re-distill a new pdf file.

1) Crop and save the Acrobat file as you normally would.

2) In the inDesign document, instead of dragging the pdf onto the page, go to File > Place and a "Place File" window will open.

3) Click on the "Show import Options" button in the lower left corner of the screen and then choose the file you want to place. and the "Place PDF" window will open.

4) In the Options area the "Crop To" default is generally set to "Bounding Box". Change this to "Crop" and click OK.

5) Place the pdf file in the InDesign document.

From then on you should be able to drag cropped pdf files onto an InDesign page and the crop will hold.

You shouldn't have to use the File > Place option again as this setting should hold unless you change it as I have outlined above.

Please be aware that a program update may change the setting back to the "Bounding Box" default.

Hope this helps!

[Guest]

lopesjl,

It works! Thank you, thank you--I'll file your suggestion away!

[lopesjl]

No problem. Glad to be of help. It works the same on the PC side as well. Give it a whirl.

I use Creative Suite on a Mac at work and on a PC at home.

[Guest]

For me, it's reversed--Mac at home and PC at work!