I have had a problem in InDesign just recently with pictures not printing. It is a large file 95MB. It prints as a pdf, but not as a placed psd in InDesign. The border of the doc prints and one placed ai file, but the rest is blank. I have also had trouble with rotated psd files printing, but this time much smaller files. Again, a blank space. Is it InDesign or do I need to check for printer issues. Maybe my settings got messed up in InDesign somehow-but I wouldn't know. I have been using it for 4 months, but I was a Quark user for 12 years previously. Does anyone have any ideas?
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Graphics disappear when printing
- Thread starter winegirl8
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #3
As jim said, you might try selecting an image and checking its attributes to see if it's set to non printing.
Another trick is to package the project before printing so that you assure that you don't inadvertently lose any links. You might also check the Links window to make sure that they don't need updating, if any changes have been made.
In your print dialogue check under Graphics and select Send All Data in the Send Data menu. In the Advaced section, make sure that transparency flattener is set to High.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
Another trick is to package the project before printing so that you assure that you don't inadvertently lose any links. You might also check the Links window to make sure that they don't need updating, if any changes have been made.
In your print dialogue check under Graphics and select Send All Data in the Send Data menu. In the Advaced section, make sure that transparency flattener is set to High.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks for the info. I'm using a PC unfortunately-not my choice! In the attributes palatte,nothing is checked. There is a non-printing and overprint stroke box shown unchecked. The overprint fill and overprint gap are grayed out. Which one of these should be checked?
Using a PC or mac should have no effect on your problem.
On the Attributes, the only thing that will matter is that "non printing" is not checked.
Again, preflight the document, correct any problems, and then package it. Then see if the images print. It really looks like you've lost the link to the image file. Do any of the images listed in the links window have a question mark or yellow triangle next to them. ? indicates broken link and triangle means image needs updating.
On you print window, follow what I said in the earlier answer.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
On the Attributes, the only thing that will matter is that "non printing" is not checked.
Again, preflight the document, correct any problems, and then package it. Then see if the images print. It really looks like you've lost the link to the image file. Do any of the images listed in the links window have a question mark or yellow triangle next to them. ? indicates broken link and triangle means image needs updating.
On you print window, follow what I said in the earlier answer.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
Ekwoman
Instructor
- Jul 16, 2006
- 174
It sounds to me like a horsepower issue. You're able to make a PDF because the Distiller engine (what is used when making a PDF from InD) is powerful enough. I'm wondering if your printer just can't handle the rendering. Try choosing Proxy in the Graphics pane of the Print dialog box...it will print at screen resolution, but at least you would know the graphics are set to print. I think the 95MB file is overwhelming your printer (is your printer PostScript?).
- Thread starter
- #8
2 things
1- you might look at the graphics panel on your print window and see if postscript is set to level 3 (believe your machine is PS3) and the format is binary. On the bottom of the print window you'll see a "printer" button that will take you into the driver for the printer. You might have to do some settings there. I have to fiddle with that quite often.
2- try saving the psd as a flattened tiff. It's easy. Just open original from the links window and save as. Then substitute the tiff for the psd and see what happens.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
1- you might look at the graphics panel on your print window and see if postscript is set to level 3 (believe your machine is PS3) and the format is binary. On the bottom of the print window you'll see a "printer" button that will take you into the driver for the printer. You might have to do some settings there. I have to fiddle with that quite often.
2- try saving the psd as a flattened tiff. It's easy. Just open original from the links window and save as. Then substitute the tiff for the psd and see what happens.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
95MB. wow, that's a big image!
i'll leave the tech indesign comments to the pros but here's two thoughts:
- is the link the source file ok? (check pre-flight or links window)....if not, the image may be problematic when printing
- can the psd image be reduced from 95MB, say via flattening layers or saving in a different file format...yikes, even a [compressed] jpg would be better than not appearing at all. Or is the psd image of unnecessarily high resolution (ensure 300dpi or whatever is appropriate for your print needs)?
good luck, ross
i'll leave the tech indesign comments to the pros but here's two thoughts:
- is the link the source file ok? (check pre-flight or links window)....if not, the image may be problematic when printing
- can the psd image be reduced from 95MB, say via flattening layers or saving in a different file format...yikes, even a [compressed] jpg would be better than not appearing at all. Or is the psd image of unnecessarily high resolution (ensure 300dpi or whatever is appropriate for your print needs)?
good luck, ross
- Thread starter
- #11
Thanks for your advice. I sized the file to 50% of original, but I didn't change the resolution. I flattened the layers and placed it. It printed! I'm not sure what's going on here, because I went back and checked previous files of other large format projects and they were larger or the same size and still print fine. The service bureau where I sent this file to be printed as a 24 x 36 board found nothing wrong with it and it printed beautifully.
It's still sort of a mystery to me.
It's still sort of a mystery to me.
Ekwoman
Instructor
- Jul 16, 2006
- 174
I think by taking rossmcd's advice of reducing the photo was the answer to overcoming the horsepower issue I mentioned. Your printer just might have been overwhelmed by the size, complexity, fonts, and about a half dozen other issues that might have caused the slowdown.
One question, you said you were able to make a PDF....did you try printing from the PDF itself? A lot of times when my poor little printer is huffing and puffing when I send an InDesign file right to it, I re-send the file as a PDF and it handles it better. I've already weeded out the unnecessary info in the PDF compression.
If the file is going to another device for final output, you want to send just the info your printer can handle for the accompanying proof. If you choose to send All info on graphics to the printer, you end up sending way more info than the printer can even process. For instance, if you have a 2400 dpi photo that's 8" x 10" and you've placed it at half that size and your printer can only print at 600 dpi AND you've cropped the photo to only show a portion of the entire graphic, you'll still be sending ALL the info of the original file. Instead, choose either using Proxy for lower res proofs or Optimized Subsampling if you need the best output the printer can provide (without sending extraneous info). Hope that helps.
One question, you said you were able to make a PDF....did you try printing from the PDF itself? A lot of times when my poor little printer is huffing and puffing when I send an InDesign file right to it, I re-send the file as a PDF and it handles it better. I've already weeded out the unnecessary info in the PDF compression.
If the file is going to another device for final output, you want to send just the info your printer can handle for the accompanying proof. If you choose to send All info on graphics to the printer, you end up sending way more info than the printer can even process. For instance, if you have a 2400 dpi photo that's 8" x 10" and you've placed it at half that size and your printer can only print at 600 dpi AND you've cropped the photo to only show a portion of the entire graphic, you'll still be sending ALL the info of the original file. Instead, choose either using Proxy for lower res proofs or Optimized Subsampling if you need the best output the printer can provide (without sending extraneous info). Hope that helps.
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