Issue with Stroke Width Change After Outlining Text in InDesign

[PTLPP035C36]

Hello!

I'm facing an issue with the stroke width of text in InDesign. When I add a 0.1pt stroke to the text within a text frame, the stroke width changes to 0.05pt after outlining the text.

I've searched through various resources, including Adobe's official documentation and forums, but haven't found a satisfactory solution yet.

Could anyone please provide insights or workarounds for this issue? Is this a known bug, or am I missing something?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Best regards,

[Eugene Tyson · Accepted solution]

First of all - I wouldn't outline text in InDesign to start with - there are needs to do it - but typically  you can do this in a PDF after exporting - using Acrobats preflight there's an option to convert text to outline there - which is far superior to InDesigns approach. 

And secondly - I can't replciate this - I tried with font sizes from 0.1pt to 10pt to 40 pt
And set the stroke to .1pt - and it stays .1pt when converting to outline.

Can you let us know:
Version of InDesgin
Version of your OS

What font size you're starting at and the exact stroke width on the character

And what font you're using. 

Thanks

[PTLPP035C36]

The Indesign version I am using is 18.5.2, and the computer version is MacOS 10.15.7
Look at my screenshot. When I select this stroke function, the situation I mentioned will appear.

 

[Eugene Tyson]

I tried this and the stroke width stays the same for me no matter which one I select

[PTLPP035C36]

Take a look at my video, I don’t know what’s causing it

[Eugene Tyson]

I can't replicate the issue - I see it happening for you but I don't know why.

Try resetting your preferences:

Windows: Start InDesign, and then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
macOS: While pressing Shift+Option+Command+Control, start InDesign. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
A dialog will appear asking to delete the InDesign Preferences, select 'Yes' on this dialog.
Further info and instructions here if needed:
https://helpx.adobe.com/in/indesign/kb/indesign-preferences-support-file-locations.html

[PTLPP035C36]

I tried it, but it didn't work. I also tried it on another computer and the same problem happened, so I don't know what to do.
Thanks for your help

[PTLPP035C36]

Or let me put it another way, my purpose is to create outlines for the content in the PDF I exported, but what method should I use to export the PDF I want while keeping the strokes unchanged?

[Willi Adelberger]

Never outline text in InDesign. Why should anyone do so?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Never outline text in InDesign. Why should anyone do so?

By @Willi Adelberger

To create a graphic object?

[PTLPP035C36]

I need to outline text but I don't know the risks.
Is there any other way I can use to create outlines in the PDF I export?

[Robert at ID-Tasker · Accepted solution]

I need to outline text but I don't know the risks.
Is there any other way I can use to create outlines in the PDF I export?

By @PTLPP035C36

If you really need "outlined" PDF for printing - you have two options:

1) as already mentioned - use Acrobat,

2) change your printing place...

The risks converting to outlines in InDesign - some formatting can get lost and you'll have to double-check each "letter" if it has been outlined correctly.

[PTLPP035C36]

Thank you for your help, I will try other methods to achieve the effect I need

[Willi Adelberger]

What is the purpose you need outlines for?

You can outline text AFTER PDF export in Adobe Acrobat Pro, there it is save, but not in InDesign.

[PTLPP035C36]

Sorry, my job requires me to do this step, I'm also aware that it can be done in Acrobat Pro, but I don't want to have to deal with this through two software, I'm trying to use the "Transparency Flattening Preset" to achieve what I need function, but this function also has different problems

[Willi Adelberger]

Sorry, but the only way to outline text without problems and loss of text, paragraph lines, cross references, paragraph frames and much more, is to do it in Acrobat Pro. It does not work anymore with the transparency flattening in newer versions without errors. 

[PTLPP035C36]

Understand, I will use Acrobat Pro to perform this operation in the future. Of course, I hope Indesign can solve this problem, because Indesign already includes this function, and I hope Indesign can do better.

[Eugene Tyson]

This is what I said to you on the very first reply.

[Scott Falkner]

Aside from your current issue with stroke weight changing you should be aware of a bug in InDesign when applying a stroke to compound shapes. A compound shape is any object that uses more than one path to define its fill, where any overlap becomes transparent. A lowercase i is a compound shape because the two paths of the shape have only one fill. A lowercase o is a compound shape because where the paths overlap the result is transparent.

If you set Align Stroke to outside or inside the path InDesign will put the stoke on the inner parts of a compound shape on the wrong side of the path. In the example below, “Text” is text and the stroke on the lowercase e is correct. “Paths” has been converted to paths and the stroke on the P and a are wrong.

This bug has existed for years. You can vote on it here.

[PTLPP035C36]

Thanks for the reminder I could avoid this mistake.

[brian_p_dts]

My hunch is that your default graphic frame stroke preferences are .5, not 1. So when you convert text to graphic it's taking that preference. 

[PTLPP035C36]

I'm not sure where this preference is that you're talking about, but whether it's 0.1 or 1 or 10 it shrinks it by half after creating the outline.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

I'm not sure where this preference is that you're talking about, but whether it's 0.1 or 1 or 10 it shrinks it by half after creating the outline.

By @PTLPP035C36

What is before and after Stroke Alignment?