pdf/x shadow problems for prepress

[behzad]

Please see attached, everytime i do shadows this happens. This is the output for press in pdf/x format. It seems where the box boundries are for each element, it creates the color distortion. How can i solve this problem and have my design ready for press? notice the color green? Also if I bring the leaf in front, the problem goes to the blue area.

mod edit: Images removed by request of OP

[steve.ledger]

Can you supply your .xar? I can't repeat that problem with my tests, I thought it may be a difference with using the shadow tool or creating your shadow manually from shapes.. But both export fine for me.

[behzad]

Thank you for always helping, i will email it to you if you do not mind. you can pm me if you wish. Make sure, my friend that it is CMYK colors assigned to your shapes and export as pdf/x
the shadow effect on your test that you already did.

[behzad]

okay here is a test. I posted the output too. Export it as pdf/x
thanks.

[steve.ledger]

I can repeat it with your file, but I can't repeat it recreating your file using the same colours.

PDF/x is always CMYK as far as I can see anyway.

Attached is the PDF/x result of my file recreation.

Other than this, I'm stumped right now

PS: I notice you have created this file using the Xtreme Pro 5 DL build 8917 (download) version, it's probably about time you installed from your CD build 10703 because there have been some updates since that older DL version

[behzad]

Thanks, i will do that. Silly me.

[Albacore]

I too can get the same effect, There are a few ways around using the shadow tool that you probably don't need to be told about but when you are on the full extremes of this tool it can lead to printing problems. If my memory is OK there once was a similar problem using the feathering tool but I did a search can't find it easily. Would suggest if you use the contour or blend tool to get the same effects as you wan't using the shadow tool. InDesign had the same problem about 5 years ago as both renders the shadow as a bitmap (rgb) in a CMYK doc when it is exported.

[behzad]

Okay tried everything, here is my way around the problem. I output the pdf with version 8 pdf but I select color model as CMYK. In prepress option i select U.S web coated and below it select embed color profile. I then export pdf.

I open it in acrobat pro, do a preflight on it and covert it to pdf/x-4
That seemed to work.

[Luciano]

The bug in PDF output is due to the fact that the object have color defined as CMYK and graphic effects turn some areas into RGB.

One workaround I have is to export the file as CMYK tiff (everything exports correctly)

Another workaround is to cover the graphics with a trasparent object (in the attached file I covered half of your graphics with a white transparent rectangle)

[behzad]

Thanks interesting find. However it lightens the image, even at 99% Trans.
Still thank you for your input.