FM9: Save As PDF refuses to overprint juxtaposed lines (aka leader lines)

Report · Oct 19, 2010

Hi all,

Anyone else have this problem? For figure leaders, I normally create a 3-point white rule and then place and center a 1-pt rule on top of it. When you place this on the figure, the underlying white rule makes a sort of halo around the 1-pt rule, which makes it easier to see on the figure.

I have just spent 30 minutes trying to get this to PDF correctly with FMp255. (I have to use Save-As because I need accurate CMYK conversion.)

What happens: Assume that I have placed 5 of these leaders on a figure. Assume that the top 1-pt rule is blue. First PDF run, 4 of the leaders are correct, but one of them is not--it is 3 points wide.

Second PDF run: 4 of the leaders are correct, 1 of them has an incorrect 3-point black rule, AND (and this is the really crazy part) the one that is wrong is a DIFFERENT ONE.

Every time you spin a new PDF, you get inconsistent errors--one time 1 is wrong and 4 and right, next time 3 are wrong and two are right, next time 2 are wrong and 2 are right, and each time, the ones that are wrong shift around.

I tried all sorts of things. Grouping does not appear to change it.

Personally, I am giving up. You can correct this in Acrobat 9 by copying correct leaders and placing them.

Just thought I'd see if anyone has any ideas for fixes.

Thanks, Becky

Report · Oct 19, 2010

Becky,

I know it is a PITA (sorry) but the next step would be to isolate the effect. In the first place: What happens if you remove the image underneath? BTW, what format is that image, there once were problems with certain EPS files which influenced graphics placed on top (some got a dashed border…). Of course, this does not explain the irregular nature of the problem you see.

Basically you would have to remove as much as possible from your document, but making sure the issues is reproducible. Ah, I almost forgot: First check with a different computer.

If there is a reproducible effect independent from any externals, it might be a candidate to consider for inclusion in the test sets for the next version of FrameMaker.

- Michael

Report · Oct 19, 2010

Hi Michael, OK I will try to get this done, but it will take a while to get it done as I have a lot going on at work. Will let you know end result. FYI, I also got similar weird results with polylines. Cheers, Becky

Report · Oct 19, 2010

Becky, have you tried viewing the PDF at a larger zoom setting to see if the

effect disappears? I've seen similar issues with display of line widths in

PDFs, but when I've zoomed in, they look okay. I think this may be a display

issue, rather than a print issue. If, for example, your 1-point line is a

bit thicker than one pixel on the monitor, how should Acrobat display it?

Should it round it down to one pixel or round it up to two pixels? If

positioned in a way that covers a whole pixel and a bit of the pixel above

and below, perhaps it rounds up to three pixels? These are my wild guesses

that might explain the effect.

Report · Oct 20, 2010

Hi Mike,

Sigh, no, it's not a screen resolution problem. I blew the file way up, and the leaders were still goobered.

At this point, I am just grateful to have Acrobat 9 so that I can paste in the correct leaders.

When I get time~~hah!~~I will test this out some more and report to the list on it.

thanks very much for your help,

becky