Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : PC to MAC Photoshop PDF - text missing
Jonathan
08-20-2007, 10:32 AM
Hi guys and gals, I apologise in advance if this is a daft question...
I've just sent a PDF created in Photoshop (400dpi CMYK) to the printers for an a5 flyer design. They have viewed it on their MAC (yep, I'm on PC) and told me that a fair amount of the text is missing!
I've just rechecked everything I sent them and it looks perfect here. Is this a PC to MAC issue or something stupid that I missed? :confused:
When I saved the file as a PDF in Photoshop I made sure the following options were selected:
image encoding - jpeg with no compression
yes to - layers
yes to - include vector data (so text will be vectors)
yes to - embed fonts (only using 1 font so nothing odd there)
Ahhh jeese, just when you think your job was done...
If anyone has any helpful advice I'd be INCREDIBLY grateful! :)
I'm not positive but, most likely the fonts.
Your best bet might be to flatten the entire file or rasterize the fonts.
I'm pretty certain that when a pdf embeds the font it is no different then taking the font on the system. If thats the case then your fonts won't be compatible with a mac unless they are opentype.
Jonathan
08-20-2007, 11:08 AM
Hi tZ, thanks for that...
I'm gonna save it as an eps and see if they can work with that first.
Fingers crossed!
DesignVHL
08-20-2007, 04:38 PM
i'd flatten and save as a PDF at the highest setting for press...u should be fine....
Why did u use photoshop for the whole layout instead of using Quark or ID?
Jonathan
08-20-2007, 04:58 PM
Thanks Valerie, in the end I did just that...
Yep, I know Photoshop wasn't the best application to working in and can only apologise! To be honest, I rarely get asked to produce work for print (mostly web), but will invest in some vector / print orientated software some time soon...
DesignVHL
08-20-2007, 05:04 PM
no problem Jonathan.....i would suggest InDesign for layout....Illustrator for Vector (illustrations, logos), and Photoshop for everything else - :) I think we can all be guilty of using PS for some layout - i think it depends mostly on what your doing...i've done small handbills all in ps numerous times because the printer wants TIFF Files....but if i am not using any styles on the text i'll try to do it in InDesign and export as a PDF....
Jonathan
08-20-2007, 07:27 PM
Hey thanks for the tips Valerie, much appreciated. I do tend to get a bit lazy using Photoshop for almost everything, but it isn't always ideal when going to prepress. I used to use Corel for vectors but it's about time I learnt something like Illustrator. I've also been hearing good things about InDesign so I'll definitely have to check out a demo ASAP!
Thanks again from the UK :-)
Alan G
08-22-2007, 06:39 AM
Don't feel bad, Jonathan. I once did an entire 20-page layout, text and all, using only Photoshop, for reasons that are too complex (and painful) to go into here. It's not something I'd ever want to do again, but if you're of certain religious persuasions it's right up there with scourges, or beds of good sharp nails.
urstwile
08-22-2007, 06:47 AM
Gack! Twenty pages? :eek: Crikey!
Alan G
08-22-2007, 07:18 AM
It was fun, actually, in a masochistic sort of way. Like climbing the Matterhorn wearing flipflops. Setting the text in two-column layouts was the worst part. (No, really. I'm not making this up!) What came off press actually looked really, really good, but my monitor and keyboard went into rehab for a month.
no problem Jonathan.....i would suggest InDesign for layout....Illustrator for Vector (illustrations, logos), and Photoshop for everything else - :) I think we can all be guilty of using PS for some layout - i think it depends mostly on what your doing...i've done small handbills all in ps numerous times because the printer wants TIFF Files....but if i am not using any styles on the text i'll try to do it in InDesign and export as a PDF....
What resolution did you have that TIFF file in? Curious cause the only way we got good lines on the type was at 1200 dpi.
I know that Acrobat can export PDFs as TIFFs, but only at a maximum of 600 dpi. (In version 5 at least) Not good, but better than nothing when the PDF won't print correctly...
-Rizz
DesignVHL
08-22-2007, 02:01 PM
300DPI CMYK for my handbills, and they always come out great....type obviously isn't as sharp as it would if I had done it in Indesign or printed at a higher rez, but I might start doing that more....I should ask my client and see if he would accept ID files - it would help improve the sharpness of the tour dates at least - but other than that its mostly display text with more than flat color, so ID isn't always ideal ... I agree with you on this one, just that this is what HE requested, and he works at a printing company! I never thought to question it, lol...
MikeTheVike
08-22-2007, 02:52 PM
I may be wrong, but if you use text in Photoshop and then save it as a pdf, the text remains vectorized doesn't it?
DesignVHL
08-22-2007, 02:57 PM
I'm not sure about that...I never thought of PS text as being a vector....but i guess it is if it isn't rasterized! But I do think that a PS PDF is rasterized....tho I guess it could also depend upon how you setup your PDF to export, and how you dealt w/ fonts.....hmmm a question for our experts...
Two-Toe Tom
08-22-2007, 03:03 PM
I may be wrong, but if you use text in Photoshop and then save it as a pdf, the text remains vectorized doesn't it?
it rasterizes when i save as pdf, there might be some setting to keep it vector tho.
budafist
08-23-2007, 12:36 AM
PS text is raster instead of vector anyway, but when it is editable, your fonts can disappear.
Poof! Gone!
urstwile
08-23-2007, 04:08 AM
Um no, PS text isn't raster, it's vector (try it, see how far in you can zoom in when you make the PDF), but it doesn't leave the text as editable, simply leaves it as vector in the PDF.
You can also save Photoshop files as EPS with vector info included (like for shape layers). Be wary of that one though, some shops have trouble with that, I always alert them beforehand if I'm sending files with that format.