Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

[Lower Case]

I recently had a PDF file created by InDesign CS which displayed perfectly on screen, but when we ripped it the text disappeared. It's a really simple two color document (compliment slip).

I'm inclined to think this is a bug, as if I wanted to reproduce this behaviour I wouldn't know how. It may be a corrupt document, as other documents exported using the same preset rip fine.

It was fixed by changing the preset to export PDF 1.3 rather than 1.4. I don't see any reason why this would fix it, but it did.

I'm mainly wondering whether anyone has seen this behaviour before? Of course, it may also be a problem with our RIP (GMG colorProof 4.0.4), but I haven't been able to try it on any others.

 

[michaelejahn]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

I would love an opportunity to examine this PDF. You have not shared enough information for me to offer any guess here. Was it all text?

It could be that the fonts were not embedded, and it could be when "saved as 1.3" - the preset setting has a few other 'difference' such as 'embed fonts'

 

[Lower Case]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

I took the liberty of sending Michael the file off-board. There are just a couple of graphics and some text, and according to Acrobat 8.0's preflight the fonts are embedded. I'm quite intrigued by this file.

 

[DavidMa]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

did you preview the file with overprint preview turned on?

white type set as an overprint is getting to be a recurring theme in a lot of projects recently.


good luck,
David

 

[Lower Case]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

No, the text is blue (on a white i.e. paper background) and overprint is off.

 

[DavidMa]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

no transparency I assume?

 

[ArtproPro]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Have you tried running the fonts through font doctor? Sometimes it helps us out. you could always just vectorize the text as well

 

[Lower Case]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

No transparency, and I've already found a solution/workaround, thanks. I'm just interested in how it could happen in the first place.

 

[DavidMa]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

what was the solution or work-around that you found, if you don't mind sharing?


thanks,
David

 

[Lower Case]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

I set the PDF level to 1.3 rather than 1.4. I don't know why this cured it -- in my view it shouldn't have! I'm inclined to think the InDesign document is corrupt in some way, as other documents work fine with the same preset. Either that or it's an obscure bug in InDesign CS or in my RIP.

 

[RiotMac]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

I've have seen this happen in older RIPs. Does your RIP support PDFs higher than 1.3?

At my last job the RIP would only take 1.3. We actually had to Print to PS and then Distill to a 1.3 out of ID CS.

 

[rbailleu]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

if it is a bad id cs file try to copy the contents of the file file to a new file and see if it changes. I have had files that for some unknown reason would not print correctly copy and paste all better.

 

[n2_space]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

We've had a few weird errors like this happen on a Fiery System 7 RIP.. the only part of the text drops off. Even converting text to outlines did not work. Only had a couple files do this, but solved the issue by using print as image... we were in a hurry and it was satisfactory for the client.

 

[John IV]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Missing fonts can be caused by the Adobe PDF driver that is loaded on your system. Select the Start Menu, Printers and Faxes, and select the Adobe PDF print driver icon with your cursor, selecting Printing Preferences. In this window uncheck the box which says "Do not send fonts to "Adobe PDF". Depending on the version of Acrobat this is phrased differently in any case uncheck the box. On a Fiery this problem can occur when you print to the hold queue and use EFI Impose were a pdf is generated in the background and then used for imposition.

 

[disbellj]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Yeah, this is the stupidest setting ever invented. Why in the h*ll wouldn't I want my fonts in my PDF by default? makes absolutely no sense to have to change this after install (and that's if you know where to look, which most people probably don't, so their PDFs have missing fonts when it shouldn't be so).

Don

 

[Franknater]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Those kind of errors (so called) in programming are probably jokesters that just want to make a dumb button. However, maybe someone told them that needs to be there.

Kind of like the foreman telling the trainee, "Go to the bindery and ask for the document-enlarger." Or, go to Wal-Mart and get a left-handed mouse."

Frank

 

[John Clifford]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Actually Don, there are plenty of folks who don't want to embed fonts. Remember that PDF is not only for printing. The majority of PDF users are enterprise users and they're more interested in small file sizes and being able to email documents. Their documents will NEVER be printed and they just want them to display well on someone's screen. Because the print industry is a niche market for Adobe and the enterprise is HUGE, the defaults tend to be for them.

 

[bluskool]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Is this only on a PC? I don't see any options at all for the PDF print driver(Adobe PDF 8.0) on my mac (Intel Macbook Pro, OS10.4.11) or do I just not know where to look? Well, There are a few options in the os print dialog, but definitely no option to not include text.



Dan R.

 

[Franknater]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

*"Remember that PDF is not only for printing. The majority of PDF users are enterprise users and they're more interested..."*


This is true, but PDF (Portable Document Format) was created to be used to view, print to any printer and platform. Maybe Leonard can answer that one, specifically why that option is available. Perhaps it may cause a problem with some digital printers or CAD, if that's possible?

Edited by: Frank on Jan 18, 2008 1:05 AM

 

[Gerhard]

Re: Odd bug -- type in PDF appears on screen but disappears on the RIP

Maybe it is not a bug at all. Maybe your RIP understands only PDF 1.3. Not long time back RIPs need PDF 1.2 and only the latest RIPS understand PDF 1.4.
The development of RIP software does not go hand in hand with the development of Adobe Acrobat. To avoid problems like that in future you better save all your incoming files as PDF 1.3 to make sue your RIP can work with this.
Gerhard