AI placed in InDesign is rounding the page box (crop) size

[BC in the Bay]

We are running into an issue where AI files that are placed into InDesign are having their page box sizes changed slightly. For example, the files is created in Illustrator with no bleeds and a page box (artboard) size of 3.125" x 5.125". When placing the file into InDesign for S&R, the frame box places at 3.13" x 5.13" using the crop box. This doesn't seem to happen consistently, but it obviously causes problems with the stepped file when it does and no one catches it.

I can't verify if this is a user error or some sort of rounding error in one of the programs because Illustrator only displays 2 decimal places in the art board information.

Has anyone else seen anything like this?

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

could the files that are not working as should originally web ai, that have "align to pixel grid" checked?

 

[Greg_Firestone]

I can't verify if this is a user error or some sort of rounding error in one of the programs because Illustrator only displays 2 decimal places in the art board information.

There's your answer. Illustrator doesn't support 3 decimal points. You can't expect it to maintain the .125

Greg

 

[Al Ferrari]

What prehistoric version of Illustrator are you using???

What prehistoric version of Illustrator are you using???

"Illustrator doesn't support 3 decimal points."


I can't believe you actually wrote that Greg. What prehistoric version of Illustrator are you using??? See attached, which was captured after the Ai file was closed and reopened.

Al

 

[Al Ferrari]

Here is a screen capture of the Artboard dialogue. Again, after saving, closing, and reopening.

 

[GuruMorgor]

Stroke on frame box? Outer stroke will mess your numbers up real good. I tested using Illustrator CS2 into InDesign 5.5. It was all good until I stroked it!

 

[Greg_Firestone]

Hi Al,

I meant to say it doesn't support 3 decimal points for Artboards (as far as I can tell). I seem to get a different result from you. Tested on CS4 and CS6 on Mac. It allows 3 decimal points for objects, but the Artboard options seem to only allow 2.

Try going to File/New and creating a document 3.125 x 5.125. I can't....it rounds it up to 3.13 x 5.13.

If I double click the artboard tool to modify my artboard size, same behavior.

How were you getting the 3 decimal point values?

Greg

 

[GuruMorgor]

I fired up the Mac which has the 5.5 suite and it did exactly what Greg described above, artboard rounds to second decimal, 3 for objects.

 

[Al Ferrari]

The screen captures I posted were done from Illustrator CS3 Mac. I was unaware of a new "improved" 2 decimal place limitation in the newer versions.

Al

 

[Possumgal]

It's not just Illustrator that does this. When I have a custom sheet to print on our digital press, it only takes two decimal places also. That can really muck up the works, because if you print a document to a sheet that isn't exactly what it's set for at the machine, it won't print. It's a pain all around.