Exporting PDF from Indesign - Inner Shadow Print Issue

Did you export the job from InDesign to PDF/X-1a? Unless you need calibrated colors it's very strongly advised to use only that format when sending files to an external print shop, as it ensures transparency is flattened (what you see on your screen should be exactly what they see). Exporting to "normal" PDF leaves you at the mercy of their RIP, and while there are some shops that can support PDF/X-4 (which retains live transparency and layers) it tends to cause more problems than it's worth unless you're very careful about matching the capabilities of their particular hardware.

Sending a late-generation PDF (higher than PDF/1.5) to a print shop, especially where objects on the page have effects, is a recipe for disaster.


Even with transparency flattened, sometimes a poorly-coded RIP can have issues with rogue overprints from underlying layers which affect hardcopy but don't show on screen in the normal viewing mode - you can view the PDF using Output Preview (advanced menu in 9, print production pane in X) to check for that sort of thing, and it also lets you sniff about on the page and see the actual ink coverage.

I would agree that the problems that “nionx” encountered is very likely related to transparency effects not being properly handled either by the RIP or by PDF workflow software operating on the PDF prior to the RIP process.

However, there is no guarantee that use of PDF/X-1a is going to result in correct results either. In order to “preflatten” live transparency into the PDF 1.3 required by PDF/X-1a, you must know the actual device resolution of the platemaker's or the digital print device's RIP, i.e., 600dpi, 1200dpi, etc. as well as the target color space of said device. Otherwise, you may encounter stitching artifacts, overly emboldened text, etc. At Adobe, we most strongly recommend use of PDF/X-4 instead of PDF/X-1a because is significantly more device independent than PDF/X-1a and is generally much more reliable.

In this particular case, assuming that you provided this “printer you normally don't use” a press-ready PDF file that you successfully preflighted in Acrobat Pro with overprint preview “on” and that properly prints out on a PostScript printer from Acrobat Pro, there is no good excuse on the part of this printer for the results you received. Even if this printer doesn't have a RIP that directly supports PDF/X-4 or any version of PDF with live transparency, the printer could simply print the PDF/X-4 from Acrobat Pro (version 9 or 10) to the RIP via PostScript. This printer should “eat” the cost of properly reprinting your job and learn from the experience. Unfortunately, there are many Luddite printers out there that are seriously setting themselves up to failure by not keeping up with modern (not necessarily bleeding edge) workflows and technology.

Thanks fellas, very informative.