Participating Frequently

Question

Drop in image resolution during Save As

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
January 20, 2025
4 replies
571 views

So I am a print broker and every now and then I need to do some additional prep for print projects my clients send me.

In this case I was printing a 64pp magazine. The client sent me a complete file of all 64 pages as well as a single page file for the outer cover to include the spine width.

I set up a cover file with their spread on one page and the interior front and back cover pages on the other.... that was my cover file. No issues there.

The text pages file simply needed pages 1, 2, 63 & 64 removed - so I opened it up in Acrobat and using the edit pages tool did just that.

Then I used Save As to save the file as "text pages" or something simliar.

The print, when it arrived as pixelated in the interior. Not the text - just the images. And checking the "text pages" file I see that this has dropped from the original 64pp verion at 158MB to 17.5MB

I ran the process again and the reduced file is now 141MB - which is about right and there is no pixelation.

I am sure (as one can be) that I did not change any settings when savoing the file for print - so I'm struggling to understand who this ,might have happened.

This was a digital job, so those of you who want to tell me that I should have seen print proofs, should have double checked the files, etc, etc.... I know and since I have accepted the responsibility and am reprinting the job at my expense - your comments are of no help or comfort. I'm simply trying to understand how a Save As process might have changed the image resolutions.

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Yes, this window shows the size of the first page in points.
For example, for A4: 210 x 297 mm = 595 x 842 pt

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

JR Boulay

Community Expert

The term “Resolution” is an Apple error, it should be "Page size". In fact, it refers to the dimensions of the first page of the document, which you can check in Acrobat: menu File: Properties.

It's not unusual for the customer's file to be in version 1.3, I assume it's a PDF/X-1 or a PDF/X-3.

However, what really surprises me is that Acrobat has saved a PDF in version 1.3 when its default version is 1.6.

I think your Acrobat is buggy (like mine), which version are you using?

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

stickleback25Author

Participating Frequently

Hi - all 3 versions are at the same size - 224mm x 224mm which is the page size of 210 x 210 with the bleed added.

The original file and the later test file are both at 1.3 (version 4.x)

The "funky" file is at 1.6 (version 7.x)

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Did you use "Save as" in Acrobat Pro, or did you use "Print as PDF"?

Are you sure that you did not use Apple Preview (aka "the PDF killer")?

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

stickleback25Author

Participating Frequently

Directly as Save As..... and no, nothing in Apple Preview...

Meenakshi_Negi

Legend

Hi stickleback25,

Thank you for reaching out.

As mentioned above, the issue occurred with a particular file after you made changes. You were using the Save As option to save the changes to the file. Do you have the original file that you can share with us? We will try to replicate the behavior on our end.

It would be helpful if you could share the screen recording of the complete workflow.

When using this option, the file should not be pixelated. For more information on "Save As," refer to the following help document: https://adobe.ly/4ga7sm6. Check if it may help in any way.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

stickleback25Author

Participating Frequently

Hi Meenskshi

I would love to share the fiiles with you - but not o. a public forum - how can I send them to you?

stickleback25Author

Participating Frequently

So - I can share this screenshot..... going left to right.... the first document is the original file received from the client (the date stamp is in their UK timezone) I edited to remove pages 1, 2, 63 & 64 because they were to be used on the cover spread file. And I saved it (I added the "nope" a couple of days ago so as to be sure not the use the file in the reprint) that's the middle file.

After they brought the error to my attention and did the same thing again - which is the test file.

Three things I notice... the original file is 158.6MB - the test file is 141.3MB - which removing 4 cover pages would be about right. The middle file is only 17.5MB - so clearly something changed.

The second thing I notice is that the Resoluion of 637 x 637 is the same across all three files but...

the third thing is that the first and last are saved as Version 1.3, the middle one at Version 1.6

Aas far as I recall - and what my normal practice would be in this case - would be to open the file, use the Edit pages tool and delete the pages I needed to delete - I would then Save As and simply rename the file.

As far as I can see there are no options in that process to change the resolution or anything else - and in fact, even if there were - why woud I.... as a print broker my one explanation for anything that goes wrong in the print propcess is that I have used the files supplied to me.

In this case this is costing me for the reprint. I cannot see how it's anyone else's fault and even though I can't see how it's mine I am having the acceot the responsibility and the loss.

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