Visible Bleed line required by printer

[timw42792389]

My printer wants the bleed line to physically appear on the pages

of my PDF file... Any hints as to how I can do this???

[Derek Cross]

I think the printer means Crop Marks which you can add under the Bleeds and Marks tab in the Export Adobe PDF dialogue box. Also tick "Use Document Bleed Settings".

[Bill Silbert]

Actually, Derek, I think that the printer may actually want the bleed lines (I've had this request). See screen shot:

Make sure that the Document Bleed has been set in the Document Setup dialog window (first picture) and "Use Document Bleed Settings" is checked in the Marks and Bleeds section of the Export Adobe PDF window (not shown here) and that "Visible Guides and Grids is checked in the General section of the Export Adobe PDF window (second picture).

[Derek Cross]

I thought they might, but I didn't want to encourage it!

[timw11680615]

Bill, Where is that document box on InDesign???? 

[Bill Silbert]

File>Document Setup.

[rob day]

Where is that document box on InDesign????

They probably mean Bleed Marks, which you will find in the Export Bleeds and Marks tab:

With both Crop and Bleed Marks checked you'll get both in the PDF

[timw11680615]

Rob, unless your example is showing a wanted white border, I don't understand what your saying here...

Where is that Export ADOBE PDF tab at?????

[Derek Cross]

It appears when you select, for example, one of the InDesign Adobe PDF Presets.

[Bill Silbert]

File>Export... will bring up the Export dialog window. At the bottom of that choose Adobe PDF (Print). After you choose your save to destination and click on "Save" the Export Adobe PDF dialog will appear.

[Bill Silbert · Accepted solution]

The way that I suggested to do this in my first post will look like this:

The outer red line is the bleed.

[Bill Silbert]

By the way, I am assuming that the printer wants this for viewing purposes. If he is going to be printing from the pdf then the method Rob showed would be more appropriate since you wouldn't want the trim line to print. Doing a pdf with all guides showing like this is relatively common in advertising since there are strict rules for bleed, trim and safety which vary from publication to publication so checking these with a visual pdf is often done.

[timw11680615]

That works, thanks Bill.... I owe ya a beer.....

[rob day]

Just be aware that Bill is showing Acrobat guides—they won't print. The trim and bleed guides should normally show by default in AcrobatPro, I exported this page as PDF/X-4 with Visible Guides unchecked:

[Bill Silbert]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/rob+day  wrote

Just be aware that Bill is showing Acrobat guides—they won't print.

Actually, the guides I showed are from the InDesign file and they will print which is why I wrote comment #13.

[rob day]

Isn't the OP's printer asking about the delivered  PDF?

[Bill Silbert]

It is unclear to me if the pdf is to be used as a visual guide or to print from. I often have to send a pdf along with original collected files that the printer will use a “road map” for the job.

[rob day]

Rob, unless your example is showing a wanted white border, I don't understand what your saying here...

Where is that Export ADOBE PDF tab at?????

I'm showing the Bleeds and Marks tab in my first post—File>Export>Adobe PDF Print>Marks and Bleeds. My first example includes the Document Bleed (check Use Document Bleed Settings), but the orange rectangle is not bleeding. Here I've adjusted it to bleed

The exported page shows both sets of marks. There would always have to be a border to accommodate the Bleed Marks, which are printer marks and not guides. I would expect they want the marks so they can proof and confirm that you have actually set all of the page items touching the trim bleed:

[Luke Jennings]

May I pick a few nits here?

Every screen shot here is showing the trim marks intruding into the bleed, this is not good, the trim marks should be offset beyond the bleed size, as shown here.

In my opinion the original printer's request to show the bleed line could be the result of a submitted pdf that is larger than the desired page size, possibly created by someone who knows that bleed is needed, but does not know how to set it up in the document properties and export settings.

There is an Acrobat & Reader preference to show or hide the art, trim & bleed boxes under Page Display, and also a check box on the Output Preview panel in Acrobat.

Occasionally the trim, bleed & safety are indicated by a spot color line or layer that can be turned off for printing, but this is uncommon, unless there is diecutting needed.