Bad customer Pdf, how can I fix this next time?

[zcto7]

I just started working in a smaller sheetfed shop and last week I ran into an issue with this customers pdf, it brought the rip down to halt and flushed the job.

I ran it through pit stop and converted all blacks to K and converted the rgb images to our cmyk profile. Placed the pdf in indesign and tweaked the spread alignment, and then exported with transparency. Plate 3 always failed and flushed the rip (Xitron Nav.) I then used trans. flatening and still the same flushing. I rasterized pg 8 , then it was fine until it ripped halfway, then flushed again. Frustrated and getting running out of extra time I made every page 99.9% opacity and made a trans. flatener setting all the way to the left, I rasterized the entire document, which finally worked.

The issue starts on page 9 I believe ( sheet 2F anyway). Acrobat gave some sort of font error when scrolling past pg 9 and it didn't come back. The Fonts are all True Type as well.

I'm stumpped as far as how to avoid this in the future? I suppose with 20/20 hindsight I could have replaced the TT font with an opentype or type1

Here's a link to the original pdf if anyone wants to take a peek at it.
Free File Hosting Made Simple - MediaFire

 

[leonardr]

Did you look at the logs of the RIP? Is the RIP even current with the latest software & hardware upgrades? did you check with the RIP manufacturer?

As far as the file in question - SOMEONE manipulated this file AFTER it was properly created . the original file was a happy healthy PDF/X-3 document...UNTIL someone started making changes to it that caused it to lose compliance...There are no Optional content Groups (aka Layers) as well as non-embedded fonts referenced in that document.

A quick Preflight in Acrobat 9 revealed all this - no special tools required...

 

[zcto7]

Thanks leonardr, i'll see if I can where it stores the error logs. I would try Xitron but their service agreement has ran out, and no one else there has any tech experience. Where running Navigator 7.0r3, while the rip box is pretty slow, an economy dell server running a 2.8ghz pentium 4.

 

[maxon]

The LOGFILE is inside the 'RIP' > SW folder, opening with notepad would reveal why it failed that job i.e. the offending command description, if any. I would suggest you do the following:
- update to v.8 a.s.a.p. Not only you will get full compatibility with current file formats, but also runs hell lot faster if dual proc/core machine. IRC the upgrade to v.8 does not involve dongle exchange if you got USB one already
- trash that LOGFILE monthly as it grows indefinitely accumulating rip monitor messages hogging memory,
- replace your platform with a decent Core2Duo, speedy sata drive and 2 gig ram at least. I've chosen an optiplex 755 recently for the latest harlequin and it flies.

Good luck

 

[zcto7]

Thanks maxon, I'll look at those log files tomorrow I'll check on the upgrade but i'm tempted to try and get the prinergy evo set up, to take advantage of the adobe print engine technology. Any idea if I can send the 1bit tiffs / files from prinergy to the navigator to output the the platesetter?

I guess they had it hooked up to send stuff directly to the kodak DI press, but after there 3mo tech support ran out they stopped using it.

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

It's been through distiller, and originated from power point.
I have experience with Microsoft does some funny stuff (for a given value of funny) like drawing a simple triangle with 1000's of small rectangles masked by a triangle.
A "just in time" text edit in the PDF could have caused the issue.

 

[rich apollo]

Wow. I went in and played with the file a little. You've got a possible font issue in that the same fonts are subset several times.

The more interesting thing is how "transparency" was generated. The "transparent" object is a colorized bitmap with holes in it. That might make the RIP urp. Take a look at the attached.

 

[zcto7]

Ahhh.....interesting, I supose that's why powerpoint is used for slideshows ! I talked to the guy who handled this job and he said the customer emailed a powerpoint file, and he made a pdf from powerpoint. It doesnt even suprise me anymore when these come in, i'm waiting for someone to email in a bitmap from MS Paint!

Thanks for the log tip Maxon! we had a list from 2004! One of the Xitron tech's had me dump the folder from trap pro module last month, it was several gigabytes and made Navigator take 23min to load, it seems it has been neglected for years lol.

Heres the Error Log I pulled from that job today. Not really sure what was wrong, perhaps a glyph was used?

