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Michele LinkPR
Participating Frequently
July 17, 2023
Question

Missing image when exporting to PDF from InDesign CS5

  • July 17, 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 3749 views

I have started to have random images missing when exporting from ID CS5 to PDF. The advertiser provide the PDF ad. It was dropped into ID and looked the same as the supplied ad. However, when exported to a PDF the left image in the ad is missing. If I export the page as a jpeg, the ad appears correctly. Please help!

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    6 replies

    L
    Community Expert
    LaubenderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 18, 2023

    Hi @Michele LinkPR ,

    I would open the provided PDF from the advertiser in Acrobat X and save/convert it as PDF/X-4 with a new name.

    Place the converted PDF and try again. Also check in Acrobat what's the software that created the PDF under

    Document Properties > Description.

     

    As far as I can see it's exported from InDesign version 18.2.

    Should work.

     

    Did the conversion with Acrobat Pro DC and attached the converted PDF.

    Try this version.

     

    Regards,
    Uwe Laubender
    ( Adobe Community Expert )

    Brad @ Roaring Mouse
    Community Expert
    Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 17, 2023

    I have been able to reproduce this using InDesign 5.5. However, It does not occur with CS6, or anything newer.

     

    Since the ad PDF you were supplied was very current (created in CC2023), there seems to be an incompatibilty when placing it in the waaaay too old 5.5. that causes an errant clip mask which is hiding the graphic (it's actually there in the resulting PDF, just "masked" in error).

    Suggestions:

    1. If you have a current Acrobat, open the ad and resave it as Press Ready (under File > Save As Other > Press Ready PDF). This reconforms the code, and works in my test from 5.5.

    2. Failing that, you can Export the PDF as Encapsulated Postscript (yas, I know, EPS-haters), and place that. The file is simple enough, and since you are creating a PDF anyway and not printing to a non-PS printer, this should work just fine.

    3. PLACE the ad in a new CMYK Illustrator document. then Flatten it (Object > Flatten Transparency > High Resolution (Convert Text to Outlines). Save the new file as .AI and place that in your 5.5. file. The only drawback here is that you will lose the hinting on the live fonts, but since you're going to high-res ouput anyway, this will not affect the outcome.

     

      M
      Michele LinkPRAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 18, 2023

      Thanks Brad .... best solution!

      Brad @ Roaring Mouse
      Community Expert
      Brad @ Roaring MouseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 19, 2023

      You're very welcome.

      Willi Adelberger
      Community Expert
      Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 17, 2023

      Require a PDF/X-4 as this version is the best to place into InDesign.

      M
      Michele LinkPRAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 17, 2023

      Thank you Willi. That is something that I don't quite understand.

       

      Willi Adelberger
      Community Expert
      Willi AdelbergerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 18, 2023

      When someone delivers you a file for an ad or something else require that the file is exported according the standard of PDF/X-4. It is a file with live transparency, includes all fonts and all assets.

      Geоrge
      Geоrge
      Legend
      July 17, 2023

      Try to print to Adobe pdf printer (don't forget to change settings from standard to some "print ready"). 

      Remember, never say you can't do something in InDesign, it's always just a question of finding the right workaround to get the job done. © David Blatner
      M
      Michele LinkPRAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 17, 2023

      George! That worked. However, I don't have the same controls for output resolutions. I need to create two versions of the magazine, one for press (high resolution, crop and bleed marks) and one for oneline viewing (low resolution). The options are different and some don't exist in Adobe PDF printer dialog box, nor does it have "print ready" settings.

      Geоrge
      Geоrge
      Legend
      July 18, 2023

      Are you really watch all the settings of Adobe PDF-printer? 

       

       

      https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/using-pdf-printer.html


      In an authoring application such as Adobe InDesign, choose File > Print. Select Adobe PDF as the printer, and click the Properties (or Preferences) button. (In some applications, you may need to click Setup in the Print dialog box to access the list of printers, and then click Properties or Preferences to customize the Adobe PDF settings.)

      Remember, never say you can't do something in InDesign, it's always just a question of finding the right workaround to get the job done. © David Blatner
      Bill Silbert
      Community Expert
      Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 17, 2023

      InDesign CS5 was released in 2010. Is the version of Acrobat of the same vintage? If it is a more recent version of Acrobat then that could be a contributing factor.

      M
      Michele LinkPRAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 17, 2023

      Thanks Bill. It is Acrobat Pro Version 9. The same version I have been using all this time.

      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 18, 2023

      Just to be clear about one thing here...if all you did was freelance design that didn't involve getting files from others you could go on like this for quite a while (assuming the hardware doesn't die) but you're going to see more and more of this type of issue.

      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 17, 2023

      Without seeing the actual files it's impossible to even guess. Could be any number of things including the fact that you're using 13-year-old software.

      M
      Michele LinkPRAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 17, 2023

      Thanks Bob. Yes, it's outdated software as with everything on my computer. 🙂 I have been avoiding getting a new computer as I don't want to go to the subcription versions of Adobe software. Why would this now be a problem when it hasn't been in the past? I can send you the original files if that would be helpful. I appreciate your assistance.

      Geоrge
      Geоrge
      Legend
      July 18, 2023

      Offtop: Main thing here that you not pay every year for the features that you never asked for. If you have all you needed, why don't you need to pay every year for what you don't need? Perpetual licenses forever! Subscription - fire in hell! Don't listen anyone that ID CS5.5 is old. 

       

      Remember, never say you can't do something in InDesign, it's always just a question of finding the right workaround to get the job done. © David Blatner
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