Why is my exported PDF "Page size" not displaying the full page dimensions from InDesign?

[scottyb34]

My exported full-color, full-bleed Adobe Reader PDF "Page size" (8x10 with .125 and .25 bleeds) doesn't display the full page size from InDesign, i.e. the width is displayed in the lower left corner and in properties as 8.12 x 10.25 as oppose to 8.125 x 10.25. Is this an issue? Would 8.13 bleed width be O.K. even if the printer requests 8.125 width? Why isn't the .125 appearing on the PDF when it's clearly on the InDesign document?

Please help. Thanks,

Scott

[BobLevine]

Just a rounding error. It only displays to two decimal places. Don’t sweat it.

[Barbara Ash]

8.13 would be ok with your printer. Printer's make allowances for slight differences. It may be that Acrobat is using the correct dimension internally but the numbers displayed are rounding to two decimal places.

[scottyb34]

Hi Bob, Hi Barb -

Thanks for the timely response. Just to be clear, you're saying it's acceptable to have both 8.12 width and the 8.13 width? (FYI, I got the 8.13 width by making the bleed .128, not .125). Bob, are you saying the 8.12 is actually 8.125 width in the PDF but it just doesn't display it? (I wonder WHY that is). Or is it actually 8.12 width and therefore I should round up to 8.13? I'm being particular because I'm considering using CreateSpace for printing my first run, but their specs seem odd, and they seem to reject files based on these little details. Just getting my ducks-in-a-row.

Respectfully, Scott

[BobLevine]

It only shows two decimal places. Seriously, you’re worrying over nothing.

CreateSpace can definitely be a bit of a bear (I’ve submitted files for clients) but this is really nothing to worry about.

[Barbara Ash]

It's hard to say whether Acrobat has the correct dimensions internally or if there is a rounding error. There are a couple of ways that you can check that will display decimal points with 3 digits.

• Use the Measure tool. Drag the measure tool over the area you want to measure (hold down Shift as you drag to constrain the movement) and the dimension will display.
• Use the Crop tool. Drag the crop tool over the page area you want to measure. Then double-click inside the rectangle to display the Set Page Boxes dialog box.

If CreateSpace rejects your file (doubtful), you could make the page size a bit larger in InDesign then crop to the desired size in Acrobat.

[Test Screen Name · Accepted solution]

I can confirm that the page size shown bottom left rounds inches to 2 decimal places. So if you see 8.12, it means the value is somewhere between 8.115 and 8.125. Rounding can happen in page sizes, if so they are rounded to points. Sizes are in fact stored as points, and these are shown with 1 decimal place. 8.125 inches is exactly 585 points.

[scottyb34]

Thanks to all for your input. I really like the DETAILED answers, the ones that give complete explanations as to "Why" and "How." In some of the other forums the answers can be contradictory or seemingly encrypted, especially to us non-techies.

Now I can confidently move on to the actual creating. So, again, Thanks for your help.

Scott

[Migintosh]

I see that you're happy with your answer, but I can add that you can check the actual size of the PDF back in InDesign by making a page large enough to hold the PDF, then placing the PDF onto a page with the bleed. You do this the regular way by going to FIle>Place and selecting the PDF, but before you hit the Open button, check the Show Import Options checkbox. That will give you another window before you place. In that window, there is a Crop Options selection. Just set it to Bleed and place the PDF onto the page. If you look at the W and H settings (while the placed PDF is selected) in the control bar at the top, you will see that it will show three-decimal places in the readout, and will show 8.125 instead of 8.12.

My 2¢

[scottyb34]

Thanks for your two cents, McIntosh. At least I'm learning something new every time I visit these forums. That said, I also need a penny for your thoughts:

My test PDF's seem to have barely visible vertical and horizontal lines throughout the pages. And some of the artwork appears to, at times, have odd fragmentations. Is this, perhaps, just my computer monitor? Or do you think it could be another issue from InDesign and/or the PDF itself? Or is this, too, a non-issue. Should I take Bob's advice and "don't sweat it"? Either way, I need to know for peace of mind before printing.

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter.

Scott

[Migintosh]

When scrolling a PDF, I often see redraw errors that look like lines. If you zoom in, you can see if they are really there or not. If you flatten transparency, you can get artifacts that are visible, but they look much more severe from full view than they do when zoomed in close. That's just the nature of viewing on screen. If you zoom in and don't see it, don't sweat it.

[BobLevine]

Sounds like stitching artifacts. What are your PDF export settings?

[scottyb34]

Hi Bob,

"Stitching artifacts" sounds about right, whatever those are. I've used numerous PDF presets, but here are two that both produce those faint lines on the exported PDF:

[High Quality Print]

Compatibility: Acrobat 4

"Use Document Bleeds"

NOTE: These are Createspace PDF presets

I've also used the PDF preset using [PDF/X-1a:2001] with the above settings.

After reading one of your older posts about this issue, it seems to me that these faint lines could be the result of using a lower Compatibilty, like Acrobat 4. Is that a fair assessment? And what if the printer, such as Createspace, suggests Acrobat 4 or lower?

Are these faint lines just a nuisance? Or do they actually print?

Help me, Bob.

Scott

[schroef]

Issue with this is that my pagesize now gets adjust all the time. I work with Metric system and use either CM or MM. I need to prepare a document in 1/10 scale. Its being checked automatically online and keeps returning my document size is wrong. This is probably due this conversion from CM/MM to a point size and back. 

In acrobrat my page dimension is now with 3 decimals and not the correct size. Quite annoying actually, my number are correct in de design application yet creating the PDF is what causes this mismatch.

[schroef]

Then there is another issue. In Acrobat is also shows the propersize when checking the dropbox. But when I check the document size, it keeps showing a 3decimal number. This is nuts, I cant fix this now?

Illustrator doc dimensionAcrobat Set Page Boxes doc dimensionAcrobat doc info

[schroef]

Found this old post which states then, it was using 2 decimals. I guess now they hardcoded 3 decimals. I really wonder where its getting those numbers from.  Really is an issue, mostly due to Imperial unit system which is uses 3 decimals numbers a lot. Never get why this was invented in the first place. Its useless!  sorry to say so

https://answers.acrobatusers.com/Page-Size-Screen-View-q81130.aspx

[schroef]

Acrobat is making up numbers by itself. Im using Metric system and it changing my document size. In Acrobat I get 2 different size for the same document. Checking the file using "Set Page Boxes" I see 2 decimal numbers. But when checking document info, it somehow has 3 decimal numbers. This document was made in illustrator and this also shows 2 decimal numbers. This is quite annoying since I work in 1/10 scale and now I can fix this. The printer doesn't except my file because due to this error the pagesize is not correct anymore....

Wish there was a switch to set decimal measuring. Why does it even touch documents and somehow make up dimension???

illustrator artboardacrobat set page boxesacrobat doc info

[Test Screen Name]

It’s not making anything up. Not changing anything. Just using different numbers of decimals. This is confusing but entirely normal, and harmless if you stop worrying about it.