Exported Indesign file to PDF- a strip at the top of page missing

[eutopia]

WE have completed a children's book and the printer wants a pdf as well as the packaged file.
The PDF looks good on one page but all the others contain a layer which has not come into the PDF complete
A section at the top is missing (on screen) on all pages, and at the edge between the missing and the present part, there is some displacement.
What have I done wrong?
WE have CS InDesign 2

[davidmwe]

Which version of Acrobat are you using/viewing in? Transparency, layers and flattening them in older versions of PDF may be an issue. Are the images properly linked and not missing within the InDesign doc? It could be several things though and we would need more details. You could of course drop the file on [*_FlightCheck_*|http://www.markzware-europe.com/store/flightcheck] and see what potential errors may appear.

Also, interesting that your printer is asking for both a press-quality PDF and the collected or packaged native InDesign job along with it. We are [*_hearing_*|http://markzware.com/blogs/index.php...-native-file/] this is being asked for more and more by printers. Thus, if they are asking for both anyway, you may be able to get away with only sending the packaged Adobe InDesign job this time?

[oxburger]

not sure, but a short term solution may be to flatten/merge all your layers before exporting the pdf.

[jv58]

Does this element that is missing contain a transparency and if so is overprint preview on in Acrobat when you view it?

[John Clifford]

The key question is: How did you create your PDF? Did you export it using one of InDesign's PDF presets? If not, try exporting using the PDF/X-1a preset. Since X-1a requires flattening and PDF 1.3, it should give you a decent file. However, if there are transparency issues, they will certainly show up using this preset. Try using PDF/X-4. if that looks good it certainly means that you have a transparency issue. Now, if your printer has an APPE (Adobe PDF Print Engine) RIP, then you can send the PDF/X-4 and it should sail through prepress.

Good luck.

[pcmodem]

The Layer could have the "Print" option turned off within InDesign. Double click on the layer in question and make sure the "Print Layer" is checked.

[RHarris]

I solved the issue short term by Printing to PDF instead of exporting. This produced a small file size but it looked fine on screen. The printer hasn't complained, they have the packaged file as well.
I tried both the high quality and prepress presets, but both had the same problem
today I used the PDF/X-1a preset and it appears to have worked!
I am new to making PDFs for printing, so sorry if its something basic!
The file is 41.4 Megabytes so I didn't want to try uploading it. Thank you for your replys. I will investigate the different presets

[RHarris]

We did try flattening the frame image that seemed to be the problem, but it made no difference. I have posted how I solved it short term and the solution that seems to have worked. thanks

[RHarris]

thanks, I have now tried the PDF/x-1a and it appears to have worked. I dont understand why the prepress preset wouldnt have though.

[Lukas Engqvist]

> {quote:title=John Clifford wrote:}{quote}
Try using PDF/X-4. if that looks good it certainly means that you have a transparency issue. Now, if your printer has an APPE (Adobe PDF Print Engine) RIP, then you can send the PDF/X-4 and it should sail through prepress.

Just a little warning. I still see some small glitches in the PDF/X-4 and APPE. It works fine for low line screens, and Normal blending but be aware that multiply effects are not allways honouring ink limit. Also if you use InDesigns feature to use standard LAB for spots a 0% of a spot colour will have a LAB value that may differ from your output white, and therefore be visible as a box.

Don't get me wrong APPE and X4 are all the road to the future, but we're not there yet.
Seems like it was solved. ( btw Printing and going to PDF flattens the file.)