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InDesign postscript problems
Hello. I’ve been working with a printer to get a 4/4, full bleed, newsletter printed for a client. The printer does not have InDesign so I can’t send the native files. The problem is that when I sent the PDF with the “Press” preset they claimed there was a postscipt error and it crashed their computer a good number of times. They said they have the most recent postscript software. It turned out the problem was the drop shadows and transparencies I used in InDesign, when I got rid of those most everything was fine.
Now, this project is a week overdue because of these issues. I would like to figure this out before I send any other projects to any printer. Is it something I’m doing wrong or do they lack the proper RIP or postscript software? Please help!! I can send screen shots of the PDF settings for review, just let me know where to send them.
Thank you!
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7 Replies
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If the problem does lie with their software RIP not properly rasterizing the tranparency effects, you could always downgrade your PDF to Acrobat 4.0 (PDF version 1.3). Notice that the industry standard settings for the PDF/X setting default to Acrobat 4.
The “Press” setting you are using defaults to Acrobat 5 (1.4)
The difference is, when the PDF is created the transparency effects are flattened and therefore SHOULD be easier for you printer’s RIP to process. You can still select the “Press” preset, but just change the compatbility to Acrobat 4. When you do this a new option becomes available under the Advanced pane of the PDF Export Dialog box: Transparency Flattener. Choose the the High Resolution Setting.
Alex
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I ran into this same problem when dealing with the PDF export as I am on an Apple and there appears to be issues when working with PDF exports from a Mac.
I tried both the Press presets and downgrading to the Acrobat 4 settings as was suggested here by Alex. It didn’t work for me. (Not picking on Alex, I just didn’t get to the bottom of the issue(s) present.)
The solution that I came up with was to export as full Postscript files and not as PDFs. As my destination was a 300dpi magazine, I ripped the files at 1000dpi so that my rasterized text (when dropped at the printer back to 300dpi) would be crisp and readable. This meant bigger files to upload and an extra step but it worked and ended days of frustration.
I hope you get to the bottom of your issues and if you find the answer to the PDF issue you are encountering, please let me know.
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
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Just out of curiosity, what problems were you having? With a software rip? Error messages?
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The problem sometimes actually manifests itself and is called stitching. Where a vector effect is touching a raster image (an image frame with a drop shadow for instance) is what the flattener handles. More rasterized means less vector output and less ability to modify the postscript content.
You might even see white hairlines appear around the picture frame indicating where the frame is.
Pitstop can remove those lines.
Anyway, since it’s reasonable to assume you nor the printer will need to alter the files post-production, set the flattener all the way over to rasterized in the preferences.
Similar to what was explained above, you can also Print as a postscript file and use Distiller to create pdf-x1a files which the printer should be able to read.
The 100% fail-safe and guaranteed method is to raster your entire pages, essentially sending the printer large images. Eps or Tiff files. Just open the pdf’s you already have in Photoshop and raster at 300 dpi. If everything is placed at 100%, everything will be crisp.
If you have time, and depending upon the design, you can build the shadows as images, but I’m also guessing again that you don’t have that kind of time so I’d try one of the other approaches.
Normally, I have the printer send me their postscript definitions for Distiller as the default ‘Press” settings aren’t always bullet proof anyway.
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Thank you both for your help. I ended up sending it to another printer (a newspaper who regularly outputs film for other high-end publications) to see if they could output the film or find the problem (they have pitstop). Turns out it ripped just fine and the film is waiting for me now. I suspect the printer I was originally working with did not have the proper software, which software they were lacking I’m not sure but would like to find out for future reference.
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I will certainly try this next time I work with this printer. Thanks again.
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Kathlyn and I are up in Monterey at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and so I can’t replicate the error(s) right now. I do not remember them right off the top of my head right now. I switched printers after the debacle and so I doubt that I will have the same issues with the new printer as they seem far more on the ball. Everything was an excuse and the answer they gave was “Switch to Quark Xpress..” Me, I would never switch to Quark Xpress. ;o)
Dartmouth Printers in New Hampshire is my new printer and they are quite InDesign savvy and like the program, so I doubt that I will run into the issues that I did with my previous printer who will remain unnamed as I am *mostly* a nice guy. ;o)
Best regards,
Ron Lindeboom
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