Indesign to PDF: Losing BG Transparency

[nethrs]

I'm exporting an Indesign 5.5 file in what seems like the same way, but getting different results with the imagery transparency. I did work on a different file and then came back to it.

In my first series of exports, the background transparency showed fine. The second (as shown below) is now placing a white box around the shape of the image, where the background should be transparent.

How do I get the background transparency to go back to being transparent instead of showing white?



https://www.thefirstacademy.org/filerequest/9708.pdf (this one has transparent background images)

https://www.thefirstacademy.org/filerequest/9707.pdf (this one has white background images)

 

[nethrs]

Solution

Edit > Transparency Flattener Presets : Set to High

For some reason it's defaulting back to low after reopening Indesign.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

Edit > Transparency Flattener Presets : Set to High

For some reason it's defaulting back to low after reopening Indesign.

Did you set it while you had documents open? If so, set it with no documents open.

 

[citizenzen]

Also, I've had issues with spot colors and transparency. Either convert all your colors to CMYK / Process or make sure you convert to a CMYK colorspace when exporting the PDF.

 

[PrePressAcrobat]

Also, I've had issues with spot colors and transparency. Either convert all your colors to CMYK / Process or make sure you convert to a CMYK colorspace when exporting the PDF.

Possibly
you simply do not have the high rez display on.

InDesign
turn on Separations Preview (View > Output > Separations Preview)?
Acrobat
turn on Overprint > Always (Preferences > Page Display > Overprint Preview > always)?

MSD

 

[Infinitygraphix]

is it probably just the way you make your PDF.

When exporting, what « Standard » of PDF do you use ?

Try to remake your PDF with PDF/X-4:2010. It handles transparency way better.

Hope this help.

 

[macuser453787]

Possibly
you simply do not have the high rez display on.

InDesign
turn on Separations Preview (View > Output > Separations Preview)?
Acrobat
turn on Overprint > Always (Preferences > Page Display > Overprint Preview > always)?

MSD

is it probably just the way you make your PDF.

When exporting, what « Standard » of PDF do you use ?

Try to remake your PDF with PDF/X-4:2010. It handles transparency way better.

Hope this help.

Also, I've had issues with spot colors and transparency. Either convert all your colors to CMYK / Process or make sure you convert to a CMYK colorspace when exporting the PDF.

A warning message I've seen many times in Illustrator may shed some light on this. Says something like "Spot colors used with transparency can generate unexpected results." when saving the file. I think this is a clue, and have seen weird things happen rip-side when spot colors and transparency are used together. They just don't play nice together in Postscript land for some reason, which is a limitation that Adobe acknowledges (hence the warning message in Illustrator) and they should probably take steps to address it.

In my experience it doesn't have anything to do with flattener presets or overprint settings. I've tried to get it to work, and sometimes if the artwork (rather, the Postscript) is simple enough, it does work. One sure way though: Converting any spot colors to process prior to generating a PDF or ripping the file will eliminate any spot color/transparency funkiness.

 

[citizenzen]

One sure way though: Converting any spot colors to process prior to generating a PDF or ripping the file will eliminate any spot color/transparency funkiness.

I concur.

For any job that isn't being color separated as spot color, convert all colors to process/CMYK.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

I'm exporting an Indesign 5.5 file in what seems like the same way, but getting different results with the imagery transparency. I did work on a different file and then came back to it.

In my first series of exports, the background transparency showed fine. The second (as shown below) is now placing a white box around the shape of the image, where the background should be transparent.

How do I get the background transparency to go back to being transparent instead of showing white?

The PDF must have a certain minimum version (PDF standard version number).
The PDF must have a certain color space.
The PDF reader application must support the transparency and the specified color space. AFAIK, only the newest versions of the Adobe Reader application (with the correct settings) support all possible transparency variants.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparency_(graphic)#Transparency_in_PDF

 

[dazzer21]

Silly question, but...

...are all the links intact?

 

[benwiggy]

Old thread, but as it has reappeared, I feel I must point this out:

Also, I've had issues with spot colors and transparency. Either convert all your colors to CMYK / Process or make sure you convert to a CMYK colorspace when exporting the PDF.

Spot colour means "a separate printing plate from the usual CMYK ones, for which the printer will use a tin of ink in that color".

If your printer is only using CMYK on press, then you don't want spot colors AT ALL and you need to convert any spots to process.
If your printer is going to use a spot colour, then you don't want to convert to process, because then you won't have a separation on the extra plate.

Spot colour does not mean "a nice colour I've selected from the Pantone list with no regard for how it will be separated and printed". Not saying that's the case here, but there is a tendency for this to be the prevailing definition.