PDF export problem -- non-printing layers showing -- bug?

[AntonM]

Please see this thread: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...export-problem

In summary:
Exporting a XAR file with one of its layers' properties set to "Background layer (will not print)" results in that layer not appearing in page 1 of the exported PDF (as expected) but appearing from page 2 onwards in the exported PDF document (i.e., not as expected).

Additionally:
After exporting as PDF, an error box appears declaring that there was an error opening the PDF. The exported PDF seems intact, as Acrobat reports no errors upon opening it (except for the unexpected appearance of the non-printing XAR file layer from page 2 onwards).

The XAR file where this behaviour was initially seen is not complex. It comprises two optimised JPGs on page 1 and one optimised JPG on page 2, with a few lines of text (labels for the JPGs, and a header and a footer) on each page, and then a few lines and rectangles on a layer set as background to aid positioning of the images. Text lines (except for the image labels) and the background layer are repeated on each page, and each page subsequent to page 1 is a clone of page 1. The same behaviour was seen in other similarly constructed XAR files with more pages. The group of XAR files are, incidentally, part of a catalogue of items.

Versions of software are given in the original thread.

[steve.ledger]

Any chance you can attach your .xar file?

[AntonM]

I'll have a go at uploading them -- hope it works!

[Albacore]

Have a look at this PDF did nothing to it, in Xara, except 2 things. Changed the PDF properties when exporting, under the Advance option to Acro ver. 8 (PDF 1.7) in the General tab and then in the Layers tab in Enabled the Acro. Reader Layers was selected. The reason for the error message when exporting to PDF is that anything off the artboard, in P01, in the Photos layer. Green rectangle, will cause that. That was the second thing I did was to delete that rectangle and I think your problem is solved although I haven't printed it as running low of colour in my laser printer. If you export the PDF this way then you can turn off/on Layer 1(2) to suit yourself. Still think you are going about this the wrong way I would use crop marks which would be printable on different layer which would allow for Folding and Cutting of the CD insert. I would use the Guide Layer for exactly that constructing your CD case insert.

[AntonM]

Thanks for having a look, Albacore.

I did what you suggested (deleted the green rectangle, set PDF export to Acro ver 8, and enabled Acro Reader layers) but it made no difference at all. I tried again after having saved the Xara file, restarting Xara, and reloading the Xara file, but still no dice. The contexts of the background layer in Xara are still absent from page 1 but present in page 2.

I see in the bug.pdf file which you attached that the background layer is visible in both pages 1 & 2. It should not be visible in either.

Incidentally, I still get the same error message from Xara upon exporting the file to PDF, even after deleting the off artboard rectangle. I also found that there was a horizontal line near the bottom of each page that went off the board, so I shortened it to make it fit well in the board, and exported again. Still get the error box.

The only way to achieve what I want seems to be to also make the background layer invisible in Xara, and then export it.

I maintain that, in any case, none of this should be necessary. I can live with the roor message as a minor annoyance, but what I have set as non-printing background should not be visible in any output format, and no workarounds should be needed to make it work correctly in this or that format. The background layer doesn't show up when I print the Xara file to paper -- why should it show when I export to PDF?

[Albacore]

I think there is a bit of confusion here on how layers work. If I was doing a cartoon for printing in my usual work flow I would start with hand drawn sketch on paper using a pencil, scan the sketch and then import in Xara. I would then lock that layer so it wouldn't move, create a new layer and start to trace the sketch starting with objects that were in the background. I usually do separate layers for each of the following: hair, head, body, legs/feet, arms, shading...... etc. Then when I am happy with the result I turn of the viz. of the imported sketch and export that drawing as a PDF to my DTP product. Now if I was doing a let's say a CD case insert, cos. I don't know what your are displaying, for comments or editing by other people over the layout of the object again I would use layers and would do the following:
Press Ctrl+shift+R to bring up the rulers
This brings up the Guide layer in the Layer Palette.
With that layer active draw out my CD case insert (if you want people to see this layer don't use the Guide layer)
Now import the drawings for the front cover on a new layer named appropriately.
Do the same for the back and spine
If you want graphics and text on the reverse side make a new page but before duplicating the turn of viz. of graphics and text but keep the named layers
If I was going to have the insert printed I would have the text in all parts of the insert on a top most layer so that the "knockout" would print better

So far I haven't answered your question which you raised in your initial thread. When you set the Background Layers properties in the layer palette you ticked the box "Background Layer will not print" but you constructed it using the Guide layer, that's why it came out with the broken red lines and they will not print. That's why I asked you to change the PDF type so that you could see them which is what you asked. If you don't want them to print you must turn the viz. off but you stated that this file was for collaboration.

Have a look at the Help files under Special Layers to fully understand this topic.
"Special Layers
There are several special types of layer. They appear in the Page & Layer Gallery and can be turned on and off as usual, but behave slightly differently.

Background Layers are non-printing layers that appear at the bottom of the document, under everything else. When you apply a color to the page background (drag and drop color from the color line) this will create a Page background layer automatically. Normally this is locked.

You can also set the color of the pasteboard (the area around the page) by dragging a color from the color line and dropping it on the pasteboard. This creates a Pasteboard background layer automatically. Again, this layer is locked..

When saving a document as a website, Background layers are converted to web page backgrounds. See the Web Graphics & Websites chapter for more details on setting web page backgrounds and using the background layers.

The Guides Layer is where guidelines or guide objects are placed. When you create a guideline this automatically create a Guides layer. You can select the Guides layer and place anything you like on this layer - and it will act like a snapping guide (if you have snap to guide one)."

[AntonM]

It's actually not a CD insert. It's a kind of mini catalogue of church artworks.

I've done the same catalogue before (last year, using an older version of both Xara and Acrobat Reader, and a different church), without this problem occurring. In fact, the files I'm using now are copies of the one I had been using last year, with the old images deleted and old text replaced, and page count reduced/increased as required for this catalogue -- but still using the same layers as before.

If this problem did not occur last year, why should it occur now? Two things have changed: (1) new version of Xara and (2) new version of Reader.

Looking at it logically, Acro Reader will obviously not display what it is not given, which leaves only Xara as the culprit.

I still say, therefore, that it is a bug introduced in this (or a recent) version of Xara.