Problem when PDfing with Indesign - Shadows

[NeilWilliams]

Hi

I ownder if someone could help me with an answer.

I have just started using Indesign.
I am printing the document to a Xerox 7700.

I have taken my Indsign page and created a pdf, then printed from the pdf, as i need to transport it across country for another user to print. When i print from the pdf crated in indesign, the drop shdows i used around text, changes the colour background on the printout, ie: creates a block colour.

Has anyone experienced this before, and do you know what the solution is?

Is it a setting when pdf'ing from indesign ?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
Neil

[Gromit801]

Providing you have no plans to edit this after it is a PDF...

In InDesign, select all. In the links pallet, embed all graphics. While everything is still selected, go to Type > Create outlines.

Then begin your PDF creation: Set for Press Quality, leave the rest as default.

Try that, see what happens.

[panzer]

hmmm i need to get started on InDesign some of the stuff you just mentioned Grom ie outlines

i never knew it did this

[Gromit801]

One of the business card vendors we use, requires that kind of set-up. It eliminates packaging fonts and graphics, which they don't want to deal with. I've found it has worked in other situations, so it might work here.

[urstwile]

Is the problem visible on the PDF, or does it just happen at the print stage?

[PersonasBinar]

Transparency setting may not be max'd out. Or you're PDF is using transparency and your printer cannot interpret correctly. Also possible, colour settings. How are you printing the PDF to 7700?

[NeilWilliams]

We have managed to resolve the problem by PDF'ing from Indesign at a hioher Resolution, but this does create a much larger file size.

The problem of the drop shadows changing the background colour on the pdf only ssems to occur when making a lower res pdf from indesign.

Its nothign to do withthe Printer, as it prints it out fine on the higher res'd version.

Thanks
Neil

[defjoe]

did you try printing it on another printer?

[Painbunny]

If I understood correctly, we have this problem all the time. If I use the export command to make a pdf many transparency (usually shadow) effects create odd boxes around the elements. One professional told me that the export pdf has many problems considering printing.

After I switched to using Print-command and choosing "Adobe PDF" as the printer the problem was solved. Distiller gives us better results in many cases.

[doubting_thomas]

It sounds like you PDF may be getting flattened in the creation
process. Here are a couple of things to check:

Make sure of what PDF compatability you are using upon
Export. It should be at least PDF 1.4 (Acrobat 5) compatability.

Try selecting the text and moving to a layer above the
object it is on top of (might help).

If you have to print or view using Acrobat 4 for some reason, make
sure that the Simulate Overprint box is checked in the Output tab
of the dialog box.

Printing to Adobe PDF is making a device independant
PDF file (or .ps file), so your piece is maintaining it's transparancy
until it rips (which is the goal and will eliminate the problem you
are seeing). It may be a bigger file, but it works, and that's also
the goal :D

Hope this helps in some way