Transparancy problems with exporting PDF's

[lianne3001]

We encounter huge problems with transparancy when exporting PDF files from InDesign server. It seems to occur since the lates update to the new InDesign server version 18. 

Sometimes transparent objects are not picked up and give a white or black box in the PDF file. All settings of the joboptions are correct. When transferring to another InDesign server or reinstalling the joboptions it will fix the problem temporary but it will alway come back later on one of the servers. 

I'll include a sample page where this is happening with (in this case with a drop shadow). It is hard to reproduce because when we reinstall everything it seems to work again too (but this is not a workable solution). 

 

[kglad]

<moved from enterprise&teams>

[Laubender]

Hi @lianne3001 ,

please provide also the PDF Export Options file with suffix *.joboptions.

What kind of export are you doing?

With method export() or with method asynchronousExportFile() ?

FWIW: You already posted this in a different thread here.

I can remember your sample InDesign document.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[lianne3001]

Hi Uwe,

I posted this within another community area but someone placed it back here. But still facing the problem and still no solution. We have thousands of documents running through our servers every week, so the problem is quite big for us. 

Our method is export(). I tried to upload the joboptions file but the file type is not supported.  Can you open it like this? https://shared-assets.adobe.com/link/bc9c70cb-b2c7-4d74-57e0-49c5350b74f4 It is a standard ISOnewspaper26v4 joboption. 

[Laubender]

Hi @lianne3001 ,

can you go back to a version of InDesign server where you cannot see the issue?

Could be a bug. With my desktop version of InDesign 2023 18.1 I have no problem at all.

Please do a bug report at:

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs?category_id=345091&filter=top&page=...

Provide some sample documents packaged and the script you are running to export the documents.

Also list some setup details like OS, machine specs and so on…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[lianne3001]

Hi @Laubender

We cannot go back to an older server version. We have too many pages running on the servers that will break when we go back a version.

We just found out that the problematic PDF Files are exported as a PDF version 1.4 in stead of version 1.3. Really strange because the joboptions are setup with version 1.3. Maybe we can Find a solution here when we force version 1.3 in another way then the joboptions.

Regards.

[Laubender]

Hi @lianne3001 ,

you should be able to enforce 1.3 with:

app.pdfExportPreferences.acrobatCompatibility = AcrobatCompatibility.ACROBAT_4;

Source:

https://www.indesignjs.de/extendscriptAPI/indesign-latest/#PDFExportPreference.html#d1e324717

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Graphic Fruits]

Hi @lianne3001 , @_Uwe_Laubender_ 

Unfortunately I've got exactly the same problems. Although it worked fine under InDesign 18, november last year.
Same add used in november gave no problems, now suddenly it does not keep its transparency while exporting to pdf.
No warnings on fonts or spot colours or anything in preflight.
The strangest thing is, I also use ISOnewspaper26v4 joboption.

- I create the adds in Indesign 18.2.1
- Generate pdf with ISOnewspaper26v4 joboption

- put the adds (pdfs) in the newspaper, which is also an InDesign 18.2.1 document

- generate a total pdf for print, again with ISOnewspaper26v4 joboption
All of a sudden in some adds transparency disappears. Strangely enough, it does not show in acrobat and in the first made add. Its shows in the newspaper when preview is set on high quality and after generating the final pdf for print.

There is no problem when i generate the add with SheetCmyk_1.v4.joboption and place that in the newspaper. Generate a ISOnewspaper26v4.pdf, then the transparency is oke.

Any suggestions why it does not work with using twice the ISOnewspaper26v4 jobobtion?

Kind regards, Marike Braakman

[rob day]

Hi @Graphic Fruits , looks like all of the PDFs you posted have been exported to PDF/X-4. Does it happen if the ads are exported as flattened PDF/X-1a and then placed in the magazine?

[Graphic Fruits]

Hi Rob,

You did understand that the transparency problem did not occur in the nov '22 files?

They where exported to PDF/X-4 too. So I don't think the problem lies there.

Thanks very much for looking into this.

Kind regards, Marike

[rob day · Accepted solution]

They where exported to PDF/X-4 too.

Right, all the PDF/X-4s have live transparency, and when they are placed in the magazine layout, the live transparency seems to be creating a problem. I’m suggesting you preemtively flatten the transparency before you place the PDF in the magazine layout and eliminate the possibility that the X4 live transparency is causing the problem. You could do that via a PDF/X-1a export with the ISOnewspaper profile as the Output Intent.

Also make sure the Transparency Blend Space in any document you export to a PDF/X standard is set to CMYK. A PDF/X export will change an RGB blend space to CMYK, which can cause transparency appearance problems.

[Graphic Fruits]

It definitely is the way to avoid the problems. I will use that. Thanks very much for your help!

Ofcourse it does not explain why all of a sudden these problems started with joboptions and files that did not change, buts thats for the Adobe team to figure out 😉

Kind regards, Marike

[Laubender]

"… buts thats for the Adobe team to figure out"

Hi Marike,

in that case do a bug report at InDesign UserVoice:

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs

Describe the problem, state your exact version of InDesign and your operating system. Also provide the joboptions file(s) where you see the issue; together with a sample InDesign document. When done come back to this thread here and share the link to the bug report.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )