PDF printing with hidden lines

[communicationsatuofs]

Hi there, I am having some issues with a document. I saved it as a PDF, which looks perfect on screen, but when I print it shows various lines that should be hidden (and appear hidden in the PDF on screen). I've attached the image of how the poster SHOULD look (at the bottom of this message) and how it prints

[Mike Witherell]

What printer model are you printing this to?

[communicationsatuofs]

I am printing on the Lexmark CS410. I have printed other InDesign documents with this printer and have not encountered this issue before.

[Mike Witherell]

Could it somehow be printer driver centric? Maybe it is related to the well-known problem Yucky Discolored Box Syndrome:https://indesignsecrets.com/eliminating-ydb-yucky-discolored-box-syndrome.php

https://indesignsecrets.com/eliminating-ydb-yucky-discolored-box-syndrome.php

[BobLevine]

Looks like stitching artifacts.

How EXACTLY did you create the PDF?

[Dov Isaacs]

Yes, looks like transparency stitching artifacts. Try producing PDF via export with the PDF/X-4 joboptions (and no color conversion)!

          - Dov

[communicationsatuofs]

Hello Dov, I tried saving with this option and the same issue happened.

[communicationsatuofs]

I've tried several different export settings and encounter the same printing issue each time. I am able to print it if I save as a Jpg but it has soft text via jpg. I wish there was some way to just export a WYSIWYG PDF.

[Dov Isaacs]

If you can post the resultant PDF file, we can see what's going on internally and perhaps give some more useful advice. Another possibility is that transparency is actually being flattened in content that you are placing into the InDesign document prior to the placement of that content.

          - Dov

[communicationsatuofs · Accepted solution]

I solved the problem by doing the following:

How I saved the file during export had no effect on the printing. Instead, I lowered my printer DPI printing setting to print at a lower resolution, and that removed the stitching.

In regards to the awkward dark blue spots over the blue oval, it was something to do with the oval (though I couldn't figure out what), I simply removed the "defective" oval and made a new one.

Thank you all for your assistance.

Sarah