Underlined text: the underline disappears when I outline fonts

[Xerios234008559rl4]

Hello!

Can anyone give me some advice about this problem?

When I outline underlined fonts the underline disappears from my layout and it's really a bad issue

😞

Thanks in advance for your help, Anna

[Willi Adelberger]

Never outline any text in InDesign. You do not only loose underline, as you have experienced.

You loose also:

1. Text frame colors and strokes
2. Strikethrough
3. Paragraph shades and borders
4. Paragraph rules
5. Automatic buletts and numbers
6. Cross references 

and much more.

What is the reason you want to outline fonts? If it is a printer requirement, choose a different printer.

If you need it for a plotter to cut content, use Adobe Acrobat Pro, in the Preflight Module there is an option to outline a PDF. That is good to use.

[Georg30157517xfwa]

Changing the printer is not as easy as you would say. Selecting a printer depends on various factors and a lot of the time it can be out of your control if the printer is handled by the customers or different countries or by the purchasing departments of various companies. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

A printer that demands outlined fonts is operating in a very outdated environment, or with very outdated software and print production gear.

That's the beginning and end of the arguments, and all anyone with any sense (even in Finance) should need to support a change.

[MK3085]

Unfortunately that IS not the end of the story. The world is full of various printers with various levels of technology. And when you are dealing with clients from different countries, sometimes the printer they choose is out of your control and as designers we have to be flexible to that and be mindful when we deliver final print files.

But I guess changing a printer can be easier than making some designers come to terms with reality. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

"Reality" is that most of us with any degree of competence know how to do it, but...

• Know to limit its use to selected art text;
• Never to use it for all text, especially body; and
• Recommend to clients that any print provider demanding outlines is probably costing them in unnecessary ways and should be replaced.

Outdated and obsolete should never be tolerated unless the client is fully informed and chooses to go that route anyway. 

[Laubender]

@MK3085 said: "Unfortunately this IS not the end of story."

Well, it is. I have to disagree.

If you feel the need to provide PDF files with converted text to outlines, see my correct answer at the top of this very thread:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/underlined-text-the-underline-disappears-when-i-...

You can do this easily with perfection in Acrobat Pro.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[BobLevine]

I really can't believe people won't let this go! It is exceptionally easy to switch printers just as it is easy to switch up any contractor. If they don't want your money find someone who does.

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

Hi Xerios234008559rl4,

that is "normal" behavior of InDesign.

Some formatting is thrown away when you convert text to outlines.

Or it could also happen that it changes the visual appearance of type.

So Willi's advice is a very good one.

If you have to do this, do it in an exported PDF with Acrobat Pro DC's Preflight:

Print Production > Preflight > Acrobat Pro DC 2015 Profiles >

Press the icon for Single Fix Ups > Document > Convert fonts to outlines

If you have to do this with your InDesign document you have to draw a new underline.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[BobLevine]

This is normal behavior. Why are you doing it?

Beyond special artistic effects there should be no reason for it.

If you absolutely have to, export a PDF and do it in Acrobat.