Printers' Position on PDF Puzzling

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

I recently moved from the East Coast US to the West. My print houses in Washington, DC and NYC were very happy with PDFs (press quality or X1-a, depending on their particular setups).

Here, the few I've worked with want native files (which is not to say all of them will prefer native files in the region). They've "explained" to me that the PDF format is only for screen viewing (not at all my experience). Furthermore, they want to be able to do sugery if they have to (a fair rationale).

Some of you here obviously are seasoned and expert software and production professionals. I'd be eager to hear your thinking on this. Am I hearing a simple, legitimate difference in workflow preference or a difference in knowledge and expertise?

[graffiti]

Being from the West Coast, I use a lot of printers that accept PDF. In fact, I haven't supplied anything other than PDF for at least a year.

In that respect I would have to say that it's a knowledge and expertise issue with the particular printers you are using. Telling you that they are for "screen viewing" is a big hint in my book.

What area are you in Doug?

[Steve_Werner@adobeforums.com]

There are plenty of San Francisco Bay Area printers who accept PDF files.

Again, where are you located?

[sws@adobeforums.com]

"There are plenty of San Francisco Bay Area printers who accept PDF files."

Unfortunately, though, there are plenty who don't. One of my best friends, just north of SF, took a PDF to one of his local printers. The lead operator became very frustrated viewing the PDF/X-1a file and told him, "Even Adobe knows it doesn't work!" Needless to say he took it somewhere else, but it took him time to find someone local.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a list of printers who do support PDF? Maybe you can find a web-site of local printers and what formats they support. Or, how about a list of files they don't support and their explanation of why. That would certainly be enlightening as well as briefly entertaining.

[Steve_Werner@adobeforums.com]

Start with this weblink:

<http://www.adobe.com/sp-partnerfinder>

It will take you to the Adobe Partner Finder which will let you search for print service providers who support Adobe products in your area.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

I've just moved to the San Diego area.

Let me repeat, I have no reason to believe that this indisposition to PDF is endemic to the area... just to the few printers I've had contact with in my very short time here. And even these guys have not told me they WON'T print from PDF, just that they prefer native files in the event they have to make some adjustments.

I think your messages are clear, however: Keep Looking.

Thanks.

[Andrew_Mannone@adobeforums.com]

There is a serious bug with (at least) Acrobat 7 that Adobe is well aware of and has no fix in sight (at least for now). The bug involves Spot colors and transparency and acrobat not propperly flattening files. I work for a publisher in boston and our print vendors are at their witts end. The files look ok on screen but when they move to plate the bug is clear. Also, this can be seen by opening the PDF in Illustrator or Apple Preview.
That could explain why the guy at the print house told your "Even Adobe knows it dosen't work." just my two cents.

[sws@adobeforums.com]

Andrew.

Can you post a sample of this problem?

[Laura_M.@adobeforums.com]

Andrew: check with the printer and see if their RIP is set to ignore overprinting. When flattening transparency and spot colors it is sometimes necessary for the flattener to create overprints in order for the appearance to be maintained.

However some print shops have their RIPs set to ignore overprints, so when the file is output it appears incorrectly. The shops do this for a few reasons, but most commonly it seems to be in attempt to eliminate user created traps or to prevent problems in which someone has accidently set white to overprint, for example. Unfortunately it causes problems when trying to output files containing spots with transparency applied (or interacting with transparency).

If the file is flattened and opened in Illustrator or Acrobat and Overprint Preview is not turned on you should see the same thing that is happening at the RIP. Apple's Preview application has no concept of overprint preview, so you will also see something unexpected there.

[Jon_Bessant@adobeforums.com]

Well put Laura - Adobe has even built more checks into ensuring the
users view of the file (being preflighted/viewed) is more accurate with
the Display Settings alert in Acrobat 8 ...

A great new way to fuse everything together for optimum proofing (but
remember to run the preflight as well) (smile) ...

Jon