Bold "I" when viewing file as PDF

[Mateomono]

Hi everyone,

I have some graphics in my book layout. However, whenever I view it as a PDF in Acrobat, the letter "I" seems to appear bold. This is not the case in InDesign or the AI file. When I zoom in on it in Acrobat, it disappears. Why is this happening, and will it print like that?

[Peter Spier]

Not sure if it's still there, burt there was a setting in the Acrobat view preferences to "enhance thin lines" which could cause this.

[Mateomono]

@Peter Spier But It shouldnt print that way right?

[Peter Spier]

It shouldn't, and it can be turned off in the view, if that's the problem.

[Willi Adelberger]

It is happening when text is outlined. Simple letters like I, l,  |, i are presented as single line instead of a rectangle and this causes a different rendering on screen.

Never outline text in InDesihn. Don't do that.

[Mateomono]

I outlined it in Illustrator. From my research it doesnt seem like this is an issue and from @Peter Spier  comment

[Willi Adelberger]

WHY do you outline anyway?

Leave text as text. Outlining is the problem. If you outlöine text in Illustrator, you have to add after outlining an anchorpoint to any streigt path to avoid this thickening, But outlining makes no sense.

[Mateomono]

@Willi AdelbergerI am not sure. I thought that was standard for print. I talked with another colleague of mine, and he had the same opinion.

[Peter Spier]

@Willi AdelbergerI am not sure. I thought that was standard for print. I talked with another colleague of mine, and he had the same opinion.

By @Mateomono

Thirty years ago outlining text was fairly standard, but the industry has improved, the use of OpenType fonts and embedding them in PDF has meant that there are no longer the problems that outlining was meant to overcome.

By the way, I noticced the sample page was exported as PDF/X-1a. This is the very lowest common denominator quality standard which does not support transparency. Since your printer says in their guidelines that they accept PDF/X-4 several of us have suggested you submit that, particularly if there is any color involved.

[Mateomono]

@Peter Spier Thank you for the info!
Im not sure why I exported as that file. For the printer they actually provided a pdf  preset that I will use. But I think it is anyways PDF/X-1a

[Peter Spier]

@Mateomono Indeed their preset is PDF/X-1a, which is too bad, but you should probably use it.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Better not to outline text, but if you do, check this Acrobat preferences:

[Peter Spier]

Just to clarify a bit, this setting, and the enhance thin lines, only affect how your file is dispalyed on screen in Acrobat, not how it prints or how it might dispaly in another viewer.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Mateomono

Can you post some screenshots - just in case...

[Mateomono]

@Robert at ID-Tasker Here are a few exmaples 

[Peter Spier]

Are those screen captures zoomed in? Did you try a test print?

And why, may I ask, did you need to outline the text?

[Mateomono]

No does are not Zoomed in. Is it not standard do outline fonts? And if not is this somehting I need to worry about. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to test print. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

No does are not Zoomed in. Is it not standard do outline fonts? And if not is this somehting I need to worry about. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to test print. 

By @Mateomono

No, outlining isn't a standard. 

Try viewing in a browser - or on your phone. 

[Peter Spier]

Do you have access to a desktop printer? If not you can extract a page from the PDF and post it here and several of us will print it to test.

[Mateomono]

@Peter Spier I dont have access to to a desktop printer. Thank you very much! I attached a version with two graphics

[Mateomono]

@Robert at ID-Tasker @Peter Spier Why is it a problem if I embedded my fonts for the graphics In illustrator. Can this cause any issue that I could still fix? What would you suggest I do?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Robert at ID-Tasker @Peter Spier Why is it a problem if I embedded my fonts for the graphics In illustrator. Can this cause any issue that I could still fix? What would you suggest I do?

By @Mateomono

If you embedded fonts - then there is no reason to outline text. 

[Mateomono]

@Robert at ID-Tasker Ah I think I might have mixed up words. All of the graphics are outlined. 

[Mateomono]

@Robert at ID-TaskerI see. But is this a problem now, or is it just something that's not necessary to do, but won't affect anything?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Robert at ID-TaskerI see. But is this a problem now, or is it just something that's not necessary to do, but won't affect anything?

By @Mateomono

If fonts are correctly embedded AND your printing place is using not too ancient RIP software - there should be no problems. 

But you should ALWAYS request a sample print - proof.