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7236 Views 26 Replies Latest reply: May 19, 2010 12:35 AM by cmyck RSS
gwhPoster User 437 posts since
Feb 24, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

Nov 27, 2008 1:40 AM

Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

Hi everyone,

I've used the crop marks command (under the effects menu) on a rectangle that is the size of the artboard. I then created a pdf of the document and made sure there was enough bleed to encompass these crop marks, ie. 20mm all round. When I open up the pdf though no crop marks appear.

Can someone tell me why this is happening?

Appreciate any help.
  • Mordy Golding Community Professional 487 posts since
    Dec 20, 2005
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Nov 27, 2008 9:21 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    What version of Illustrator are you using? You'll need to make sure that your document size is large enough to include the crop marks.

    :) Mordy
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. Nov 27, 2008 9:53 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    This is not exactly an Illustrator issue but the crop marks should show regardless of the document size in perhaps a a printer marks area that is a different shade from the document
    and even one the can be turned invisible if one wanted it should then automatically tell you the minimum size paper you need to print the crop marks and if your printer can accommodate it.

    It seems that many people do not realize fro some reason that crop, bleed and printer marks are outside the document dimensions and that this seems to many a difficult idea to grasp.

    I believe even if you cannot see the crop marks in Acrobat the printer marks will print or should print if you tell Acrobat that you are printing on material large enough to have them print.

    But the user should be able to see that the document contains these items and that they now have a hint that you need a large piece of material to have them fit.
  • Mordy Golding Community Professional 487 posts since
    Dec 20, 2005
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. Nov 27, 2008 4:56 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    ah, ok, so this makes total sense. The Trim Marks command just draws lines -- nothing more than that. Just like drawing lines with the Line tool. The older Crop Marks command actually created Crop Marks in the true sense of the word. And that setting was translated into something meaningful in the PDF dialog.

    In reality, you can just turn on Crop Marks and specify a bleed setting as your PDF will be fine -- you don't need to do anything in the file itself -- it will all happen automatically when the PDF is generated.

    :) Mordy
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    5. Nov 27, 2008 5:16 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    Oh, I see. I still think it would be good to be able to see you crop and bleeds in the document even if it is outside the document area and so it will be easier for users to understand that if they want it to print they will have to specify a page size larger then the document.

    I think being able to see it extended beyond the document size ill do this for most users.
  • Mordy Golding Community Professional 487 posts since
    Dec 20, 2005
    Currently Being Moderated
    6. Nov 27, 2008 5:18 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    You don't have to extend the document size, er, artboard size at all, Wade -- in previous versions you had to, but not in CS4 -- that's because AI CS4 supports true bleed areas (finally).

    :) Mordy
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    7. Nov 27, 2008 5:50 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    It does do that but it should not show the bleeds as a part of the document it should the document size should be differentiated from the bleed and crop and printer marks area.

    You should be able to turn them off for better review purpose with clients and the thing that Acrobat does automatically is to fit the document to the paper size. This I think is a mistake as the ordinary user might not understand what is happening.

    If you want to print the document at a 100% it has to go on a paper and to a print that prints documents of a larger size.

    It should be clearer as we have reach a point in time where there are most users who have no old world experience with the printing press and plate making so many will not get this true once pointed out it will appear to them as a no brainer.

    Also with Acrobat becoming a presentation and conferencing tool for client review in a very live way the ability to turn the bleeds and marks off with a click is very necessary especially hen you have a dead head executive on the other end saying that they never approved that design feature. You can then just click hide the crops or pint out that those marks are outside the documents page size and won't print.

    No matter how much sense it makes to you and me because we are very experience with this there will always be people outside our profession that will have a hard time with this and many within our profession as well.

    I was aware this was finally included in CS4 but I think it can be improved admittedly you can send a copy of the pdf without bleeds and marks. But you have no control over what they might do on the other side and i have seen some pretty stupid things.

    In th old days you know the account exec would come into the art dept and pick the comp off of your drawing table and take his finger and run it over the art and ask is this wet?

    I guess I don't have to tell anyone the answer to that question.
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    9. Nov 28, 2008 2:05 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    yes you are missing something to the right of the bleed settings are Show Marks options, check that and then select Trim Marks.

    Specifying bleed is one thing directing Illustrator to also show the trim marks re two different things, there may be reasons to show the bleed and not the trim marks (crop marks)

    They are actually trim marks even though most of us cal them crop marks.

    You should be fine now.
  • Calculating status... 10 posts since
    Aug 11, 2002
    Currently Being Moderated
    10. Nov 28, 2008 8:58 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    Yes, there is a difference between crop marks and trim marks and there was a time not so long ago when Illustrator was capable of both. Now, it can't do them properly. The trim mark feature is either gone or broken depending on how you look at it.

    In my view, it's broken and needs to be fixed.

    If you make a bounding box to represent an area, let's say a rectangular business card and you want to show front and back beside each other on the same art board, you can't convert your rectangle to a guide because your crop marks vanish. You also can no longer select them to apply colors, adjust position, drag duplicates for things like fold lines you might want to indicate.

    Multiple artboards is a cool new feature but it is not an excuse to remove and break the crop/trim marks command. If you try to memorize the action in CS3 and import it into CS 4, you can't.
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    11. Nov 28, 2008 9:40 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    Oh you don't want an artboard you want two cropped areas so you can print two up.

