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How do you export a "flat image" pdf? So confused.

New Here ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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Hello,

When I export from indesign, I typically choose the "Press Quality" job option to send my files to the printer.  However, I've run into a situation where a printer I'm intersted is having a problem with my pdf files.

I design with lots of drop shadows, transparency and other effects.  When I open the exported pdf in Acrobat, I see the file layer itself open.  The background appears first then all the graphics in front of it appear. 

This is what's causing issues with the printer.  If I would import and open in Photoshop, I could simply choose "flatten image" and resave as whatever file type i wanted.  However, I am wondering if there is anything in Indesign already that would help me eliminate that step?

Thanks for your help, I would love to clairfy if I left any details out.

Thanks,

Steve

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

If you run the PDF Optimzer and just change the compatibility to Acrobat 4 it will flatten the transparency and remove any layers in the PDF becasue they are not supported at that level.

Acrobat 5 supports transparency, but not layers, and Acrobat 6 or later supports both. I have no idea where your layers are coming from without knowing precisely what you are doing.

I will ask you again, is overprint preview eanbled in Acrobat? Check your Acrobat preferences.

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Community Expert ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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Press Quality PDF preset does not flatten transparency. That's probably what the printer is having problems with.

Choose PDF/X-1a instead. On the Advanced panel be sure to choose a High Quality Flattener Preset. That preset will flatten transpraency.

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New Here ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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I just did everything you said and unfortunately, it actually did the exact same thing as if I chose Press Quality.

Still confused.

Screen Shot 2012-05-03 at 2.12.54 PM.png

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Community Expert ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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What version of Acrobat are you using? I'll tell you how you can check the flattening in the PDF file. (It's different from Acrobat 9 and Acrobat X).

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New Here ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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Acrobat Pro X  (10.1.3)

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Community Expert ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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In Acrobat X, you need to open the Print Production panel under the Tools on the right. It's not showing by default so you need to choose Print Production from the menu at the upper right.

In the Print Production panel, click on Flattener Preview, and you'll see a dialog box like this. Click on the Highlight menu at the top. If there is no transparency, it will show gray as below.

NoTransparency.jpg

When you open the Highlight menu, if there is transparency, it will look like this:

Transparency.jpg

When you select Transparent Objects, they will show highlighted in red like this:

TransparentObjects.jpg

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New Here ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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Ok, I see what you mean now.  When I open the file, the layers still appear from the back foward but when I open the flattener preview, it says there are no transparent objects, so that's good.  However, I printed out a preview and it deleted my transparent red layer.

Here is what the file should look like:

Screen Shot 2012-05-03 at 3.05.24 PM.png

Here is how it printed out:

Screen Shot 2012-05-03 at 3.08.53 PM.png

No more shadows or transparent red. 

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Community Expert ,
May 03, 2012 May 03, 2012

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Something is wrong. What does it look like in ID with Overprint Preview turned on?

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New Here ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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the first shot above was with overprint preview turned on.

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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I can't replicate the problem here. Is overprint preview turned on in Acrobat?

You might also want to try exporting the transparency live, then using the PDF Optimizer to flatten it.

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New Here ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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What do you mean by exporting the transparency live?

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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Exporting transparency live means not flattening the transparency. You can do this by selecting a PDF preset that doesn't flatten. These include Press Quality, High Quality Print, PDF/X-4.

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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Any setting that uses Acrobat 5 or higher compatibility leaves transparency live, any setting using Acrobat 4 compatibility or lower flattens it.

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New Here ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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It still pops layers in after doing that, though its not as bad.

I tried it with clicking the transparency box as well and choose the high resolution setting with no success either.  It made the red sunburst white again.

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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If you run the PDF Optimzer and just change the compatibility to Acrobat 4 it will flatten the transparency and remove any layers in the PDF becasue they are not supported at that level.

Acrobat 5 supports transparency, but not layers, and Acrobat 6 or later supports both. I have no idea where your layers are coming from without knowing precisely what you are doing.

I will ask you again, is overprint preview eanbled in Acrobat? Check your Acrobat preferences.

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New Here ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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I think that did it.  There's really not pop in anymore (a little) but it did run a transparency flattener without turning my red sunburst white.

I do really wish there was an easier way to do this in InDesign but oh well.

Thank you!

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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What you really should be wishing is that your printer would join the 21st century and upgrade his RIP to support live transparency, or find a new printer.

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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Is the logo placed or is it built in ID? What's your Transparancy Blend Space set to? Are all of the logo colors CMYK?

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New Here ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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The logo was created in Illustrator then placed.  CMYK space.  All logo colors are CMYK.

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Community Expert ,
May 04, 2012 May 04, 2012

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You could be getting a conversion into a different CMYK color space which would explain the shift in colors. Open the logo and resave and make sure to uncheck Embed Profiles.

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