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Exporting PDFs in InDesign CC fails

New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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I have tried to export a multi page Indesign document to PDF but it keeps failing. The document was created in CS 5.5 and exported without any problems in this version. I've recently upgraded to CC and have experienced a few problems when exporting to PDF. Firstly, I have idenified the page where the failure occurs by deleting pages in the InDesign document until the file would export. The page consists of objects created in InDesign (circles which have strokes, gradients and drop shadows) which make up a diagram. I've tried replacing this diagram by copying and pasting it from the CS 5.5 version of the InDesign document, exporting to PDF and that works ok. Unfortunately the diagram is too big for the page size so I've scaled it down to 90% of the original size but when I export the PDF it fails. Any ideas?

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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I am assuming you've properly converted the document from ID5.5 to IDCC. Have you tried recreating the graphic in the IDCC version of the file and then exporting? Perhaps it's the copying the graphic from 5.5 and pasting it into CC that is creating the problem.

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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What do you mean by properly converting? Essentially I've opened up the CS5.5 doc in CC. The diagram isn't too complex to recreate, however I've created lots of similar diagrams, most of them have converted ok and there isn't a problem. The stlye of these diagrams are repeated throughout this document and in others so I don't really want to recreate all of those.

As I mentioned before, pasting the diagram in from the old document and exporting is fine. It seems that scaling is an issue.

So I know the file works ok in CS 5.5 and I can edit the file in CC then export to INDL and reopen in CS 5.5 and that works. It seem to be a problem in the CC edition.

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Community Expert ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Try exporting IDML from CS5.5, and opening that in InDesign CC. In some cases, that might be necessary. (It's never happened to me, however.)

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Gave it a go but still the PDF fails. Thanks for the suggestion.

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Can you try this please.

Copy the problematic diagram and paste it into Illustrator CC.

Does it look ok or not?

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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So I tried to paste the diagram into Illustrator CC and I got a pop up that read "Acrobat PDF File Format is having differculties. Unterminated string."

The diagram wouldn't paste.

Next I tried to paste elements of the diagram, a circle at a time, a few text boxes together and these pasted in ok. In the end I was able to paste the entire diagram into Illustrator CC but not all at once.

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Any change if you first change all gradient fills to standard fills?

Can you upload the diagram somewhere so I can try it here? Dropbox perhaps?

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_H3qMrxHMjPN1lqaUhTQlBrR0E&usp=sharing

Hopefully you can access this file located above. Tried removing grads and drop shadows, no joy.

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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It's a bit too much data to hunt for the problem, but I found a quick fix.

I can see the same error when pasting to Illustrator but I was able to export it as EPS. Then I open the EPS in Illustrator and copy. Then I paste it back to InDesign. Now I can export it to PDF.

But I think you should reapply the gradients. They may have been reasterized during this process.

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Thanks for looking into this. I think your solution will work but isn't ideal as the text becomes outlined. It's probably easier if I save an INDL file and open in CS5.5 to output the final PDF.

I was hoping others may have encountered with the same problem so I could assume it was a software bug rather than any corruption within my file.

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Make a new layer and move all text objects to this top level layer.

Hide the layer

Then do the EPS thingie and see if it works

Replace the gradients if needed.

- - -

It's always easier to find corrupt vector data in Illustrator with the outline mode. It's not as easy in InDesign to dig through the layers of data.

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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One more thing...

You can fix it with CS6 but you probably want to archive this CC document in a working state, not a semi working state.

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New Here ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Sorry, I'm not sure I follow 😕

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Explorer ,
Aug 16, 2013 Aug 16, 2013

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Is this is a job for a client and you are saving it for later, new editions etc?

If so you do not want to archive the document in a problematic state. The next time the client needs an update they want it within the hour! Hurry up!

So the CS6 reroute will help you now but for the long haul you want to save this document in a working state.

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Community Beginner ,
May 11, 2014 May 11, 2014

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I am having the exact same issue, no PDF is being created from InDesign and I do have a diagram with gradients. I exported as a JPG just for the client to see but I need to print and JPG won't do. So I was exporting it into Illustrator into the printer's template and when the time to paste the diagram came, again some the issue saying "Acrobat PDF File Format is having differculties. Unterminated string"

I ewas having this issue earlier on my InDesign CS6 so I decided to uninstall as I had tried all work arounds and I really don't have time for Adobe's bugs. Instead of reinstalling CS6 I installed CC which I am guessing, based on this thread, is causing some conflicting issues. Reinstalled CS6 and working from it now, but still having same issues.

Please help.

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Community Expert ,
May 12, 2014 May 12, 2014

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This is a pretty old thread.

I've written some guides to troubleshooting files crashing on output

Re: File Crashing on Output - printing/PDF/other

Hope that helps.

For future reference and to get a faster response you can make a new discussion

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Community Expert ,
May 12, 2014 May 12, 2014

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@alinaalvarez00 – do you still have access to your older InDesign version where this diagram is ceated?
If yes, you could select it and export it as snippet file (*.idms) and place that snippet in your CC document.

That's worth a try…

Uwe

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New Here ,
Feb 04, 2015 Feb 04, 2015

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I have the same issue, does Adobe Tec Support team can take a look?

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Community Expert ,
Feb 04, 2015 Feb 04, 2015

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This is a user to user forum, not Adobe Tech Support, so the odds anyone from Adobe will see this is small.

Have you followed the advice in Eugene's link, above?

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New Here ,
Apr 25, 2015 Apr 25, 2015

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Hi. I have had similiar problems lately with exporting PDFs myself on ID CC. I found that the background image when exporting is failing due to any EPS files on your document. You can try editing those EPS files to an AI file or open the EPS file in Photoshop and save as EPS, PSD, JPG, or TIF. These have worked for me when exporting PDFs.

Also, there is a transparency blend that needs to be changed under EDIT>>Transparency Blend Space.

Hope this helps!
@

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New Here ,
Apr 13, 2016 Apr 13, 2016

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Had the SAME ISSUE - NONE of the solutions on Adobe website work - RESOLVED by PRINTING to AdobePDF instead of EXPORTING...

Yields the same result to my knowledge? But I'm no graphic designer.

M

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Community Expert ,
Apr 13, 2016 Apr 13, 2016

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It does not yield the same result as a modern exported PDF -- you lose transparency and layer support along with color management information.

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New Here ,
Jun 28, 2016 Jun 28, 2016

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Try saving as an IDML and then opening the file back up. This worked for me.

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