InDesign Image Corrupting on Export depending on placement

[Natalie_Ping]

Hi there,

I have an InDesign print file with an image (.jpg file) within a frame which corrupts if placed at a certain position within the frame. If I place the bottom right of the image flush with the bottom right of the frame, the image corrupts when exported, however if I move the image even a couple of cm's off from being "flush" with the frame it exports successfully. I have attached an image to illusrate the issue I'm having. The image is clearly not corrupting unless it is flush with the edge of the frame which is very odd. I've never had anything like this happen. I am on the most up to date version of InDesign. I've tried different files at the same dimensions and have got the same result. Does anyone know why it is doing this and what I could do to fix it? 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

What is the size - in MBs - of your INDD file and how long you work on it? 

Can you try IDMLing? Export as IDML, open, save with a new name. 

And what platform, OS and InDesign versions? 

[Natalie_Ping]

Hi Robert, 

The INDD file is 3.2 MB, and the actual file I haven't been working on long (inital artwork took about 3 minutes to put together), since its nothing more than a jpeg placed and cropped into place to export as a PDF.

For context It's one window of a mutli window display with an image which will flow across 4 windows. The actual linked image is very large (304.4 MB) as it's a 3m image. I'm trying to work on the bottom right window now. I need the image to flow across the windows correctly which is why I need the bottom right of the image to export correctly. 

I've just tried the IDML route but have got the same, corrupted result. I am on Mac OS and Sonoma 14.4.1 (23E224). It seems an update is available however I don't have the necessary workplace permissions to update so will request my IT department to do that now. I am on InDesign v 19.5.

It's very strange as the linked image is not corrupted as the 3 other windows exported correctly - and if I move the image a few centimetres off from being flush to the frame edge it exports with no issue. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

What if you move it a few mm instead of cm? 

[Natalie_Ping · Accepted solution]

I've just tried this and it seems somewhere around 90mm or 9cm is needed from the image edge for it to work. 

I've managed to get it to work by simply making a Photoshop file of just that one window and cropping it down to size which I've imported into InDesign and has worked correctly - but why the full image is corrupting I still don't understand. I guess there must be an issue with the size of it and perhaps there's some detailing in the bottom right area that is throwing off the export. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Glad you sorted it out. 

What is the pixel size of your JPEG? 

What is the scale you are working at - 1:10?

[Natalie_Ping]

I designed the image actual size so 1:1 ratio at 300 DPI. I know this is overkill but it prevents the customer having issues with the printers who often request 300 DPI artwork and refuse to print anything less.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

"300dpi" is for books. 

3m banner isn't so big - but I doubt the printing place would really request such a large output file? 

Maybe you could contact printing place directly and ask for the specification? 

For them, time is money so processing such large file unnecessarily is a waste of time and money - so I'm pretty sure they would appreciate if you give them a "correct" file instead of "overblown". 

[Natalie_Ping]

I know it's definitely overkill. We're a global brand and I handle all the graphics for Europe. This particular graphic is for our German market, I work with a country manager, who has an account manager who works with the account in particular who deals with the printer, so as you can imagine between all the moving parts and language barriers and time differences I tend to choose the path with the least resistance, as questions and issues with the print quality can add in excess of a week onto a deadline. Many times in the past I've successfully sent 70-150dpi artwork with no issue but 2 times out of 5 increased DPI has been requested, so for urgent deadlines like this I tend to default to the highest quality I can.