3 Attachment(s)
Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Hello,
This is something I noticed a few days ago. I imported a PDF to recreate it in Xara and further edit it. There were some images, that Xara was displaying correctly, ie. as seen in PDF. But when I exported my creation back to PDF I noticed, that the imported images are in (somewhat) negative colors! Then I thought that the original PDF color space was the problem - it must have been CMYK. Then I noticed something else - when I "touched" the imported image (like, changed the contrast by just 1 unit, so it shouldn't be noticeable) the image exported correctly.
It can be reproduced in a few easy steps:
1. Take an image and paste it to new Xara document.
2. Export the document to PDF using CMYK color space.
3. Import the PDF back to Xara as new document.
4. Re-export the imported PDF to PDF (using any color space, the effect is the same).
Does this qualify as a bug? Or is it a feature that I simply don't quite follow. Can this be avoided somehow? Like knowing that certain images were imported from a different color space (whatever) and being able to change it somehow (besides doing a dummy contrast increase, as in my case).
I've attached three files for you - one is original .xar file, then there's a PDF exported from this .xar (horse1.pdf), and then the PDF (horse2.pdf) that was exported from horse1.pdf (after it's been imported to Xara).
(Xara Designer Pro X 8.1.3.23942)
Attachment 92715
Attachment 92716
Attachment 92717
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
I cannot reproduce this. I exported the horse as PDF/X for commercial printing.
Dragged and dropped the PDF onto a new page. Selected Optimize for Editing.
Exported as PDF/X for commercial printing.
Dragged and dropped the PDF onto a new page, and I still have a black horse.
Sometimes weird things happen that are one-offs and don't happen then next time you open Designer. Can you reproduce after you have closed Designer and then reopened it?
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gwpriester
I cannot reproduce this. I exported the horse as PDF/X for commercial printing.
Dragged and dropped the PDF onto a new page. Selected Optimize for Editing.
Exported as PDF/X for commercial printing.
Dragged and dropped the PDF onto a new page, and I still have a black horse.
I can reproduce it every single time.
As I noted, it happened only when I imported a CMYK PDF (is it a good term, by the way?) and exported back to PDF. In my example, when I export the .xar to RGB PDF, then the second export (of the PDF imported back to Xara) is okay.
XAR -> (CMYK)PDF -> import pdf -> (any)PDF - this fails
XAR -> (RGB)PDF -> import pdf -> (any)PDF - this is okay
What I originally did, before creating this thread and this 'horse' example, was that I imported a CMYK PDF (which was not produced by Xara) and exported it to (Native) PDF and saw the embedded images in inverted colors (well, not exactly inverted, but all wrong anyway).
EDIT:
I just tried it with Xara Xtreme 4.0.1.5601 (which runs on a different machine): I imported the horse1.pdf (from my first post), which is in CMYK color space, and exported it back to PDF - the result is the same (negative colors).
I do not know if it matters, but my both computers are running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Hello Morris
I have asked someone at Xara to take a look at this post and respond. It will take a few days as they are very busy.
This has come up before, as I remember, though I do not know if there is a solution.
If anybody has a suggestion, please post it.
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
The version of this issue that I experience is photos in a pdf importing as negatives. I don't think I've had one import correctly and export as a negative.
Most photos in pdfs import correctly. The content for the pdfs in which I see the negative import was created in InDesign, although I don't know whether InDesign was on Mac or PC or both.
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Hi Morris, I've partly reproduced the problem you have encountered, but only by importing your horse1.pdf and exporting that does the resulting export show the problems with the image that you mention. I cannot yet reproduce it exactly as this is detailed by exporting the horse.xar first, importing that PDF then exporting it again - though I have found another, similar problem in doing that.
the 2 issues I have found and reproduced have been logged for the development team to investigate.
Could you try this for me and tell me whether you still encounter the same problem following this method, as this works for me:
- Open horse.xar
- Select File > Export > PDF and choose PDF/X Commercial Printing and click Export, without changing any advanced settings.
- Import that exported PDF file.
- Go to File > Export > PDF and leave the settings as they are and click Export.
Does that second export also display this same problem as you were seeing originally?
Thanks,
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Will try your suggestion on sunday and let you know of the result.
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Hi PeteS,
I did what you suggested and after the second export the image was ok (even when I explicitly exported as RGB the second time).
It does not, however, solve my problem, because it all started from importing a PDF, re-editing it and exporting back to PDF. I have no control over what parameters were used to create that first PDF, as that was not mine. As I see it now under a hexeditor, it has been, indeed, created in Adobe InDesign, and it is full of "/ColorSpace /DeviceCMYK" postscript (or whatever) commands. If you want to have a look at it, here it is: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/106623143/Do...nlay_Hires.PDF.
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Hello Morris,
I don't know if you have moved on with this project nor if this is use to you now. I have attached a Xara file of the PDF you linked to that should be fine to modify and output.
Take care, Mike
Re: Problem with PDF export (images are negative?)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mwenz
Hello Morris,
I don't know if you have moved on with this project nor if this is use to you now. I have attached a Xara file of the PDF you linked to that should be fine to modify and output.
As a matter of fact, I already finished my, so to speak, project, but thanks for trying to help.
As I wrote in the OP, I simply added a dummy (1 unit) contrast increase to the images and this helped (they were exported okay). I can see that you did photo optimization after importing, right? Because my images are JPEG (as I can see on the status bar when I click them) and yours are PNG.
So, it's a kind of a workaround rather than fix. I'm not saying this is a showstopper, because once you are aware of it you can easily fix it (and truly, how many times you, professionals, re-edit others' PDFs?), but since the onscreen image is all okay, it should export okay, and it does not. So there's a bug somewhere.
Thanks,
Pawel