PDF's files from a client splits the artwork into boxes

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

I'm recieving some making it difficult to edit. They making the PDF in Indesign and I bring them in Illustrator, its just this one client that I have this issue with.

See attached

[milko259349307s4y]

why not open it with PS?

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

It's artwork with images/graphics and I need to be able to move the elements around.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Are you sure they are using ID + Acrobat to export, or is this another case where a secondary or "company wide" PDF tool is in use?

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

Hi James, most of our clients supply in print ready PDF's and they are fine.  I know they are creating the artwork in Indesign but I can't figure out how they are getting the file to split up all the images and if the type has a soft drop shadow it flattens to the image behind it. I was hoping to be able to have a solution on what way to save they're PDF's from Indesign

[BobLevine]

Nothing but questionable methods here. Why are they sending an InDesign-generated PDF when you need Illustrator? Why are you opening PDFs in Illustrator? Why aren't you requesting the InDesign files if you need to edit them? And finally, why are they flattening PDFs instead of using PDF/X-4 which will avoid all of that stitching?

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

Hi Bob, most of our clients supply in print ready PDF's and they are fine. This client doesn''t want the hassle of packaging everything so they can be difficult when we request them to do this(as silly as this sounds).  I know they are creating the artwork in Indesign but I can't figure out how they are getting the file to split up all the images and if the type has a soft drop shadow it flattens to the image behind it. I was hoping to be able to have a solution on what way to save they're PDF's from Indesign

[BobLevine]

I gave you the solution. They must export as PDF/X-4. They are using a method that is flattening the PDFs and they're the ones that have to change.

[Laubender]

Hi @Jim Clifford287709343sza ,

what you are seeing is the flattening of transparent elements at work when exporting to e.g. PDF/X-1a and not to PDF/X-4.

If you need one single image and not a tiled one, you have two options, I think:

[1] Open the PDF as Smart Object in PhotoShop and save a psd file or a tiff file from it. Place that in Adobe Illustrator.

Do not do that if the PDF contains vector graphic elements and text.

Do something Bob already suggested:

[2] Ask your customer to export the page content from InDesign to PDF/X-4 with no downsampling and color conversion.

You may edit the PDF with Acrobat Pro using PhotoShop for the image contents and Illustrator for the vector graphic contents. In case the PDF contains text: work on a duplicate of the PDF in Acrobat Pro and convert text to outlines before you begin to edit things with Illustrator.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

Thanks Uwe, I couldn't figure out how they were getting they're file to end up like this. So am I understanding this correctly, they are saving it as an PDF/X-4 and this is causing all the stiching? 

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

I'm using this for packaging so I am working with Vectors and images. If the vextor have a soft drop shadow/glow they embed into the image behind it so this makes it impossable to move elements around.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

No, they SHOULD but it looks like they are NOT using PDF/X-4.

[Lukas Engqvist]

As others have said it is not a problem in indesign but the settings used when exporting the PDF. 

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

Yeah, its how they're exporting it.

[Eugene Tyson]

No way should you edit files supplied.

If you can't make the changes in Acrobat (if you must)

Then request the changes from them.

Or request they package the files  and send them.

In no way is opening a PDF created in InDesign in Illustrator a good workflow at all.

[Jim Clifford287709343sza]

It's how they operate here and it works 98% of the time but this one client sends in PDF files that are almost un-editable and doesn't like sending the file packaged for some reason. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

When you receive PDF - it should be "ready to print" - if you need to make changes - you are taking full responsibility for what will be printed... Unless of course you get a signature on a proof. 

[Eugene Tyson]

I get it with tough scenarios. 

But there should be some middleground.

It's not hard to package a file - I don't get it. 

Or you can send them PDF settings that don't flatten the artwork and have them use that - you can send a .joboptions file and they load that in InDesign and use when exporting.

They should be able to meet you half way.

It's concerning still that you open PDFs in Illustrator, it's not a recommended workflow at all.