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Inspiring
Dec 1, 2025 8:41 AM UTC
Question

Problem with Illustrator patterns in Indesign

Hi,

I’m having an issue with Illustrator patterns when exporting an InDesign file to PDF version 1.3.

During export, the pattern from one artboard extends onto all the remaining artboards and continues seamlessly, instead of repeating independently on each artboard. For comparison, there are two files: “ark.pdf” and “ark-no_transparent.pdf”, where the latter exports correctly.

The file Master.pdf is linked to ark.indd, from which ark.pdf is exported.
The same setup applies to the files with the “-no_transparent” suffix.

The file with patterns exports incorrectly when transparency is used.

I’m attaching the files.

6 replies

BobLevine
Community Expert
Community Expert
Dec 1, 2025 12:27 PM UTC

What if you export to PDF/X-4 which is a modern standard and will not flatten transparency. If you're using an archaic standard like PDF/X-1a then, IMO, you need to be very careful about the use of transparency.

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Inspiring
Dec 4, 2025 11:32 AM UTC

Używamy PDF 1.3 ze względu na następny proces w produkcji (UCR), gdzie przezroczystości muszą być spłaszczone, inaczej pliki są źle interpretowane i UCR działa na złych obiektach.

Problem nie jest nowy, na pewno występował już w wersji CS6, którą jeszcze mam i sprawdziłem teraz. Dekadę czy dwie temu standard X-1a nie uważałem za archaiczny a błąd już występował, więc dość długo się to ciągnie. Wcześniejszych wersji niestety już nie mam aby to sprawdzić.

Uważam to za bug, pytanie czy da radę coś z tym zrobić?

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Inspiring
Dec 4, 2025 11:33 AM UTC

We use PDF 1.3 because of the next step in production (UCR), where transparencies must be flattened — otherwise the files are interpreted incorrectly and UCR is applied to the wrong objects.

The problem isn’t new; it definitely existed back in the CS6 version, which I still have and just tested. A decade or two ago, I didn’t consider the X-1a standard archaic, and the bug was already there, so this has been going on for quite a long time. Unfortunately, I no longer have earlier versions to check.

I consider this a bug — the question is, is there anything that can be done about it?

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Derek Cross
Community Expert
Community Expert
Dec 1, 2025 11:22 AM UTC

Have you tried Placing a native Illustrator (ai) file in your InDesign document?

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Inspiring
Dec 1, 2025 11:31 AM UTC

Yes, that’s the normal workflow (AI → INDD → PDF).
The result is the same — I attached PDFs because .ai files can’t be uploaded.

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