Exported PDF showing only lines

[Jeen J1]

Hi there, I have a large format file (4150x1200mm) with one tiff image as background and some text and graphical elements. When I export it to PDF it only shows lines, the background image is missing. I've tried different settings, but same result. Hope you can help 🙂

[Geоrge]

Try to save this tif as psd and re-place background as new psd file. 

[Jeen J1]

Hi George, That's not possible, the Photoshop file is too large. I can only choose PSB or TIFF

[Geоrge]

Choose psb and re-try

[Jeen J1]

As far as I'm aware you can't place a PDB to InDesign?

[Willi Adelberger]

What happens if you export as PDF/X-4?

You wrote about the background image. What are its properties? Text, vectors, photo, image? How are the attributes in InDesign? What color has the TIF image? Greyscale, white, spot color?

[Jeen J1]

Seems to make it worse. I've completely flattened the file, to prevent errors caused by transparency. It's just one large image, CMYK file. In InDesign it looks as it should, I've also attached a screenshot of that.

 

[Luke Jennings3]

How are you viewing your pdf? If Acrobat or Reader, the page display preference to show large images should be on. If it is on, try opening the image and resaving from Photoshop.

[Jeen J1]

Yes in Adobe Acrobat, the option is checked - but thanks for thinking along!

[Geоrge]

Give the package of your publication and this pdf here through some dropbox/yadisk service. Let's some of us look in it!

[Jeen J1]

Thanks for the offer, you can download the package here: https://we.tl/t-UzTbiBEqYn

The problem is probably the PSD file, but all help is welcome.

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

The resolution of that graphic is ridiculously high for something with those dimensions. You could probably get away with an effective resolution of 50 ppi and you're at 300.

I strongly suggest a phone call to the printer because I would think an RGB image would also be in order here.

[Jeen J1]

The resolution is that high because the Indesign file is at 50% of the real size. The printer will enlarge it. I've changed it to RGB and changed the resolution to 80ppi, that did the trick. Thanks for the help.

[BobLevine]

So the image, after enlargement would have been 150 ppi which is still really high for something that size. I'm sure 80 will be fine but again, talking to the printer is the best thing you can do.