FM2022: bug with image compression in PDF output

[Be.eM]

Hi all,

I'm currently evaluating FM2022, in comparison to FM2015 and FM2019. I noticed that PDF output of FM2022 files, which contain pixel graphics, is of lower quality than when saved from FM2019 with exactly the same settings (defined in the *.sts file: the standard setting High Quality Print, for Online output).

This is especially visible when the file contains screenshots, which usually have evenly colored backgrounds with text on them. The FM2022 PDF output clearly has JPG compression artifacts, while the FM2019 output is clean. This is visible in the attached screenshot, which shows the same file as FM2019 PDF (on the left) and the FM2022 PDF (on the right).

According to the parameters in the "High Quality Print" setting, color images should be recalculated and compressed (using the "Automatic: JPG" compressor) when they reach a resolution of 450 dpi (ppi) or higher. The images in the attached graphic are all below 350 dpi and should not be touched by FrameMaker or the "post processing" on PDF creation. I've even had 200 dpi images which also came out recalculated and compressed.

Which means to me: FM2022 ignores the thresholds for image recalculation/compression. FM2019 does it correctly. It's possible to solve that problem by defining an Adobe PDF printer preset which specifies ZIP compression (lossless) instead of JPG compression. In that case compression doesn't become visible. But in the end FrameMaker 2022 should respect the set thresholds.

I have reported this already as a bug. Can anybody confirm?

Bernd

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

So these are both going through the Publish route, but invoking the older PDF Distiller setting in the .sts file, right? What do you get if you use the new PDF generating engine?

[Be.eM]

Hi Jeff,

no, the Distiller is not involved (not enabled in the *.sts). This is just the Publish setting, used through the "Save as PDF…" command. So this is the new PDF generating engine, just using the parameters as set for the PDF printer. This is where the options in the *.sts file come from…

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

I forget when the new PDF generator was added to FM - I was thinking it only made an appearance in FM2022+; you're thinking that FM2019 had it too?

[Be.eM]

The new (cmyk) PDF generator has been added with FM 10 actually 😉

The version using *.sts files and the publishing route was either FM2017 or FM2019 (I skipped 2017). Attached is the screenshot from FM2019. They changed a lot with graphics handling, as far as I know, but the basic PDF engine (and procedure) is the same as before.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

Just found a video from Adobe - the new PDF engine was added in FM2019.

[FrameMaker-dk]

I believe you shall need to go into File -> Print Setup and edit the settings there. If that does not work, you can create an entire new print setting from Distiller and use that when running the Publish Dialogue from FM

This entire "PDF generation thing" is one of my major pet grieves. The UI for creating a pdf is confusing. If I had my way "Print" would only be accessible through Publish. And the Save as PDF ought to go the same way.

[Be.eM]

I know these print/Distiller/PDF setup places. That's not the problem. The problem is that FrameMaker ignores the settings made there. If the setting (as on your screens, too) says "recalculate images with a resolution of 450 dpi and higher to 300 dpi, and then compress using the JPG compressor using the maximum quality", exactly that should happen. However, FrameMaker happily recalculates and compresses images with 300 and 250 dpi, too. It compresses all images, independently from their resolution in FM. Which leads (while using the JPG compression) to visible compression artifacts in images. It shouldn't.