    Make to rectangles as you did before go to Effects>Crop Marks.

    If you want to change anything about the crop marks since they are an effect Expand the Appearance and turn them into real art. And Voila!

    All fixed!

    Nothing has really changed.
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    13. Nov 28, 2008 5:24 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    You're welcome and it i better I think this way. use the artboards for sizing art documents nd trimming with trim marks use crop marks as crop marks.

    have a great day.
  • Calculating status... 1 posts since
    Jan 13, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    14. Jan 13, 2009 2:50 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    HOW DO YOU DO THE TRIM MARKS, NOT CROP MARKS IN ILLUSTRATOR CS4. WITH THE CROP MARKS, YOU CANNOT MOVE IT AROUND WITH THE OBJECT, BUT WITH THE TRIM MARKS YOU CAN, SO I WOULD I FIND THE TRIM MARKS OPTION IN CS4? THANKS
  • Wade S Zimmerman User 3,167 posts since
    Apr 30, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    15. Jan 13, 2009 8:57 PM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    Dario

    All Caps are considered shouting on the web. Unlock the Cap Lock.

    Do you want define an artboard which will have trim marks if you wish it to?
  • cmyck User 84 posts since
    Apr 18, 2002
    Currently Being Moderated
    16. Mar 16, 2009 4:04 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)
    I don't get it. I have the exact same problem. And the answer is simple: It's a bug.
    CS3 had the same issue and Adobe didn't deem it necessary to fix it for CS4.

    Steps to repro:
    1) create a document (A4)
    2) add your crop marks, either by hand or using the effect (you can expand them).
    3) or add some folding marks, e.g. use the registration color for them
    4) try to output a PDF with those marks showing...
    4.1) choose save a copy and choose PDF
    4.2) under marks and bleeds set the bleeds for all sides to 25mm (or whatever)
    4.3) save it
    When you open the document you'll notice that those crop marks or folding marks are missing.

    In CS4 you can fix that problem. Open Document Setup and set the bleed for the document to 25mm. Try saving it as PDF again. Result: crop marks or folding marks are there.

    Someone please give me one single reason why this isn't FUBAR.
  • s.gm Calculating status... 1 posts since
    Jun 10, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    17. Jun 10, 2009 1:26 PM (in response to cmyck)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    Hi cmyck,

     

    I just lost several hours trying to fix this problem. Your fix just saved my day. Thank you! And I agree that this is indeed a bug. Setting the bleed in "Save a Copy" as PDF should behave the same as setting the bleed in "Document Setup".

     

    Cheers,

    Bernhard

  • cmyck User 84 posts since
    Apr 18, 2002
    Currently Being Moderated
    18. Aug 7, 2009 2:34 AM (in response to s.gm)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    Wow, I'm glad someone found it useful.

  • Skullmaker User 498 posts since
    Jan 16, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    19. Aug 13, 2009 6:21 PM (in response to cmyck)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    It is sad that Illustrator does not provide updates.

     

    Adobe only sells you the next version as an update.

     

    I am glad that I did not waste my money buying CS4. The bad news is that I have CS3. I am afraid to buy CS5 and end up with more bugs that Adobe wont fix.

     

    Thank you for your solution!

  • cmyck User 84 posts since
    Apr 18, 2002
    Currently Being Moderated
    20. Aug 14, 2009 12:58 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    Everybody would benefit if Adobe had some serious competition.

    They probably know very well how bad their reputation for fast and sleek apps is.

    But they don't bother to react, since they own the market. As long as the cashflow is in the green, investors don't care.

    This will backfire eventually.

  • RogerPaine Calculating status... 77 posts since
    Jul 14, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    21. Aug 14, 2009 2:49 AM (in response to cmyck)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    I don't experience any of the above: I add bleed and crops and other stuff in the bleed area, save pdf, open in acrobat and its all there - The only weird thing is that if I put trims on in acro thay trim to the bleed area

  • cmyck User 84 posts since
    Apr 18, 2002

    You most likely set the bleed in the document settings. And then you woulnd't experience the problem.

    It only occurs if you set the bleed in the output settings during a save (save as PDF) [without having set it in the document settings]

    I just confirmed the bug again in version 14.0.0.

    Please, double check before you post contradicting findings. It confuses people.

  • Skullmaker User 498 posts since
    Jan 16, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    23. Aug 15, 2009 1:40 PM (in response to cmyck)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    Where is the CS4 update?

  • Little_Fullie Calculating status... 1 posts since
    Mar 1, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    24. Mar 1, 2010 10:31 AM (in response to cmyck)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    God bless you!! That was the simplest solution out there...

  • JamesKok Calculating status... 1 posts since
    May 18, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    25. May 18, 2010 9:34 PM (in response to cmyck)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    You are the best! Thanks!

  • cmyck User 84 posts since
    Apr 18, 2002
    Currently Being Moderated
    26. May 19, 2010 12:35 AM (in response to gwhPoster)
    Re: Crop Marks don't appear in pdf (Illustrator CS4)

    Glad it was helpful.

    Lo and behold! The bug is fixed in CS5. Finally.

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