PDF to Photoshop? Drop-shaddows!

[jamesmurphy]

Hi all,

We are dragging a PDF into Photoshop as we need to supply a hi-res jpeg for print. However, we are getting white boxes around the elements of the artwork that has drop shaddows. The same effect can be replicated in Acrobat when viewing the ODF by turning the 'Overprint Preview' off. Oh and the original artwork is created into InDesign and being exported to PDF using PDF-X1A. The two affending logos with drop-shaddows are placed vector illustrator.eps files!

Can anyone tell me how to resolve this. We are running CS2.

 

[eugenetyson]

In Acrobat

Choose File>Save As>JPEG

Choose Options and select your options for saving the JPEG, you can choose Hi-Res.

On your first try, if it does give an error don't be dismayed, just tweak your settings, but make sure you have hi-res. You can then open in photoshop and make more alterations.

 

[eugenetyson]

Oh and seen as you have this on the Indesign forum, I am going to go ahead and assume that you PDF'd from InDesign to open in Photoshop.

Well why not just select the object(s) in InDesign, File>Export>Jpeg and choose the settings.

 

[jamesmurphy]

Nope, still no joy!

There is some text on the artwork with drop-shaddows that is opening up in photoshop fine, however the plced illustrator logos are causing the problem! The must be some setting in illustrator maybe?

To confirm, yes all artwork is created in InDesign. And we get the same problem when exporting straight to jpeg from there!

DOH!

 

[eugenetyson]

If you have shadows applied in illustrator and are placing them over an image in indesign.

Remove the drop shadow from the illustrator files and apply them in InDesign,

Similarly do the same with the files from Photoshop. It's a complicated explanation as to why, but there's a good reason to do this.

Alternativetely, if you have placed your illustrator file with a drop shadow into indesign on a background colour:

You should put the background colour into the illustrator file.

If your image from illy is going to be placed on a graphic done in photoshop, in indesign, then you should place the illustrator file in the photoshop file and then save it as a psd file and place the whole lot inside of indesign.

I know there is a way around doing all this, straight from indesign, but I can't think of it right now. It's a bit of a catch 22.

 

[jimoblak]

This sounds like transparency issues: faq818-6465

 

[eugenetyson]

Yo Jim!

Is there a way to get layers from a PDF to show up in InDesign, to turn them on and off. I've been looking no joy though!

 

[jimoblak]

Place the PDF into ID.

Right click on the placed PDF to bring up 'object layer options'.

 

[jimoblak]

...those have to be top/primary layers in a PDF 1.5 or greater file to play with their visibility in ID.

 

[eugenetyson]

Yes Jim, I've tried all that. I save the Photoshop file as a PDF with Layers and with edit photoshop capabilities turned on and off, it's recommended that you turn them off. But I still can't see the layers in the PDF or in InDesign.

In PDF I would go to View>Navigation> Layers

In InDesign I would go Object>Object Layer Options

I can't seem to create layers from the Photoshop file to be in the PDF!

 

[jimoblak]

Ahh... Photoshop.

That's a different flavor of layers. If you can't see layers in Acrobat, your version of Photoshop cannot yet make PDF with Acrobat layers. I'm sitting at CS2 now and can confirm it is not possible. Maybe CS3 or CS4 will do.

Unless you need crisp vector art in your Photoshop creations, stick with layered PSD files in InDesign.

 

[eugenetyson]

Yes, but doesn't psd files also Rasterise the vectors on output? I've been trawling the

http://www.indesignsecrets.com

website and that's the impression I get.

If it's not possible in CS2 then why is the option there? The layers defintely don't show up in Illy either. So I'm failing to see what the point is.

Also, in the help files it says to turn off Capability with Photoshop or something at the save as PDF stage, I did this, in the PDF dialog box, but nothing.

Further investigation is needed methinks!

I'm sure the text will be sharp enough at a 300dpi in the psd, but I want my vectors to work

You know what I mean, I should be able to do this.

Perhaps I can download a trial of CS3 and give it a whirl or something.

Thanks.

 

[jimoblak]

Adobe makes a distinction between 'Photoshop PDF layers' and 'Acrobat PDF layers' in their documentation. They are apparently not the same.

Yes, InDesign only interprets bitmap data in a PSD file. Vector data (including live type) will appear rasterized at no better than the native resolution of the PSD file. So, for now, you have to make a decision on the ideal filetype based on what is in the artwork.

If Photoshop PDF layers could help you in ID, you should submit a feature request to Adobe.

 

[eugenetyson]

Well yes I think I will. I'll have to visit my own FAQ to get the address. I have a few things on other forums regarding this, so if they turn up null then I will feature request it. I think it would be a decent feature. You know, to have type turn up as vector in a Photoshop PDF and in layers I think would be useful.

I must apologise for the hijacking of this thread.