PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

pajdzn

Well-known member
I have a pdf file that I have placed into an InDesign Cover template, which I have done a thousand times in the past. But when I create a ps file and RIP it, either thru Preview, Distiller or Prinergy, I get some areas where the fonts get all blown out of proportion, either they get bigger and offset or they crush together in one spot. If I RIP the original PDF it works fine. I can't find anything unusual about the file that may be causing this problem. I have tried it on various machines with CS2 and CS3 versions and the problem persists. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

Is the problem area actually fonts in the PDF or outlined type in the PDF? Can you send PostScript to your rip without going to PDF and the type look right? Sounds like something we've had recently on the forums that there was no fix given for, except sending straight to the rip fixed the problem when I tested the file.

Don
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

The file provided to me was a pdf created from InDesign CS2 and the fonts are all embedded subsets. Nothing unusual that I can detect. If I print the pages to my Laser printer, the corruption appears in the output exactly like it does coming out of InDesign. But if I just RIP the pdf pages provided thru my Prinergy template it comes out fine. I am able to use the single pages in Preps and I just created a template there to set the pages up as I need them but I normally create my covers in Indesign, with marks as single pages. It just bugs me when a simple procedure that I have been using for years suddenly doesn't work and I can't figure out why!!!

Thank you for your assistance.
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

Leonard Rosenthal works for Adobe and also reads these forums, and since we've had a problem recently on the forums like this (although in that circumstance it was a Quark PDF with the fonts outlined in the PDF), he needs to see that PDF and so you need to get with him to see if he can come up with an answer as to why it's happening. It's a rare problem I would suppose, so every instance needs to be looked at and maybe they can fix it.

Don
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

It sounds like you are creating the PDF from InDesign by either exporting Postscript OR printing to the Adobe PDF printer. BAD IDEA! Use File->Export instead, since that will maintain the fidelity of your content and no "remake" your fonts, as the refrying processing that you are currently using does.

Refrying is a bad idea for many many reasons - but the damage that it can do to fonts is the worst.

Leonard Rosenthol
Adobe Systems, Inc.
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

I am not really sure how the pdf was produced, it came to me as a pdf. I am attaching one of the pages for you to see.
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

Leonard,

In this instance, the font is embedded subset, so I can see where you're coming from.

But the last time we saw this on the forum, it was outlined type that was in the PDF (PDF made by Quark, looked good, but placed into InDesign and output again), and even exporting PDF from InDesign didn't fix it. Me sending the problem file I got from the original poster, straight to the rip from InDesign, is the only way it output correctly. Did you ever find out what the problem was the last time?

It is definitely weird when it happens, and I actually printed a job (the customer OK'd the messed up proof) where the type was messed up like that. For some reason, I think when I did it on my live job, it was a PDF with the font not embedded, but the PDF was stuck into Quark and output, so the font was missing really when I had my "production occurrence" of this. To fix that situation, I had to go back, load the missing font, export EPS from Acrobat, replace the PDF with the EPS in Quark, and print postscript to rip.

Don
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

I can't see a problem in the PDF provided. Put in InDesign, output PDF/X-1a and dropped on Nexus hotfolder, still see no problem. Output PS from IDCS2 to Nexus rip, and saw no problem.

Don
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

Ok, I retested the file that I sent you. I placed it into InDesign and printed to a ps file. If I look at the ps file using the Preview app from OS X, the corruption appears. If I RIP the ps file the corruption still appears. If I distill the ps file, the file appears fine and will RIP fine. So I still can't determine where the problem is coming from.
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

[forgoing netiquette in favor of getting my point across]

DO NOT PRINT TO A POSTSCRIPT FILE!

PLEASE Use File->Export in InDesign when dealing with placed PDF
documents, or you are asking for trouble!

You can even export as PDF/X-1a (nice and simple CMYK/Spot-based PDF)...

Leonard
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

I actually tried doing the export but it had some issues of its own. The fonts seemed to hold fine but there was a problem with the overlap area. Even though the image boxes abut at the center, the right half ends up overlapping the left by .25", the image in the box extends to the left coming out of the box that holds it, beyond where the box actually ends!
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

Check the "Crop image data to frames" box on the Compression page.

Leonard
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

I checked that and the box is already checked. All settings appear to be fine. These are the times that try mens souls!!!

I really appreciate your trying to help me. I did manage to get the job done with workarounds but now it is a matter of solving the problem.
 
Re: PDF font corrupts when placed in InDesign

Here is a good one, I went back to my InDesign file and selected the image on the left side, brought it to the front and exported it again. Voila!!! Now the file is correct. Go figure. The boxes do not overlap at all.
 

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