I need a big help with shadows 2

[11design]

I am new to InDesign and my last flyer when printed ended up with a white box around the objects that were with shadows. I tried to find the solution but nothing. Then I thought would be easier not to think about shadows so I won't have this problem anymore. Actually this is something you can never tell because you never kno which project comes next. That's my issue right now. I am doing an insert for a very important Newspaper and I am scared to death something coming up wrong. So, my questions are:

1) Trying to avoid problems with shadows I did one of the backgrounds in Photoshop and applied the shadows there. Then I saved in psd(I don't know if how I save matters) and placed it in my document in InDesign. the other shadows I had to do in InDesign. If I do my whole page in Photoshop and save as TIFF (getting an image) I will be able to get better results?

2) How I can be 100% sure that I won't have any problems when printing the document done in InDesign?

3) If I have problems with shadows the Preflight will tell me?

4) If I look at the Preflight and there's no spot or RGB color that means I won't have any problems with shadows?

5) Also, if I decide to use shadows in InDesign, why sometimes is impossible to get rid of the transparency problems that show on the Flatenner Preview?

Thanks for the attention,

Please help me. Tomorrow is my last day to give the project and I don't want to show it not knowing for sure if everything will be OK.

 

[jmgalvin]

Since you're submitting to a paper, I assume you're sending pdf. Try exporting to a Press Quality pdf - compatible with Acrobat 5 or higher - NOT 4 and see if the white lines disappear. On the Advanced part of the pdf export, make sure that Transparency flattener is set ti high (it should be that if you select Press from pdf presets and just change the compatability to Acrobat 5 or higher.

Also, when you get the Drop Shadow window, make sure that the Color menu matches your doc. Usually Swatches is fine since you should be fine since all your swatches should be cmyk. Make sure your transparency blend space (Edit menu) is CMYK and that your transparency flattener (edit menu) is set to High.



Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[11design]

OK. I'll try it tomorrow. What about working in Photoshop and saving as psd or TIFF? This make any difference? The way you explained gives me 100% of chance that the final artwork will have the results I want? I am working on a PC, so I am assuming everything you've explained doesn't change.
Thanks,

 

[jimoblak]

1) Flattened TIFFs are certainly safest but not as efficient to produce as the shadows in InDesign. If you are uncertain about the output, your safest bet is to make shadows in flattened TIFFs.

2)
Very important newspapers typically provide specs for how they want their PDF files submitted. Did they ask for PDF/X-1a?

3)
Preflight may not show shadow problems. Overprint, separation and flattener previews may help.

4) ideally


I would disagree with exporting for Acrobat 5. This can leave transparency data in the file. You want a flattened PDF file when sending to an unknown output provider. In this case, PDF/X-1a is ideal.

Be certain that you are reviewing your PDF in Acrobat with the proper view settings. Acrobat might be misconfigured to show shadows poorly.

 

[11design]

Hi I am here at work and I am still trying to work on the Transparency problems showing on my Flattener Preview. There's always a pink box around the objects that have shadows and I am trying all kinds of possiblities but nothing. I already did the other things which helped me a lot but when I get to the Flattener seems that something wrong will happen. Something that I don't know is that when I click to overprint Preview option nothing appears but in the Flattener yes. Does it means something?

 

[jmgalvin]

The pink box indicates that you slected something in transparency flattener preview from the Highlight menu in that window. See if the pink goes away if you select None. Also make sure that your transpoarency flattenr preset is set to High.

Export a pdf and see how that looks and prints to check things.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[11design]

OK. Nothing appears when I select none. So, what happens with the affected areas and objects at the end (they also appear pink, as well the strokes). Afterwards, how the Flattener Preview helps me out as a tool?