Strange PDF output from this file

**GerryI** · 22 June 2011, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by mwenz

According to this thread:

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...27Intestine%27

This and or a related issue has been around for a while. Personally, I think some of these line profiles are creating an issue where they act as if they are a fill.

That thread is talking about an unrelated issue that has been around for a long time. The issue in this thread is specific to the "convert line to shape" operation when applied to closed shapes that have a "stroke shape/pressure profile". This bug was introduced during the development of version 6.

I have logged more information about this issue and it should be fixed in a future update.

Gerry

**mwenz** · 22 June 2011, 03:32 PM

Ok. Sorry Gerry.

I had simply noticed if you take the last XAR file offered up and set the line to the "normal" outline, the line color doesn't fill the oval--no convert to shape involved.

Mike

**GerryI** · 22 June 2011, 04:04 PM

PDF (and other formats) do not support the concept of variable width lines so when you export an object that has a variable width line the object is converted into a filled shape using the "convert line to shape" operation. If the object also has a fill then it actually becomes two objects grouped together, one representing the fill and one representing the outline.

I'm not sure what you are trying to imply with your reply, it doesn't seem to have any relationship to your previous post. If you set a "normal" outline then the object can be represented in the PDF as a normal filled and stroked path, no conversion of the outline to a filled shape is necessary so you don't get a problem.

If you simply select the object in the intestine.xar file and go to "Convert line to shape" in the Arrange menu you will see exactly the same problem as is seen on export.

Gerry

**mwenz** · 22 June 2011, 04:42 PM

Don't get the knickers in a twist. I did not understand what Xara is doing (and I may still not understand from your post).

I do note that both shapes (filled outline and inner portion) are actually sent to PDF. They, once in Acrobat, are clipped groups.

I have attached a PDF of what is going on internal to the PDF. Load it into XDP and expand the layer. Remove clipview. Rearrange the shapes bringing each of the "inner shapes" to the top.

But, you obviously understand what is going on. I didn't and probably am not explaining myself well enough.

Best regards, Mike

**mwenz** · 22 June 2011, 05:43 PM

Printing the intesting.xar file to a PDF produces the correct effect. I used Acrobat's PDF driver as well as another.

The outline of the original file was changed to a larger point size so it can be easily seen. If the attached PDF is imported to XDP, the outline and fill are separate vector elements.

Just another play here. Nothing important I am sure and certainly not reflecting on the PDFLib used to create a PDF internally.

Take care, Mike

**GerryI** · 22 June 2011, 10:01 PM

I can assure you that there are no twisted knickers in my vicinity but you don't seem to be understanding the point I am making. This issue is nothing to do with the PDFLib used to create PDFs and it is not at all surprising that printing the problem object to a PDF printer driver generates a correct PDF as different code is used to generate the path during the print render than is used during the PDF export. This problem lies entirely with the "convert line to shape" code in the program. This code was changed between versions 5 and 6 to fix another bug and this fix caused this problem. It needs to be fixed in such a way as to not reintroduce the old bug and to not cause any other new bugs.

Gerry

**Luciano** · 22 June 2011, 10:21 PM

Gerry,
thank you for your help.

Luciano

**mwenz** · 22 June 2011, 10:34 PM

Gerry, I think I did (finally) understand that the code was doing the converting the line to a shape. Thank you for clarifying that.

Just to be clear(er), I do heartily believe in XDP as a professional tool. I purchased XDP6 as a CorelDraw replacement once I updated my computers to Windows 7. I had fought with Corel for a few weeks over their X5 product I upgraded to. XDP has been a lifesaver in more ways than one and my only wish was I had switched over to Xara before my last few upgrades to CD.

My knickers comment was because it seemed to me you were being either pedantic (hey, I'm slow on the uptake sometimes) or simply snarky to me. Apologies that I didn't understand what XDP was doing internally.

Take care, Mike