Help: I don't know what else to do. Amazon's Print Preview keeps failing.

[ReyVGM]

Hello guys. Hopefully someone can help me with tips because I've been at this for 3 days now and I'm about to give up.

I just finished my first book, but it's a magazine-style book in the sense that it has a LOT of images (huge and small), a lot of background colors and transparencies. It's only 130 pages, so it's not too big.

I'm using Indesign. All the colors in the native files are CMYK, but the images are RGB. I have a minimum of 3 layers for each page (Text, Images, Background Images).

Initially, I just exported the files to PDF without flattening transparencies, without applying compression to the images, and without a color conversion. It was pretty much exporting to PDF as is.

When I uploaded the file to amazon, the Print Preview failed. I thought it was because the document was too big, so as a test, I split the book into two 65-page PDFs and I was able to preview them just fine. There were no error warnings for the interior of the manuscript (as I was assembling the book I kept uploading test pages to amazon to detect errors right from the get go).

So I don't understand why the previewer accepts the shorter PDFs without any sort of transparency flattening or anything, but it errors out with the full PDF.

I contacted amazon and they were really vague. They just said to "flatten the layers", which doesn't make sense to me because even if I put all the indesign content in one layer, the objects themselves are still layered. I assume that what they meant was to flatten the transparencies. But again, I was able to upload the smaller PDF without flattening anything.

Anyway, I flattened the transparencies using the PDF/x 1a 2001 and selecting the previously configured transparency flattener option. And the previewer still didn't work with the new PDF. I tried converting by applying no compression and/or the maximum compression and got the same preview error on amazon's page. Another thing that happens when using PDF/x 1a 2001 is that the resulting PDF is filled with thin white lines around the transparencies. I've read that it's a limitation with the Acrobat 4 compatibility, which is the only one that works with PDF/x 1a 2001. I've also read that those thin white lines will not print, but I have no way of verifying that because I don't have a printer.

So, I went back to my native indesign files and reduced the KB size and dimensions of every image that warranted a reduction. I changed the PPI for every image so they are 300 or above. I removed every invisible element, unlocked all files or layers. All the margins, and bleeds are correct. I have followed each of their guidelines and still nothing.

A friend of mine took the "as is" PDF document I originally created, and used Acrobat to flatten the transparencies AND compress the images by changing the PPI settings and that PDF passed the Print Preview test. However, the images look very filtered/blurry and there are all sorts of color changes (like a dark blue changing to bright blue) and font weirdness. So even though the document was okay for Amazon's previewer, it's not okay for me. It's not possible that Amazon would require someone to compress an image to crappy levels for them to accept the document. If anything, a printer should welcome high quality uncompressed images.

The last thing I tried was something I saw on this forum (https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/how-do-i-get-amazon-to-approve-my-graphic-novel-for-printing...). Someone was having the exact same issue as me  and someone suggested to set the Raster/Vector balance to zero in Indesign's flattener options and apparently that worked for the guy.

I tried the same steps, however, the resulting PDF is around 350 megs big (previous ones were less than 200 megs) and now Amazon's uploader fails all the time (no reason given). My upload speeds are 5megs, I know it's not much, but as long as it's consistent, the upload shouldn't fail.

So this is where I'm at right now. I can't test the latest file because I can't even get through the upload.

The only thing I haven't done is to delete the tables. I have a small table on every page with relavant information. I could always change it to a non-table infobox, but surely a table shouldn't be preventing the PDF from previewing, right? Specially since the smaller PDFs were previewed fine AND I never got any table error warnings in the previewer either.

Does anyone have any tips about what I should do? Thanks!

[ReyVGM]

I just want to report that I had a friend with a faster connection upload the file, and not only did it upload fine, but the previewer worked!

So the solution that guy said in the othe thread definitely works!

[Eugene Tyson]

Not really sure what the problem is - I don't use Amazon at all.

But 200mb for a 130 page book is quite large. Unless you have a lot of vector images - if it's just raster images, then I don't know why it's over 200mb. 

And all your converting images and all that - huge waste of time - your PDF export settings can handle all of that. 

It's really hard to know what's going on from your description. 

If you want to send me the original files - without any changes that you made - the original one that failed. 

I will take a look at your Indesign file - I will examine your PDF - and I can recommend the best settings.

If this interests you and you're comfortable with it - I have no issue helping you resolve this. 

Get in touch via a PM if you want to keep the files private.

Alternatively, you can post a link to download your files and other members of the forum might help you out. 

[ReyVGM · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the amazing help offer, but through a friend I was finally able to upload the latest test PDF I made using the solution found here (https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/how-do-i-get-amazon-to-approve-my-graphic-novel-for-printing...) and the Print Preview was successful!

The nightmare is finally over.