Participating Frequently

Question

Export to PDF X-3: 2002 not Flattening Transparency??

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
November 2, 2017
3 replies
2018 views

I'm sending off a design to be printed for business cards. Created in Illustrator, but couldn't find advanced PDF export settings matching the printer so dropped the design into InDesign and it appears to have the preset perfectly ready PDF/X-3:2002. Except when I tested the export file by opening it in Photoshop it showed it cropped down to the graphic, with transparency. Huh? Surely there's no way for Photoshop to read transparency on a fully flattened PDF and it should retain the dimensions of the artboard, no? I'm afraid to send it in this form to the printers.

Opening it in Illustrator also shows transparency.

Opening in Acrobat shows the proper artboard dimensions.

Exported PDF sample: Dropbox - BUSINESS CARD_sax_front_test.pdf

So how will the printers see it?

This topic has been closed for replies.

rob day

Community Expert

Photoshop it showed it cropped down to the graphic, with transparency. Huh? Surely there's no way for Photoshop to read transparency on a fully flattened PDF and it should retain the dimensions of the artboard, no? I'm afraid to send it in this form to the printers.

You are confusing the artboard with object transparency. If you open an AI or PDF into Photoshop the artboard will open as transparent. Like this simple rectangle fill opened into PS.

Checking PDFs by opening into Photoshop doesn't tell you much about the original PDF. You would have to use AcrobatPro's preflight to check a PDF's actual content. Your Dropbox PDF passes PDF/X-3 preflight.

A

assumedaliasAuthor

Participating Frequently

Ok thanks Rob! (Sorry, I didn't get any notifications about any new replies here)

Regarding transparency, this is what I see: Dropbox - adobe_transparency_screenshot.png

rob day

Community Expert

Right Photoshop is showing the empty art board. See my #9. If you want the art board to be white you would have to include a white filled rectangle.

J

Jeffrey_Smith

Community Expert

- The file you have shared has no transparency or no flattened transparent elements.

- The artboard dimensions are consistent through viewing in Acrobat, opening in Illustrator, and rasterizing to the crop box in Photoshop.

- Standard size business card is 3.5 in x 2 in., unless this is a custom size.

A

assumedaliasAuthor

Participating Frequently

Huh... definitely shows different here. But thanks!

Maybe it's custom, but the requirements show to make a 8.7cm x 5.5cm artboard. I'm just following what it asks.

J

Jeffrey_Smith

Community Expert

As for dimensions, I should have stated US standard business card size, and not suggesting you change the dimensions.

The art file you shared meets your printer's requirements.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

Try PDF/X-4

A

assumedaliasAuthor

Participating Frequently

The online printers guidelines strictly say that it must be in the X-3:2002 format tho... I don't know enough about the print world to know what that would mess if I don't adhere to their guidelines.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

Some would advise you to change printers.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded