Problem with importing pdf into Xara X and saving it back to pdf after making changes

[jaydear]

I don't know if I have much to offer you, but here's what I've found... If I open AR bad file.pdf in XDP12 or Foxit reader all I get is a thin band from the lower middle - see the screen grab. Note that the result is the same in Foxit and XDP12! I then opened AR bad file.pdf in Libre Office Draw. Lo and Behold - the whole page is visible!! I then exported it as a pdf from L.O.Draw and called the file "AR not bad file.pdf". That file opens just fine in Foxit and XDP12. I find this to be completely bizarre because the missing pics and text were not present at all in XDP12 with the bad file, yet they are all back after processing in L.O. Draw. You'd need to confirm if everything is actually there Phill.

Just my 2 cents: When it comes to making any complex document to be pdf'd I have learnt the hard way to minimise layering as it seems to get confused sometimes in printers and some pdf readers (KISS). Libre Office Draw seems to be able to get dodgy pdfs sorted and to then output a good file. Also, in my experience, if a pdf displays OK in a particular reader it should print OK from that reader if the printer drivers and a hundred other things are working as they should.

We can blame XDP12 or 15 for making a bad pdf, but it's not the only software that can do that with a complex layout.

[handrawn]

first off I'm not an expert in PDF formatting

with adobe reader I get the same results as Jaydear does with foxit, and I get the same with XDP12

with Affinity Designer I get the full page as far as I can tell the same as JD got with libre office

if I had to guess I'd say that the file contains 'hidden' elements, that some programs/printers ignore on import/print, and some don't... but you would need a PDF expert to confirm

since the web export setting prints ok, I am faily sure it will be the pdf/x settings in xara export that are 'causing' this...

sorry I cannot be any more help