Document size changes when Exporting PDF from InDesign

[Norcrans]

We have started seeing this issue and I was wondering if anyone else has come across it and if so were you able to fix it.

We produce calendars and one of our standard sizes is 10.84 x 8.375. If we create a document this size and export the document to a .ps and run it through distiller the pdf comes out at 10.84 x 8.375. If we take this same document and export the document as a pdf out of InDesign the pdf comes out at 10.84 x 8.375.

Does anyone know why InDesign can't export a pdf with 3 decimal places?

[chworktap]

I think you have the same numbers there three times in a row, there is no difference.

[frailer]

I'm guessing you just whacked in the wrong [same], numbers for the PDF output size. Suspect it's a bit larger, right?
I'm having a similar issue, [I think], when I Export, as distinct from >.ps>Distill. At the moment, I'm putting it down to "elements"in the page layout. In my case, I think it's Print Tools trim marks which I'm placing around the job. Suspect they're 'throwing" the Media Box out by a few mm. But a few mm is enough to screw my plate grip. Haven't got to the bottom of it yet, but am intending to.
.ps to Distill...doesn't happen
There's a reference to it on an Adobe guru's site. Shall post back when I dig it up.

[Norcrans]

Oops, sorry for the confusion there. I was in a hurry when I posted this and did make a mistake. The second paragraph should have read like this.

We produce calendars and one of our standard sizes is 10.84 x 8.375. If we create a document this size and export the document to a .ps and run it through distiller the pdf comes out at 10.84 x 8.375. If we take this same document and export the document as a pdf out of InDesign the pdf comes out at 10.84 x 8.38.

I know we are only talking .005" here but there has to be a reason why it will come out at the right size when run through distiller and incorrect when exported out of the program.

[frailer]

Hmmm. I'm talking more a few mm. What you're looking at there, maybe, is some sort of rounding up/down diff. Maybe a Preferences thing. We are talking 5 thou. here, right?

[byakuhan]

i'd say the issue with InDesign rounding to 2 decimal places has to do with how the programs scripts themselves were written.... ie. Indesign to goto 2 places, and ur other program has scripted for 3 that's all.


hope that makes any sense :P

[hurstville]

I was once told (and experienced it a lot when working at a newspaper), that Adobe uses the imperial system. So when you use mm, it converts it to inches and then back again. I would guess that in your issue with distiller and export, each program has it's own way of rounding up.

cheers, dimitri

[leonardr]

Whoever told you that was smoking something!!

All Adobe applications work in "user units" - an arbitrary, resolution
independent measure...

Leonard

[irreality]

Document size may change - but you are probably referring to the actual full page size itself - the size of your trimmed piece should remain the same "where your crops are located" this is due to the different offsets for crops that are being used/cropmark size/ or bleed settings.

Inside indesign when exporting to pdf you are using an automatically selected page size more or less, selected by the indesign pdf engine. taking the precise value of all your bleeds, crop size,and whatever else you are adding to the doc itself.

when making a ps you can choose - AUTO which will do the exact same thing as the EXPORT or you can punch in a custom value-if supported by your ppd.

-this may help . or not -

[wentworth]

This thread is pretty old but incase anyone comes across it like i did having the same problem as frailer posted, the solution may be this. Well it worked for me anyway. I was trying to export a PDF from Indesign without crops and couldnt understand why distilling and exporting were creating slightly different size pages.ie indesigns page was slightly larger by a few mm.
When exporting i thought that unchecking the 'use document bleed settings' from my PDF Preset would mean it wouldnt apply bleed. But it was infact the opposite. Even though the document didnt have bleed set, when i unticked it it used the values in the boxes below to add 3mm all around. So infact the correct way would be to leave it ticked and make sure the document has no bleed set. Or untick and set all to '0'.
Seems pretty simple but yeh...overlooked it