Export PDF to be archived.

[sidneydavenport]

I am using Creative Cloud 2025 on Windows 11. I do most of the graphic design, typesetting, and layout for print for my org. Once a book or project is published, I need to send a pdf/a to be archived.

Is there an export to pdf setting from InDesign that will allow me to convert to PDF/A in Acrobat without first going into Standards and then using Preflight to finally convert to PDF/A?

[Barb Binder]

Hi Sidney:

File > Export > Adobe PDF (Print) and choose PDF/X-1a from the Adobe PDF Presets menu. 

You can read more about it here: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/exporting-publishing-pdf.html

Remember to package the InDesign file (File > Package) too, in case you need to revise/reissue a completed document down the road. 

~Barb

[rob day]

Hi @sidneydavenport , Just to clarify do you mean PDF/x-1a or PDF/A. PDF/x-1a flattens pages and converts all color for a single CMYK print condition--I'm guessing you don't want x-1A

[sidneydavenport]

PDF/A for archiving documents. Nothing to do with /x-1a.

[Mike Witherell]

Hi Sidney,

Interesting question that led me to try (and fail) this:

Windows 11 machine:

Find this file:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Settings\PDFA1b 2005 CMYK.joboptions

Copy this joboption over to this location:

C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe PDF\Settings\PDFA1b 2005 CMYK.joboptions

The interesting thing to me is that InDesign does not see this joboption in the Export to PDF (Print) dialog box.

This leads me to guess that you cannot directly export an archival PDF from InDesign.

But I don't know why, and maybe I am doing it wrong.

Here is some interesting summary reading about Archival PDF:

https://www.fast-report.com/blogs/comparison-pdf-formats

[rob day]

PDF/A is not the same as PDF/X-1a:

PDF/A

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF/A

PDF/X

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF/X

[Barb Binder]

Helpful information from both of you, @Mike Witherell and @rob day . 😊 

To clarify, is the final answer no, you can't directly export to PDF/A from InDesign?

~Barb

[Mike Witherell]

Hi Barb!

My answer is ... I'm not sure right now. Since it is a joboption, I cannot understand why it will not work for me. I need to test a couple more ideas.

[Mike Witherell]

Just for comparison purposes, I found the archival joboption and also the PDF/X1a joboptions.

I copied them both to desktop, renamed them both .txt files; and opened them both in a text editor.

I deleted all text lines that were the same, in order to isolate how one differs from the other.

If this is interesting to anyone, I have attached both txt files.

You will see that the PDF/X1a file does more commands versus the archival one.

This suggests to me that one joboption makes a captured PDF image according to a recipe; while the other one seems to remove parts of the recipe.

Other than that, I don't have any deep comments.

[sidneydavenport]

Thanks Mike, I'm going to look at this further. Meanwhile, it is now a moot point because I recently had so much trouble with Acrobat Pro that I did a clean reinstall and am now required to manually install the additional parts of the program, such as Preflight, that will allow me to convert to PDF/A. However, Adobe will not allow me to install those additonal parts manually. Heading over to the Acrobat Community...

[leo.r]

Just for comparison purposes, I found the archival joboption and also the PDF/X1a joboptions.

By @Mike Witherell

I can confirm that whatever their differences are, PDF/A (as well as some other presets) is not available in InDesign, Photoshop, or Illustrator. Acrobat will be required to convert to this standard.