Gradient in linked .ai file not displaying correctly in Indesign

[emmaTPR12]

I've linked an .ai file to my Indesign document. The Illustrator file has a gradient in it and displays correctly, like this:

However, in Indesign it appears like this:

How can I fix this so it displays correctly? Thanks.

[Mike Witherell]

Have you checked to ensure the color model of the ai and indd file are the same? Are you running the document at High Quality in preferences (or by right-clicking the graphic and choosing High Quality Display)? Are you avoiding EPS files in favor of native .AI or .PDF files for placement into InDesign?

[emmaTPR12]

By colour model, do you mean RGB or CMYK? If so, they're both in RGB.

The screengrab was taken in high quality mode. I did mention that the file is an .ai.

[Mike Witherell]

Do you have Overprint Preview off or on?

[emmaTPR12]

It's off. Nothing ticked in the Attributes palette either.

The gradient was just built by using the gradient palette - dragging a purple swatch to the black slider and a blue swatch to the white slider. Then I saved the new gradient swatch and applied it to my various shapes, some with the gradient rotated and some shapes then made semi transparent.

[Mike Witherell]

In the Illustrator file, how exactly are you building the gradient? Is anything set to Overprint in the Attributes panel of Illy?

[Mike Witherell]

What happens if you remove the semi-transparency?

[emmaTPR12]

Nothing, it doesn't make any difference... Interestingly an exported PDF behaves the same, but an exported png behaves correctly. And the thumbnail preview within Finder on my desktop also displays incorrectly.

[Mike Witherell]

That only leaves Export to IDML as a comparison test. I would re-save-as the .AI file, just for good measure.

[emmaTPR12]

presumably you mean exporting my main indesign file?

OK, have tried that - no difference.

crazy right?

[Mike Witherell · Accepted solution]

Yes, very strange. I am running out of guesses. What happens when you make a new similar Illy file with freshly built gradient and put it into a new Indy file? And put it now also into the same old Indy file?

BTW, is every app patched up to date?

[emmaTPR12]

I don't believe this - I created the file in the exact same way from scratch, and it's fine!