Ripping file %D%/HOT_FOLDERS/5-COLOR_CMYK/JaffeSAllFB_.pdf as PDF.
PDF version 1.5
Title: JaffeSAllFB_.pdf
Subject: Not Available
Author: Not Available
Keywords: Not Available
Creator: DynaStrip 4.4.3 for Mac
Producer: DynaStrip 4.4.3 for Mac
CreationDate: D:20080918163730
ModDate: Not Available
Trapped: Not Available
Interpretation time: 1 seconds
Trapping: 310 objects on the page
Generated 375 traps for zone 0 in 0:00:57
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 181.82, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00131846
Painting separation "Cyan" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 30.5Mb, Ratio - 12.46:1
Print time for separation: 1 minutes 4 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 165
Deviated Frequency: 181.82, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00131846
Painting separation "Magenta" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 32.0Mb, Ratio - 11.92:1
Print time for separation: 3 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 90
Deviated Frequency: 194.548, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0
Painting separation "Yellow" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 34.2Mb, Ratio - 11.12:1
Print time for separation: 4 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 135
Deviated Frequency: 181.82, Frequency Inacc: 0.00724711, Angle Inacc: 0
Painting separation "Black" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 6634Kb, Ratio - 58.77:1
Print time for separation: 1 seconds
Print time: 1 minutes 12 seconds
Interpretation time: 1 seconds
Trapping: 205 objects on the page
Generated 312 traps for zone 0 in 0:01:11
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 181.82, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00131846
Painting separation "Cyan" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 7820Kb, Ratio - 49.85:1
Print time for separation: 1 minutes 29 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 165
Deviated Frequency: 181.82, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00131846
Painting separation "Magenta" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 7463Kb, Ratio - 52.24:1
Print time for separation: 3 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 90
Deviated Frequency: 194.548, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0
Painting separation "Yellow" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 11.3Mb, Ratio - 33.74:1
Print time for separation: 4 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 175, Angle: 135
Deviated Frequency: 181.82, Frequency Inacc: 0.00724711, Angle Inacc: 0
Painting separation "Black" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 3041Kb, Ratio - 128.19:1
Print time for separation: 1 seconds
Print time: 1 minutes 37 seconds
%%[ Warning: Error during glyph hinting ]%%
Interpretation time: 2 seconds
Trapping: 404 objects on the page
%%[ Warning: TrapPro memory limit (256mb) exceeded ]%%
%%[ Error: invalidrestore; OffendingCommand: showpage; File: %ip:5-color_CMYK% ]%%
Total time: 8 minutes 59 seconds
%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end of file) will be ignored ]%%
Job Not Completed: JaffeSAllFB_.pdf

 

[maxon]

Thanks for the kind words Adam.
Now about the rip: I'm quite familiar with Harlequin ever since version 3 but that doesn't make me an expert, does it. Seems more like memory issues - the first error you got was non-fatal (hinting), but the showpage error was. You should have your RIP configured to use at least 2 Gigs of ram especially with trapping activated. Or re-rip the job with no trapping see what happens. Good luck.

 

[zcto7]

Hmmm I belive it does have 2GB, or 1GB least for sure. Do you know what this 256mb memory limit is? We seem to get that on almost every decent size job.

Come to think of it, it seems like files that take forever to rip have a tendency to fail. Anything with really complex vectors seem to make it choke. For example I also pulled off these two error codes for a job that would not rip in the CMYK hot folder, and when dropped in the CMYK+ Spot folder it would rip and create a Gray plate and black plate scattered across both. (even though it was all K in acrobat) WildlifeBSAllFB_.pdf seemed to rip ok in the CMYK+spot if I remember right.

2 weeks on the job and my comrad was on vacation and I was stuck by myself with a job past due and not ripping... I had to end up distilling a pdf with just a black seperation through dynastrip and to the rip to get the black plate out...I swear im going to go bald by 25 lol.

