Outline text with bullets & numbering

[lingl87007791]

I can't seem to outline bullets and numbering along with text in Indesign cc 2018. Once I click "create outlines" bullets and numbering would disappear. Is it just me? Does anyone else experience this issue?

[rob day]

This question comes up a lot, and I think some of the tone comes out of frustration when outlining drifts towards being seen as a best practice rather than a last resort, and Adobe should do something to make it easier. And it’s not just bullets, Underlines and Strikethroughs are also a problem.

I often see the boiler plate outline "requirement" coming from state-of-the-art online printers where the system is fully automated, and a missing font would not be caught. In those cases I’m happy to skip the outlining because it’s much easier to simply check the PDF and make sure the fonts have all been properly embedded before I send the job.

[auxiliaryjoel]

Now THIS is the reply I have been looking for! This SOLVED the problem for me. Thank you so much!

And yes as other people have stated in an ideal world this would not be needed but when you're contracted by a Government department to create artwork you have no control over who the printer, and trust me in regional areas most printers can't be trusted with live fonts!

[SJRiegel]

This is not the best answer; Bullets and Numbering are not the only text features that get lost when you outline text inside InDesign. You will also lose underlines and text frame colors, to name a few.

The best answer for when you have no choice but to outline text -- use the tools in Acrobat PreFlight to do the outlining.

That way, you will be assured of not lossing any text attributes along the way.

It's under Print Production > Preflight

[auxiliaryjoel]

I don't have the convert fonts to outlines option in my Prepress, Color and Transparency options in my Acrobat  / Preflight.

Is that something you had to download or should it be included in the standard install/update.

I'm a CC subscriber and my current Acrobat is: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC  2021.005.20048

[auxiliaryjoel]

oh wait no I found it, (I noticed your screenshot had to the 3rd(spanner) option selected.

Ok great, so this will handly paragraph rules, bullets, etc?

[SJRiegel]

Yes - if you use this (Acrobat) method of outlining fonts, all of the font bits and pieces that would be lost if you outlined within InDesign will be preserved.

[auxiliaryjoel]

oh perfect thank you

[thomasb78074268]

How about that, a solution on the Adobe community, not just someone making people feel small because their workflow isn't the same as theirs!

I always dread searching for stuff here since it's invariably 45% condecension, 45% dogma, 10% solutions

Thanks TrapTurkey for solving my issue, too.

[rob day]

This illustrates @SJRiegel ’s helpful post—create outlines makes a mess of this text frame:

[Jill Orr]

November of 2021 and your answer is still helping people! Thank you!

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

defaultks8d4yvdbu1n said:

"For example Im working within the signage and wayfinding sector, I outline text daily."

Yes. Perfectly doable within Acrobat Pro with a loaded PDF exported from InDesign.

Here are the steps:

Open the exported PDF in Acrobat Pro DC.

Go to Print Production > Preflight

Select "Acrobat Pro DC 2015 Profiles".
Then list and select Single Fix Ups > Document > Convert fonts to outlines

Now run the single fix up with button Fix.

Forgot to add this screenshot from Acrobat Pro:

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

//EDITED: Added screenshot

[auxiliaryjoel]

OK great, thanks for the info. This should be marked as the correct answer.