Resolution Problem with Distilled PDFs

[dwsmith98]

When I create an Acrobat Distiller PDF via Print, the resulting PDF file is really low resolution. I tried 600 and 1200 dpi, but got the same fuzzy/jaggy results. My service bureau wants a clean PDF. Anyone out there that can tell me which specs I should set in Xara (and possibly Acrobat Distiller) to get a high-res PDF file for my service bureau? Thanks very much! - Dwight

[dwsmith98]

When I create an Acrobat Distiller PDF via Print, the resulting PDF file is really low resolution. I tried 600 and 1200 dpi, but got the same fuzzy/jaggy results. My service bureau wants a clean PDF. Anyone out there that can tell me which specs I should set in Xara (and possibly Acrobat Distiller) to get a high-res PDF file for my service bureau? Thanks very much! - Dwight

[Peter Clifton]

Dwight

I use Distiller quite a lot, but not, unfortunately, with Xara.

It sounds like Xara is possibly rendering some of it's effects as bitmaps.

First try printing a few simnple curve shapes to distiller (lines, circles, polygons etc), make sure there are no special effects other than uniform fill and simple outlines.

If these shapes look sharp at any magnification in the Acrobat reader then they are still curves after exporting to PDF.

Now examine one of your current PDF files in the reader, if when you zoom in the image starts 'blurring' then it is probably a bitmap.

You can adjust the various compression options in the Acrobat Distiller program, load it up and goto menu options

settings / job options / compression

In this tabbed dialogue you can adjust the type of compression used (lossy (JPEG) and non lossy (ZIP)) for Colour and Grey Scale bitmaps and the amount of down smapling to use, I suggest a setting of 300 to 350 dpi.

If the graphics are bitmap 1bit black and white then the images should be sampled to the resolution of the press, possibly around 2400 dpi.

If you get some settings you are happy with these can be saved as a preset for future use.

Hope this information is of use.

Peter

[Sean Sedwards]

I don't have any specific experience of exporting PDF, however the Print Options > Output > Transparency resolution may need to be set manually. This affects the quality of anything you've created using bitmaps or transparency and is relevant to normal printed output too. I've found that the automatic setting is not always optimal.

Let us know how you get on.

Regards - Sean

[dwsmith98]

Thanks Peter and Sean, I'll try your suggestions right away. -Dwight

[Luciano]

These notes may be useful if you use Xarax:

I get the best result setting 'DPI when autogenerated' in Utilities -Options -View menu to 200 dpi.
The value is considered only for shapes created AFTER this setting.
For best result with bevels I select all and convert everything to shapes before exporting.

I also avoid saving when everything is converted to shapes because I would lose the ability to edit the test.

Best regards

Luciano

[dwsmith98]

Thanks Luciano.