Gangup "A"

Starting Job On Friday, June 20, 2008 9:05:34 AM
Using Color Setup "default"
Using default device calibration
Calibrating for intended press `intended press curve'
Calibrating for actual press `actual press curve'
Ripping file %D%/HOT_FOLDERS/5-COLOR_K+SPOT/WildlifeBSAllFB_.pdf as PDF.
PDF version 1.5
Title: WildlifeBSAllFB_.pdf
Subject: Not Available
Author: Not Available
Keywords: Not Available
Creator: DynaStrip 4.4.3 for Mac
Producer: DynaStrip 4.4.3 for Mac
CreationDate: D:20080619151714
ModDate: Not Available
Trapped: Not Available
%%[ WARNING - THIS JOB USES PDF TRANSPARENCY ]%%
Interpretation time: 2 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 135
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0.010212, Angle Inacc: 0
Painting page to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 8182Kb, Ratio - 47.65:1
Print time for separation: 1 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00238868
Painting separation "PANTONE 306 CVU" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 30.0Mb, Ratio - 12.68:1
Print time for separation: 3 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00238868
Painting separation "Black" to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 52Kb, Ratio - 7561.50:1
Print time for separation: 1 seconds
Print time: 5 seconds
Interpretation time: 1 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 135
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0.010212, Angle Inacc: 0
Painting page to disk...
Page buffer size: Raw - 380.7Mb, Compressed - 6366Kb, Ratio - 61.24:1
Print time: 0 seconds
Interpretation time: 3 seconds
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 135
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0.010212, Angle Inacc: 0
Total time: 2 minutes 4 seconds
%%[ Error: interrupt; OffendingCommand: interrupt; File: %ip:5-color_K+Spot% ]%%
%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end of file) will be ignored ]%%
Job Not Completed: WildlifeBSAllFB_.pdf

Setup loaded: "5-color CMYK+Spot"
Starting Job On Thursday, June 19, 2008 2:32:29 PM
Using Color Setup "default"
Using TrapPro Setup "NewTrap"
Using default device calibration
Calibrating for intended press `SWOP (CGATS TR001)'
Calibrating for actual press `press curve'
Ripping file %D%/HOT_FOLDERS/5-COLOR_CMYK+SPOT/WildLifeASAllFB_.pdf as PDF.
PDF version 1.5
Title: WildLifeASAllFB_.pdf
Subject: Not Available
Author: Not Available
Keywords: Not Available
Creator: DynaStrip 4.4.3 for Mac
Producer: DynaStrip 4.4.3 for Mac
CreationDate: D:20080619143030
ModDate: Not Available
Trapped: Not Available
%%[ WARNING - THIS JOB USES PDF TRANSPARENCY ]%%
OPI Replacement of: 'Cindy:Templates/Logos/Maps:Logos: DIVISION LOGOSIV. LOGO TIFF-2"'
.. Warning: OPI Image data 'Cindy:Templates/Logos/Maps:Logos: DIVISION LOGOSIV. LOGO TIFF-2"' not found - using embedded data (may be low resolution)
Interpretation time: 5 seconds
Trapping: 34902 objects on the page
%%[ Warning: TrapPro memory limit (256mb) exceeded ]%%
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00238868
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 165
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00238868
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 90
Deviated Frequency: 151.332, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 135
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0.010212, Angle Inacc: 0
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00238868
Screen Usage:
Dot Shape: 'Euclidean', Frequency: 150, Angle: 105
Deviated Frequency: 141.432, Frequency Inacc: 0, Angle Inacc: 0.00238868
Composite time: 7 minutes 54 seconds
Preparing to render page
Render prepare time: 0 seconds
%%[ Error: invalidrestore; OffendingCommand: showpage; File: %ip:5-color_CMYK+Spot% ]%%
Total time: 3 hours 58 minutes 56 seconds
%%[ Flushing: rest of job (to end of file) will be ignored ]%%
Job Not Completed: WildLifeASAllFB_.pdf

 

[LoweringTheBar]

Ripped on Prinergy

Ripped on Prinergy

For what it's worth, I refined your file using Prinergy Connect and it worked fine up to page 37 and then gave me a missing font error. The font is AgfaRotisFemiSerif Bold.

You can view the error message and use my refined PDF file if you're still in a jam. Just click on the link below.

Hope you got through this with your hair and your mind intact. We all feel your pain.

Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

 

[zcto7]

Thanks for taking the time to look at it LoweringTheBar , Luckily the job is long gone. I will pay closer attention next time.