Transparency issue when pasting from Illustrator

[hutts72]

Is anyone having issues when pasting transparent vectors from illustrator into Indesign 17.2?

Opacity seems to be removed altogether. 

This workflow has been successful with previous versions.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I've seen no issues, and I just a did a quick test to make sure nothing's changed.

IMHO, pasting graphics into ID is not an optimal workflow — export to a defined file type and place is preferable for all but fast, more or less one-shot projects. (I had to test since I don't remember the last time I did a direct cut-and-paste. 🙂 )

It would help to know platform, OS and versions you're using, though.

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[hutts72]

Thanks Mate..

I tried exporting as an .eps and placing and still had the same issue.

Running macOS 12.2 Monterey on a 2021 M1 Macbook pro. 

Could be another M1 issue perhaps?

I have always copied/pasted vector artwork between Illustrator and Indesign and never had an issue?

Seems quicker and retains vector info for future editing within ID if needed 😉

[Willi Adelberger]

EPS should  never be used in modern times, use PDF/X-4 instead.

[Laubender]

"I tried exporting as an .eps and placing and still had the same issue."

Hm. Technically spoken, an EPS file from Adobe Illustrator cannot contain any real transparency. Only simulated transparency to get the visual impression right. So I wonder what really happens.

To maintain transparency save the Adobe Illustrator file to PDF/X-4 with not downsampling any images and place the PDF on your InDesign page.

To get to the core of the issue:

Could you share an InDesign document where you copied over the vector elements?

One little sample would be enough.

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[hutts72]

Thanks for your input Uwe!

The pdf imported as expected, which is great to know.

I have attached a sample file for your investigations.

Thank you

[Laubender]

hutts72 said: "Is anyone having issues when pasting transparent vectors from illustrator into Indesign 17.2?

Opacity seems to be removed altogether."

Hi hutts72,

yes. I can see this as well. Tested with a transparent element with fill color [Paper] copied from Adobe Illustrator 2022 to InDesign 2022 version 17.1 on Windows 10.

"This workflow has been successful with previous versions."

I'm not sure at all if this ever worked for me.

At least not if editable paths were created after pasting the clipboard's contents to an InDesign page. Elements were never copied over with transparency applied. But what I did see: Embedded graphics of PDF type as a result when the complexity was too high for example. But editable vector paths with a fill color and transparency applied? I don't think so…

What worked:

If you change the fill color of the transparent object in Illustrator from [Paper] to e.g. 100% CMYK Yellow, then the pasted result in InDesign simulates transparency like opacity 60% with a fill color of 60% Yellow. Real transparency is not maintained in the result.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I successfully cut and pasted a vector selection from AI to ID in giving my answer above. It was just a couple of filled shapes, selected as a group, and it pasted as those shapes with a transparent surround.

I would think that applying any background fill, including "Paper," would eliminate the transparency. "Paper" is slippery in that it sometimes means no-fill (as in "no ink here") but can also represent a white background. Perhaps what has changed (if anything) is how AI/ID interpret a "paper" background fill? Or an unnoticed switch from selecting just the elements on an artboard to selecting the entire artboard, assumed background/frame included?

This was under Windows 11; it may be another issue the Mac platform handles differently.

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[hutts72]

That makes sense to me. However,  it is weird that this has suddenly started to happen.

I tried using a coloured fill and it pasted ok into indesign, but it created a tint of the original transparent colour ro simulate the transparency from .ai.

Appreciate your investigations and the feedback!

[Laubender]

Hi NitroPress,

I'm on Windows 10, working with InDesign 2022 and Illustrator 2022.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong? I cannot get transparency from pasted Illustrator elements.

Below my sample test in details.

InDesign's clipboard preferences:

Illustrator's clipboard preferences:

Sample objects selected in Illustrator:

Pasted result selected in InDesign, no transparency.

Transparency is only simulated by using different fill colors:

If you only copy/paste the element with the [Paper] fill from Illustrator to InDesign without its background element, InDesign cannot simulate a given background from the contents of the clipboard, so the pasted result remains with fill color [Paper]:

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[lubalbs]

Also having this issue, and it just seems to have started. Really irritating.