placing pdf as transparent

[GianLuca_Sarto@adobeforums.com]

[Win2KProSP4, Indesign 2.02.02]

Hello,

I have a bunch of pdf graphichs made with StarOffice Starcalc I want to place in an Indesign document.

These pdf show a white background.
Is it at all possible to place them as transparent?

TIA,
and greetings from Milano, Italy
-Gian

[Bob_Levine]

When placing the files, make sure that show import options is checked.
If you can do it, the choice will be there. Not knowing anything about
those PDFs, I can't say whether you'll be able to or not.

Bob

[Steve_Werner@adobeforums.com]

It depends on what PDF version/Acrobat compatibility they were saved with.

Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) doesn't support transparency. Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4) and 6 (PDF 1.5) do. However, I'd be really surprised if that application supported transparent PDFs in any case.

[Gernot_Hoffmann@adobeforums.com]

GianLuca,

a) a transparent logo (EPS) and black text, exported to PDF
(Distiller 5.0, Acrobat 3.0 compatibility), result in a truly
transparent PDF.

b) a PDF graphic with originally white background is not
transparent.

According to tests with ID 2.0:

A PDF Type a) retains transparency if this option is checked.

A PDF Type b) cannot be CONVERTED into a transparent graphic
though the import option is checked.

This means: "white" cannot be converted to transparent.

Then it´s merely the question whether the StarOffice source
image was originally transparent.

Best regards --Gernot Hoffmann