How to convert an InDesign file to PDF without losing transparency effect?

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

I'm trying to export a file to pdf for printing and it has some transparency effect that i cannot find a way to export to the pdf. This is how it appear on InDesign:

And this is how it appear on PDF:


I tryed with different effect like discolour and screen and with different settings for export.

[Willi Adelberger]

Export as PDF/X-4. Take care that the document color mode CMYK or RGB is correct.

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

How can i make sure that the color mode is correct?

[Scott Falkner]

Also, what program are you using to view the PDF? Acrobat will reproduce transparency effects much more accurately taht other programs like Preview or web browsers.

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

The pdf in the pic is from chrome. Acrobat show the black part but nothing inside the blue

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

this is the maximum i can achive with pdf 1.3

[BobLevine]

1.3? You are flattening the transparency. As already pointed out, export using PDF/X-4 and open it in Acrobat to check it.

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

Ok i managed to make it work in acrobat, but my techer opens it in chrome. Is there a way to make it look as i want in chrome?

[rob day]

Is there a way to make it look as i want in chrome?

Browsers don’t always handle transparency effects correctly. If you want to export a PDF for browser viewing (not highend printing) try this setting, which exports color as flattened sRGB:

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

Nope, it doesn't work. I also don't have the "Document RGB" option in the PDF Presets. Is it normal?

[rob day]

Document RGB is my saved preset. The Acrobat 4 Compatibility is important.

[rob day]

A flattened, sRGB, PDF should work in any browser. Here’s Chrome and Safari—the ID Effect is Screen:

[chrisg11235813]

Have you tried "Publish Online" instead of Export to PDF.

If you are trying to create a PDF for Web viewing that might be a better option -- I think it flattens everything, which might eliminate any transparency issues.

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

Yes i tried and it come out fine. Then i try to download it (because my teacher wants the file not a link to it) and the transparency is messed again on the downloaded file

[chrisg11235813]

as a last resort rasterize in photoshop, then save as PDF in Photoshop.

This is a pretty bad way to go about the issue, but if you have no other option.

[Willi Adelberger]

Only Acrobat is a valid PDF viewer. Any browser (like Chrome or Quartz on Apple) will fail to present many PDFs correctly.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I could be wrong here, but if one installs the Adobe Acrobat extension for Chrome, it takes over the viewing and editing process from any built-in process.

[chrisg11235813]

Is the background graphic a link?  if the colourspace of the link isn't the same as your documents "Transparency Blend Space" transparency issues tend to arise.

Another thought I have is: Is the blue band a spot colour?
Sometimes transparency and spot colours don't play nice, if possible convert to process colour.

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

I'm sorry i'm not really good with indesign, i don't know what you mean with the background being a link. It's just a vector shape.
Anyway, the blue is a spot colour, but changing to a process one doesn't change the outcome...

[chrisg11235813]

By "Link" I was wondering if the underlying graphics were created in Indesign, or if they were linked from an external source. Since you aren't using links, that's not the issue.

I meant to also ask if the text was using a spot colour?

Also, are you using Overprint on any of the emelents?

[Francesco26275738rx5m]

No the text is not spot color. What's Overprint?

[chrisg11235813]

if you don't know what that is, you probably didn't adjust it.

Windows>Attributes

It is more for Printing purposes, probably not something you need to consider in this case.

 

[Jumpenjax]

Have you tried to File /package. Make sure your specs on pdf are what you want and it should work.