Exporting from InDesign to PDF - having some issues.

[DesignVHL]

I'm having some issues with a PDF that I am trying to export from IDCS4. It is a 72 page product catalog (without cover), and uses a few master pages, including one with a mastHead and footer with page numbers on it. I don't know if this could have an effect, but the file has been worked on in CS2, CS3, and CS4. I haven't encountered any issues or errors and I am not using any plug-in's or anything special that should cause any compatibility issues.

When I export to PDF (using a variety of different settings with the same results), some elements seem to disappear! For example. All the even pages are missing part of the footer - a separation line, website address, and the page number - but the background of the footer (just a grey bar area really) does show up. But on the odd pages, everything is in tact. Having same issue with the header elements missing as well. What could possibly be going on with this? Is it related to the master? Why would some elements show and some not show? None of these elements are even imported graphics, they are all created with the ID tools. Any insight into this would be very helpful! Thanks!

[Audentia]

A few basic things that you may have already tried just to be sure...
- is your page size the same that you are exporting as what you have in the files?
- I'd check your master pages and make sure everything looks right in them as it's been opened on so many different machines
- are you missing a font being used that is being substituted with something that is messing up the layout?

I know these are basics but I'd check them all first and then keep troubleshooting from there...

[Craig B]

I'd also try rebuilding your prefs to play it safe. I had a doc that had been worked on in CS2, CS3 and CS4 and it kept crashing and not playing nice until I rebuilt my CS4 prefs.

[DesignVHL]

Thanks Audentia, I'll double check the master pages, and page size:export. But nothing is getting cut off (except where it is supposed to bleed!).

I do wonder though. Since I had started on this design, I decided to enhance our branding a little - changing our font usage from Univers to Futura - so I changed all instances of my fonts to Futura. There are no text or font errors - I went through everything to make sure there's no text hidden, or fonts and links even missing.

Anyways I'll get back on this next week. :) I'm only working for this company part time now (by my personal choice), and do not come back here until Tuesday of next week. Since I only have 10 mins left, I am not going to worry about it till Tuesday and will most definitely check this issue out in more detail and look into what you've suggested. Will keep you posted, I might need more help!

Craig, thanks to you too. Although I have not had any instances of crashing, what you suggest makes sense and I will definitely do this. It seems so weird that this could cause elements to not show up!

Thanks again for the response!

[garricks]

Another gunk-be-gone technique is to export the document as an INX file, and open that as an Indy file. I'd try that before trashing Indy prefs. :)

[DesignVHL]

OK, so I trashed my Indy prefs, exported and opened an INX file, and then exported to PDF. This did not work. Checked my master pages - there's nothing out of the ordinary on them, and page size export...still nothing. It's the EVEN pages only that content disappears on, and seems to happen to elements that are unchanged on the master page - its the header and footer content only that disappears - except for the footer's background color (an unassigned grey box) and the header text which changes. This is so strange! Any other ideas??

[Audentia]

whew.. this is a tough one. I am curious... what if you try exporting the even pages? does it still happen?
If it doesn't maybe it is an avilable memory thing that distiller is having issue with...
Also that is the next question can you make a .ps in CS4? (forgive me I don't have CS4 just 3) and then run it through distiller on your own? that has gotten rid of glitches for me in the past sometimes...

[jimking]

Try the process of elimination. For example, batch your exports and send 10-20 pages at a time and see what happens. Map all your fonts to times and export. Replace those header-footers with any old simple graphic and export. Or you can remove all or some graphics just to see if it exports. Any number of eliminations you can do. I've seen these type of issues before and often times it could be just one page causing trouble.

[DesignVHL]

Ha yeah this one's a doosy! But great idea! I will export evens only and try a ps through distiller...that has worked for me in the past! I'll keep you posted!

Thx Jimi, will do that too. :) makes sense.

[cornfed]

The stuff that isn't showing up isn't colored registration or some other color that has printing suppressed on it, is it?

[DesignVHL]

Content is definitely not registration color.

I just printed to ps and ran it through distiller...that did the trick! I don't know why I didn't think to do that this time - I've done this plenty of times! :P Still can't seem to figure out why or what would trigger it to not print the even master page elements - other than that memory issue mentioned by Audentia - however I have plenty of memory so I'm not sure how that all works...but at least it printed properly! :) Thanks for the suggestions everyone, mucho appreciated!

[Audentia]

glad you got it to work! that is what matters.
Sometimes... things are just glitchy... especially with big files and files that have been opened on multiple machines

[DesignVHL]

Very true...stuff just..happens. :) Thanks again for the ps suggestion!