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maxb14035490
Participant
October 17, 2017
Answered

Exporting from Illustrator to .pdf changes some black to white

  • October 17, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 5196 views

I have had this issue with a few different jobs now. In illustrator the colors all look fine (top image) then when I save as a .pdf some of the black changes to white. I have tried saving with multiple different options selected as well as using multiple color modes and nothing seems to work. It is not just the preview of the .pdf as it prints white instead of black as well.

If I could save the file as an .eps it would work just fine, but when I try to save it as an .eps I get the warning at the vary bottom. all of the images in the file are separate linked files from another illustrator file so I assume for some reason it is too large to save as .eps.

If anyone has any ideas or solutions to this issue that would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Mike_Gondek10189183

    That is weird because it seems to work on your computer. Below is a screenshot of the same file on my computer. Notice the grunge is all white in the gray area. This is the exact same file. It stays like this when uploaded into my rip software and when printed.

    I can keep the main linked file as an ai. file, but the rip software I use needs either a .eps or .pdf it does not take .ai files. Will loading the linked files as an .ai help with speed somewhat?

    Thanks.


    Hi Max,

    That is the reason I use screenshots, as for some can be difficult to describe what you are looking for, and an image is worth 1000 words.

    Though I may still not understand what you  expecting your file too look like this should resolve atleast one of you issues.

    In Acrobat turn on your overprint preview, then click OK for that to enable.

    1 reply

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 17, 2017

    Without being able to review the file is difficult to advise. Can you please post a copy with dropbox or similar along with the linked images.

    You can  select all, and rasterize of flatten transparency, then make a .pdf. You don't have to save.

    Make sure you file construction is clean, and that you do tho have any extra overlapping unnecessary elements

    Are the link in .psd format?

    maxb14035490
    Participant
    October 18, 2017

    Here is a dropbox link to two example files:

    https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5bmkv7n1ictjw4i/AAAuIZqr9sUrL1_Z5CvkbTNza?dl=0

    The file named Adobe Example - Link is the artwork file that is linked into the other file named Adobe Example Print. If you open the print file in illustrator the colors are correct. If you open it in Acrobat or a print software the white and black get switched around in the grunge texture.

    The link files are always in .eps format and are created in illustrator.

    I use this process for hundreds of different files and usually have no issues. I usually save my print files as .eps, but these files with a grunge effect on them are so large that it will give me an error and not save as an .eps so instead I have to save as .pdf and then the colors get messed up.

    The files are very large so they are slow and hard to work with at times, I need to keep the files linked as I often edit content in the main file and then print the linked file again. If you have an advise on how to make the file size smaller that would also be appreciated.

    Let me know what you think and if this helps at all.

    Thanks in advance.

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 18, 2017

    A workflow should always include the .ai format.  Adobe Illustrator works best to edit .ai files. Your .eps and .pdf files are large and slow, and you are creating unnecessary suffrage for yourself. Though you can open .eps  and .pdf files in Illustrator you are then working in a non-native format, and .eps has not been updated in over a decade and loaded with issues now.

    Neither the .eps or .pdf is previewing as you show with the red, so apologies have nothing to troubleshoot for you.

    Send a .ai file that previews correctly and be able to look at that.