InDesign to PDF = text with jaggies
February 6, 2006 5:40 PM Subscribe
When I export a PDF from InDesign CS2 the quality is noticeably bad. What am I doing wrong?
My file is just text (a resume), and it looks beautiful when I print directly from InDesign. However, when I export to PDF, the text has noticeably jagged edges, and text that should be solid black sometimes prints with halftone dots.
I've tried all the included export settings. I've tried printing to PostScript and then Distilling the PDF. I've tried printing to a PDF directly. These all look fine in Acrobat, but lead to the same disappointing results when printed. PDF files that I didn't produce print perfectly from Acrobat.
I just want a PDF I can distribute that will look as good as the ones I print myself. Is that so much to ask?
My file is just text (a resume), and it looks beautiful when I print directly from InDesign. However, when I export to PDF, the text has noticeably jagged edges, and text that should be solid black sometimes prints with halftone dots.
I've tried all the included export settings. I've tried printing to PostScript and then Distilling the PDF. I've tried printing to a PDF directly. These all look fine in Acrobat, but lead to the same disappointing results when printed. PDF files that I didn't produce print perfectly from Acrobat.
I just want a PDF I can distribute that will look as good as the ones I print myself. Is that so much to ask?
Make sure your Distiller settings are at least 300dpi resolution and that all your fonts are embedded.
posted by tellurian at 6:18 PM on February 6, 2006
posted by tellurian at 6:18 PM on February 6, 2006
What are you viewing in? Acrobat reader's got some settings that deal with the smooth display of stuff.
Does it look ok when printed? (the PDF)
posted by rschroed at 6:34 PM on February 6, 2006
Does it look ok when printed? (the PDF)
posted by rschroed at 6:34 PM on February 6, 2006
Response by poster: The fonts are Optima and Adobe Caslon Pro. They are both embedded in the file. To clarify, the file looks fine in Acrobat, but bad when printed. Acrobat seems to still be using the font to display the text, not rasterized to a specific resolution because I can zoom in a much as I want without getting aliasing on-screen.
posted by stopgap at 6:39 PM on February 6, 2006
posted by stopgap at 6:39 PM on February 6, 2006
Hmmm...it almost sounds like it might be creating the PDF at too high a resolution, one your printer has trouble handling.
Also, what program are you trying to print it from? That could make a difference. My colleagues and I have found that printing from within Adobe applications can often be problematic, whereas printing the same document from, say, Preview (if you're on a Mac) works perfectly.
posted by limeonaire at 6:44 PM on February 6, 2006
Also, what program are you trying to print it from? That could make a difference. My colleagues and I have found that printing from within Adobe applications can often be problematic, whereas printing the same document from, say, Preview (if you're on a Mac) works perfectly.
posted by limeonaire at 6:44 PM on February 6, 2006
Hm. Reread what you wrote, and perhaps my answer isn't addressing your actual problem. It would be if you were trying to print from a PDF and getting poor results, but you're getting poor results when creating the PDF itself, neh?
Sorry!
posted by limeonaire at 6:48 PM on February 6, 2006
Sorry!
posted by limeonaire at 6:48 PM on February 6, 2006
I've run into similar problems before. A few questions... What kind of printer are you using? I've used some ancient LaserWriters that didn't support postscript correctly. I'm doubting that's your issue, though.
Have you tried exporting without thumbnails embedded in the PDF (I don't remember if that's turned off in any of the presets)? I've also had printers (for reasons known only to the gods of technology) sometimes print PDFs using the fecking embedded thumbnails, resulting in nasty jagged text like you describe.
posted by drumcorpse at 6:59 PM on February 6, 2006
Have you tried exporting without thumbnails embedded in the PDF (I don't remember if that's turned off in any of the presets)? I've also had printers (for reasons known only to the gods of technology) sometimes print PDFs using the fecking embedded thumbnails, resulting in nasty jagged text like you describe.
posted by drumcorpse at 6:59 PM on February 6, 2006
A couple of questions:
- Are you sure your fonts are ok? Do the .pdf's that you haven't made (the ones that print nicely) have the same fonts in them?
- What print settings are you using in Acrobat? Does printing as an image (Print, Advanced, Print as Image checkbox) make a difference? Does making sure Acrobat's (v.6 or 7) using the default settings (Print, Advanced, Settings) make a difference?
posted by johnwilcox at 7:12 PM on February 6, 2006
- Are you sure your fonts are ok? Do the .pdf's that you haven't made (the ones that print nicely) have the same fonts in them?
- What print settings are you using in Acrobat? Does printing as an image (Print, Advanced, Print as Image checkbox) make a difference? Does making sure Acrobat's (v.6 or 7) using the default settings (Print, Advanced, Settings) make a difference?
posted by johnwilcox at 7:12 PM on February 6, 2006
This feels like a problem between Acrobat and the print driver. I don't think you're doing anything wrong when exporting the PDF from InDesign. From your own tests we know that the fonts really are being embedded.
In the Acrobat print dialog, is "print as image" accidentally selected? Using that method can cause results similar to what you describe.
What OS and printer are you using?
posted by D.C. at 7:28 PM on February 6, 2006
In the Acrobat print dialog, is "print as image" accidentally selected? Using that method can cause results similar to what you describe.
What OS and printer are you using?
posted by D.C. at 7:28 PM on February 6, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
My email is on my info page if you want to me to take a look at the PDF.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:55 PM on February 6, 2006