Please help with EPS import to ID showing as gray lines in preview but black in PDF

[holmesdtx]

Hi. I was hoping you guys could shed some light on a display issue I am having.  Its not a real issue per se, but something that is bothersome.  In normal mode, and presentation mode (and all others for that matter), I have a isometric view of a product that is a placed EPS file, that shows up as gray lines instead of black.  When I export to pdf, the lines show correctly as black.

Is there anyway to make the presention mode and normal mode show the lines as correct dark black like in the pdf rather than the light gray lines.  I am assuming the problem lies in the line weights, but I'm not sure.

I'm using 2017 creative cloud indesign.  Btw, I think I see the same issues in illustrator.  In the program the lines show up as gray, but in pdf output, it is the correct black.  I've checked the options of appearance of black and that doesn't seem to make a difference.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Cheers!!!

[Steve Werner]

If you're seeing the same problem in Illustrator, then you should ask in the Illustrator forum. The problem would be in the originating application.

[holmesdtx]

Hi Steve. Thanks for the tip.  I only mentioned illustrator just to say that it seems like a characteristic between both programs.  The EPS file was not created in AI.  I've only seen this same thing in that program.  The EPS was created in Solidworks Composer.

You did give me an idea to try to place a different file format of same image.  I have a pdf of the same view that I relinked the frame to.  The pdf placed image shows the same light gray lines in presentation mode, but pdf output is correct.

I feel its just the way it handles the fine line weights, but wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong.  And its kind of annoying that my presentation mode isn't 100% accurate of the PDF output.  I find myself outputting the pdf often just to see it in full saturation.  Thanks!

[Steve Werner]

Have you tried turning on Overprint Preview in InDesign to get a more accurate preview?

[holmesdtx]

Hi Steve...Yes!, it does show correctly!! But then I lose my bounding boxes.  But this does get me what I want for presentation mode and normal view.  Thanks!!!

[rob day]

With line drawings the application's anti-aliasing technique would affect the line appearance. If you zoom in on the line drawing to the maximum 4000% what values show in the Separations Panel when you sample the line?

[Test Screen Name]

Both are correct. Some are best for one type of image, some are best for other types. Occasionally, Adobe change their mind about what is best, or make different calls in the same software. Never do they provide a preference.

The problem is lines which are much less than 1 pixel wide when rendered. The original rules of PostScript are clear: you must fill in the whole pixel with black. The problem is that a design with a mass of thin lines becomes blacker than expected. So the other option is to say "this line only fills 10% of the pixel, I'll set to 10% gray"|. Generally black is better for engineering drawings, gray for "art".

The effect is not really seen on quality print, mainly on screen. In a PDF you CANNOT know how it will display, so there is little point worrying about it.

[rob day]

Occasionally, Adobe change their mind about what is best, or make different calls in the same software. Never do they provide a preference.

Both InDesign and Reader have preferences. For ID see Preferences>Display Performance>Enable Anti-aliasing. For Reader and AcrobatPro see Preferences>Page Display.

In illustrator it's under Preferences>General

[holmesdtx]

This did the trick!!!  however, I do need to think about my color processing.  The end use will be downloaded from website and shown on computer as well as being printed.  Seems if that's the case, then I should make sure that the black colors 0,0,0,100 CMYK.  If I do that, then I should be able to guarantee consistent black regardless of preferences, computer viewing, or print.

Thanks for all the help guys!!!

[holmesdtx]

I opened the EPS in Illustrator. Converted the document color model from RGB > CMWK.  That allowed me to select the objects, then edit > edit colors > convert to CMYK.  I saved EPS, then relinked in InDesign.  Presto!  Blacks with anti-aliasing enabled in normal and presentation mode!!!  Thanks!

[holmesdtx]

Hi Rob.  Thanks for the tip.  I think it is leading me to why its doing this.  If I open the separations panel, it doesn't allow me to "sample" it by moving my mouse over the line.  I can however, turn off the individual CMYK colors.  If I turn them all off but K, I get a faint black.  If I turn them all on, then the black is correct.  So maybe I need to re export my eps with CMYK as K value of 100 and everything else 0 as it looks like it is making black by mixing them all together.  idk.....CAD is my forte, not CC. 

[rob day · Accepted solution]

So maybe I need to re export my eps with CMYK as K value of 100 and everything else 0 as it looks like it is making black by mixing them all together.  idk.....CAD is my forte, not CC.

If you are getting 4-color blacks either the line is RGB, and from your description something other than absolute black 0|0|0, or the lines are 0|0|0|100 CMYK but the placed drawing has a CMYK profile that conflicts with your InDesign document's CMYK profile.

If the document is only for screen display or will only be printed on a composite printer 0|0|0 RGB should work. If it will be printed on and offset press you'll need the lines to be 1-color black CMYK.

[Test Screen Name]

My case is that if (but only if) you are producing for distribution to other people, then the preferences are irrelevant because you can't control the end display. Of course, if you're making for print it's a different story, but these preferences also won't affect print.

If anything I'd recommend viewing in each setting to make sure you are comfortable with both results.