I can't get drop shadows to export properly. Can anybody help me??
I've attached 2 files, the .xar that looks ok and the .pdf that looks awful :(
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I can't get drop shadows to export properly. Can anybody help me??
I've attached 2 files, the .xar that looks ok and the .pdf that looks awful :(
Export as RGB or Native. Be prepared for the colours to change though.
Or try Export bitmaps at 300dpi.
Something is corrupted in your file. Look at the attached.
I get the same results with your .XAR file. But when I create a new page and add a soft shadow to text, over a colored background it exports without issues.
@Gary, the OP is using X9. You are using X11 which has fixed various PDF issues with CMYK output when certain effects are included, like drop shadows.
@Sadler, no, it can be output as CMYK properly in X9. Just not using, in this case, a drop shadow when the output needs to be CMYK. Basically one needs to go old-school on the drop shadow effects. This not only then output the CMYK values correctly, but the shadow is vector and the text is live text--Xara products will convert the text to curves if the drop shadow tool is used. Not too important unless it is a larger document. The drop shadow tool still outputs the shadow as a bitmap.
Here I have two text characters selected, there is no bitmap and the color is correct.
Attachment 110146
Thanks, I'm using X9 too. Tis good to know this is fixed in later versions. This affects feathering too.Quote:
Originally Posted by mwenz
I misspoke--maybe not enough coffee. The drop shadow is a bitmap. But the attached PDF was done in X9.
Mike
So in other words, if I get X11 I'll get rid of this problem?
..becouse RGB is not even an option in most cases that i'm using this software for.
Or what do you meen by going old-school?
Download the trial and try it yourself. That's the only way to make certain that for your work it is a viable alternative.Quote:
Originally Posted by Anders
A drop shadow is a relatively simple object that can be made manually. In the attached example I duplicated the text (using ctrl+k) and moved the copies to the side and removed your drop shadows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Anders
Using the layers panel I selected the bottom version and added a 8 pt line (if I recall the weight properly) and set the color to white. I then used Convert line to shape command. I selected both and Added the two shapes together.
Then, I set the color to 100% black. Add 0.1328in feather. Transparency was set about 52%. Moved this under the text. Output to PDF.
Mike
A variation of Mike's method is to copy the text twice. make one copy black and the other white. Place the white copy under the black one and offset it to the required amount.
Create a 25 step blend from the black copy to the white one and place the blend under the original text. The .xar file is enclosed so you can pull it apart if my explanation isn't good enough.
Convert the blend to editable shapes and then the result is vector.
Bob.
Thanx to you all, Mike's old-school method is nice, but it didn't fix my problem though.
This is what happened when I exported Mike's version.. (used pdf/x and cmyk, because that's the way I need it to be exported in most cases)
It seems like the problem is only with pdf/x..
Anders
Now I also tried X11.. and the same problem remains :(
Anders
Use Bob's method using the blend tool. Keeps everything vector so no bitmap effects/raster area
Bob's method could work in some cases, but it really doesn't even come close to a "drop" or "wall" shadow..
Anders - Does this happen when you start a new document? When I worked with your file yesterday all my workarounds did not work.
But when I started a new document the shadow exported fine.
In previous versions if there was a soft shadow, I Converted to Editable Shapes, then un-grouped the shadow from the object. The shadow becomes a simple bitmap with probably a Multiply (Stained Glass) transparency.
@Gary,
Try uploading a sample XAR file that exports to PDF/X properly, Gary.
@Anders,
With transparency on the page, export using the higest Acrobat compatibility instead of PDF/X. While it wouldn't pass a pre-press PDF/X check, the bitmap parts are properly flattened. Otherwise do what (I think) Egg suggested and just make a bitmap copy and export to PDF/X. I would do this in a separate file intended for output only.
Mike
Yes it always happens when I put a shadow on top of any cmyk-color and exporting it to pdf/x - and that's exactly what I need to do.. (working in rgb is not an option.(and I think it's not even even possible with pdf/x))
Mike - That would probably work (not using PDF/X), have to check with my printer if they can work with it..
Anders,
From anything that supports it, I use PDF/X4 which supports live transparency (among other things) and all but the PODs that I use accept them. If you have Acrobat you can post Acrobat 8 compatibility generation, convert it to a PDF/X of any kind without issue.
Mike
Maybe what I am missing here, is using CYMK colors instead of RGB colors and letting Xara do the conversion to CMYK color.
It's not entirely clear to me what it is your are asking/saying, Gary.Quote:
Maybe what I am missing here, is using CYMK colors instead of RGB colors and letting Xara do the conversion to CMYK color.
The RGB to CMYK conversion isn't accurate. If one knows the CMYK values, one needs to use them. Else the conversion will not be accurate and is entirely PDF output color profile dependent.
I didn't get Gary either but Mike is exactly right, I can't let Xara (or myself) "guess" the color when I have specific cmyk-values to work with.
Exporting with Acrobat 8 works ..as long as I use 'Color Model: Native'.
If I change it to CMYK, it completely removes the shadow. With PDF/X it's not even possible to change the Color Mode, it's always CMYK - and the result is..well, what it is..