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hmccaig
Participating Frequently
December 14, 2019
Answered

InDesign Interactive PDF Not Showing All Elements of Page in a Reader

  • December 14, 2019
  • 3 replies
  • 3387 views

I posted this in the Acrobat forum as well, but thought since it's an InDesign issue and I haven't gotten any respones I'd try here:

 

I have an InDesign file with hyperlinks that I export and our users import into note taking apps on their iPads to use as digital planners.

  • When saving the file I choose Export and then Format: Adobe PDF (Interactive)
  • On the Export to Interactive PDF screen I have only checked Embed Page Thumbnails in the Options for Forms and Media (wondering if I need Create Acrobat Layers checked?)
  • Our compression is only 150 ppi because it's on screen use only mostly retina iPad Pros
  • I don't really change anything else.

If I open the PDF file normal on my desktop or in my Files App on my iPad as a stand alone PDF everything is fine and showing. But if I import the PDF file into say GoodNotes or Noteability, I notice that on a all of my pages that might have ruled lines set up on my page, the ruled lines on the page are missing (not the background of the file design). If I zoom in REAL tight and wait a minute they might show up. In Zoom Notes, another note taking app they show up fine. So it's really random.

 

I'm curious if I'm not exporting this properly? Any suggestions I can try that you recommend to make sure everything exports correctly?

 

It needs to be Interactive and 150 PPI (not for print).

 

Thanks in advance!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer BobLevine

Open it in Reader or Acrobat on a desktop. If it's fine there, take it up with the vendors of those other apps.

3 replies

Frans v.d. Geest
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 14, 2019

Ah, that good old interactive PDF... Only the simlplest things work (no MSO, no animations) and only in Acrobat on a desktop computer. You can forget that it will work anywhere else. It never has, and will almost certain never will. Rethink your strategy is my advice. Bob Levine will agree 😉

Derek Cross
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 14, 2019

That's not quite true, simple internal hyperlinks and links to external websites on Interactive PDFs will work on all devices, including tablets and smartphones that have a decent PDF readers including Acrobat and iBooks reader.

Frans v.d. Geest
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 14, 2019

That is what I said Derek, or at least meant to say, the simple things (hyperlink related) and not MSO and animations. But indeed, simple hyperlinks mostly works in most readers, also mobile devices (maybe I was not very clear on that indeed), but TOC, index, cross refs, page links... they do in Acrobat on iOS but there are many other apps in which even that fail...

 

Derek Cross
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 14, 2019

What interactivite features have you included in your PDF?

BobLevine
Community Expert
BobLevineCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
December 14, 2019

Open it in Reader or Acrobat on a desktop. If it's fine there, take it up with the vendors of those other apps.