Indesign - Weird Transparency file problems

[pazazlm]

We have a freelancer that developed some postcards for us using InDesign. The background of the postcard is black, she has a pattern that she created in Illustrator on top the black background, and on top of the pattern is another EPS file containing black as part of the design. (hopefully that makes sense) :)

When I export the file as a PDF the pattern is showing through the black of the EPS file (flatten transparency using X-1a:2001). This happens also when I save the file out of InDesign as an EPS. This also happens when I try to print the file on the Xerox printer we have at the office straight out of InDesign.

At the recommondation of the printing company we use, they said to try and convert the pattern from pantone to cmyk values, this didn't help. I've recreated the pattern thinking (might just be the file), but it's still showing through the black. I've also tried adding a black background to the pattern file and then and rastizing the pattern file in Illustrator, and relinking the file in the Indesign document, but it didn't help either.

Any suggestions? I've checked the apprearance settings on the patten file in Illustrator and there isn't anything listed.

Any suggestions would be most helpful, I can send examples of Indesign or PDF files if people need a visual!

Thanks!

[urstwile]

Post a screenshot, both of what it SHOULD look like and what it ends up looking like.

Sounds like there are overprint and/or knockout issues going on. A couple of screenshots will help us troubleshoot the problem. :)

[garricks]

PDF/X-1a is PDF 1.3, which (if I'm remembering correctly) doesn't support transparency effects properly. It has to be 1.5 or higher (again, IIRC).

Try this article by Steve Werner, and also check out the "Related Posts" box for more info.

http://indesignsecrets.com/eliminating-the-white-box-effect.php

And yes, post caps. That will help.

[mojoprime]

when you go to print the file, in the print dialog of indesign, select the "output" tab and click the button "simulate overprint," and then just for good measure select the "graphics" tab and under "images > send data" select "all."

you should be able to print it ok.

[urstwile]

PDF/X-1a is PDF 1.3, which (if I'm remembering correctly) doesn't support transparency effects properly. It has to be 1.5 or higher (again, IIRC).

Try this article by Steve Werner, and also check out the "Related Posts" box for more info.

http://indesignsecrets.com/eliminating-the-white-box-effect.php

And yes, post caps. That will help.
PDFX-1A doesn't support transparency, so when you send a file to that format, what it will do is actually flatten the file entirely. This is a standard used by a lot of publications, as there are still plenty of RIPs out there that don't support transparency either. Sending a file to PDFX-1A ensures the the file will be flat, contain no transparency, and thus won't cause problems for older RIPs. It doesn't generate white boxes, however, although you will often see white lines where areas of transparency were flattened. They do not, however, print, at least in my experience. They're called atomic regions.