PDF problem

[lZakl]

I am having quite an unusual problem with a PDF for a map project I have been working on. The size of the PDF is about 35" X 35" and contians some 1.8 million vectors. A customer has given me the PDF to convert to CMYK for print. Once I do this, the map looks as expected in Acrobat 5.x, but when viewed in Acrobat 6.x or 7.x all the text has shifted down about 1/4 inch. Now on a map this size, this means we are 10 miles off... I am baffled that a older version of Acrobat would read it correctly, but the newer versions won't? >>?<< Now I am pretty versed in PDF... uuhhh.. ing, so I have done the obvious -- Had a new PDF created by customer, exported a new PDF on my end using InDesign AND Quark multiple times, used acrobat tools to clean up the PDF (extra vectors etc), Look for missing/unembeded fonts (The only font used in the entire document is Helvetica Narrow) ...

I am miffed. I mean pulling my hair out and running to the top of a mountain to live as a hermit annoyed ... What could cause such a mess, and what might I look into as far as a fix? I have half a mind to tell him to print in RGB, lmao .. At least ONE of the 4 seperations of street names might end up in the right spot!

Any input before I go bald would be appreciated!

-- Zak

[limbo]

Could you convert the fonts to vectors? - the pdf might handle them differently

If you have'nt already I'd check it on another machine.. ram needed for 1,800,000 vectors might be throwing in a spanner...

[lZakl]

I asked my client if he could convert the fonts to vectors. According to my client, this program doesn't support doing this. Also the PDF that I export looks the same on their machine (5.x versus 6.x & 7.x), so I know it's not just mine. I upgraded to 4GB of RAM on my production machine last month and this PDF still boggs it down pretty good. I think I found a work-around... All the text was in black colorspace. (You know, brightness 0%) So I seperated that layer into it's own PDF and placed it in Illustrator, where I coverted the fonts to vectors there. Then I went back to the original, now missing all the text and placed this layer on top. It worked from my end.. We'll get the proof tomorrow morning. I am wondering if the software just isn't meant to deal with the sheer size and content of a PDF of that magnitude. hmmmmm ...

-- Zak

[DanRambel]

Zak

I deal with PDF programming every day. I feel your pain. I believe the problem is not your content, but the export filters in the programs that you use to create the CMYK version of the PDF.

I use a product by a company called PDFTron for system level PDF programming. It is a library for C# and C++ developers. It reads in PDF and allows you to modify the contents etc and write them back out. I am not sure on your programming skills, but I thought I'd mention that.

CMYK and RGB color space is rendered entirely different in version 7. The "new" PDF rendering engine in 7.0 is quicker and more true to life. This has hampered me quite a bit. There are a bunch of default values that most PDF export filters assume to be set or new values that need to be set for proper display within version 7.0. I am still working out the kinks on the current project I am working on. I would look for new PDF export filters for the software you are using to export the original PDF.

That's my take

Dan

[Jon_King]

Any chance your customer can provide an EPS file? The best complex output I've gotten is from an EPS file converted to PDF in Distiller. I do this with very complex hi res print files and use Distiller to make PDF's for the web of the same content.