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Adobe InDesign/Problems with PDF X1-a from InDesign

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Expert: InDesign Pro - 10/22/2007


Question
Hi Scott. I am having an issue when trying to export to PDFX1-a from InDesign. I
have an ad with InDesign-created drop shadows. When I export with the X1-a
settings, little white frames appear in my PDF file, just bordering the drop
shadows. When I export using the standard "Press Quality" setting, NO white
frames appear in the PDF. I know that vendors want to use PDFs with X1-a, but I
cannot get around this problem. Do you have any ideas?

Answer
Hi Neal, thanks for the question.

The difference is that the PDF/x-1a:2001 setting flattens all transparency and the Press Quality doesn't. Flattening now is better than at the printer's if something doesn't flatten properly. And what you're seeing is a small hairline where InDesign is tiling the image; cutting it into smaller sections so that in can flatten more efficiently. The outlines won't actually print because they're so small, and Acrobat really exaggerates them. I would send it off to the printer and mention to watch for it, but I've seen this many times and I'm sure it'll print fine.

Thanks for the question, good luck!

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As a professional graphic designer, I use Adobe InDesign every day and can answer all of your InDesign-related questions. I will give you easy-to-understand and precise answers, along with many tips and tricks to save you time while working on every project. I have spent years helping beginners learn InDesign, as well as helping professionals master the many features of the world's most powerful page-layout software. Thank-you for your submissions. Please include your operating system (e.g., Mac OS X 10.5.x) and InDesign version (e.g., InDesign CS4) with your questions. Thanks!

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After starting my design career using QuarkXPress and PageMaker for many years, the release of InDesign instantly caught my eye. Being one of the reasons for Adobe buying Aldus, I knew this would change the publishing world very quickly. I started using InDesign's first release and haven't looked back. I have dedicated my work and much of my spare time using InDesign to its fullest—and it's paid off. My workflow is quicker, my computer runs smoother, and my files print cleaner and without problem.

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