Problems exporting to PDF from Xara Designer Pro 6

[NickyE]

Hi, I've been using previous verisons of Xara and now Pro 6. I have had the same problems since day one when it comes to exporting to PDF. I do a lot of design work for a local theatre group. I find I can export small A4 sized posters etc without problem, but when it comes to a larger graphic (like a 2 metre high pull-up banner) it gets about 57% of the way through processing and then throws up the message "internal error". Other times it tells me "out of memory". Other times I get other messages but I can't recall them at this moment. I've been trying everything I can think of and I cannot get this thing to export. It's not a large file memory-wise (only about 4MB). I also have the same problem when putting together show programs. If I need to put together an 8 page booklet, it's a nightmare to export. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm running Windows XP.

[NickyE]

I just tried again and this time received a more specific message: "Serious Error from Xara Designer Pro. Access violation exception at 0x00461AD3". I get this one a lot.

[PhilM]

Hi Nicky

It seems probable that the export conversion process is running out of memory because one or more things in your document are being converted to high resolution bitmaps.

Just to test whether that's the case try exporting with a lower resolution (lower DPI) by either setting Draft quality or going into the Advanced PDF Export Options dialog, Objects tab, and changing the Rasterization Resolution to 96 DPI.

If doing that allows your document to export and the output is acceptable then the problem is solved. If you want higher resolution, try increasing it in stages; 120, 150, 180, 200. If none of those are acceptable then you need to find the problem objects in your document and simplify them one way or another - either by removing them, making them smaller or avoiding features that cannot be directly translated to PDF, such as bevels and some fill types.

Phil

[JaffDave]

I find I get this error when exporting large formats like rollup banners over 2mtrs. I usually do the following and it fixes the error.

Convert all text to shapes
I have also found that it's usually shadows that create the errors so i convert these as well.
Avoid using the transparency option.
Eport to 200dpi rather than 300.

[NickyE]

Thanks! I solved it temporarily by exporting at 50% size - the printer said that would be OK. But I will go through now and try your suggestions. I didn't know that a bevel couldn't be converted to PDF for example, or that shadows would create problems. Thank you for your suggestions, it's appreciated.