PDF Image looks positive prints negative

[dougalco]

I am not sure where to post this. It is a bizarre problem I have never seen before. I was sent an ad in PDF format, by a client, containing an image, all grayscale. The image looks fine. It was assembled into a PDF file for a magazine for printing. Again the image looks fine. When the assembled PDF file was printed by the printer, the image came out as a negative, not positive. Understandably, the client was upset. I checked for any PreFlight syntax errors but that came up empty. I am beat on this one. Any ideas?

Dougal

[dougalco]

Here is a link to the PDF file that caused the problem Harpdog_TBS_Digital_FLM_MAY.pdf

Dougal

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

I just printed the file and it printed OK. How are you printing the file? What kind of printer? Does it support different modes (e.g. PostScript, PCL, ...)? If so, try to print in PCL if you end up having the problem in PostScript and vice versa. Does that change things? Have you tried to print as image? You can find this option on the print dialog by clicking on the button.

[dougalco]

Thanks for the reply. It is complicated. It prints fine when I print it as well. Here is a link to the assembled magazine mb1906v10.pdf

It also prints fine. When I sent it to my printer (i.e. printing company) to print multiple copies on paper, the image on page 17 is reversed, not the complete ad, just the photograph. I will upload a scan of that page to show you.

Dougal

[dougalco]

Maybe this will clarify it

This is the original PDF file from the client. The photo is correct

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8xse8hh2phs6m52/Harpdog_TBS_Digital_FLM_MAY.pdf?dl=0

This is the assembled PDF file for delivering to the printing company. Just Page 17 for simplicity. The photo is correct.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6hdwj41i5zctb8a/mb1906v10%2017.pdf?dl=0

This is the printed page the came back from the printing company. The photo is reversed, negative.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t7m2vj6ap6liax7/Maple%20Blues%20page%2017%20Harpdog%20Brown.pdf?dl=0

Any ideas? Is it mysterioso.

Dougal

[dougalco]

Thanks for your reply. I posted a message with all three files, the original, the assembled magazine file and a scan of the way it printed (negative). Were these helpful.? Did you have any other ideas?

Dougal

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

Sorry for the delay, but what I do here has to fight with my job for time

I will move this to a more appropriate forum, hopefully somebody else will chime in.

[dougalco]

Yes, of course.  Thanks for your help.

Dougla

[Abambo]

Just to let you know: Your links are very useful. But I to, I have no explanation for the moment.

I'm sorry for that lack of solution giving...

[dougalco]

Thank you for looking into it.

dougal

[dougalco]

No ideas on this problem?

Dougal

[chrisl41501719]

If it's printing fine when you print it and when the client printed it, but is printing incorrectly on press, my guess is that someone along the line accidentally hit a setting (ex: print negative).

Legally, if you signed off on a proof where the problem image printed correctly, the printing company is at fault and should reprint. If you had no hard copy proof that showed the image you may be out of luck.