PDF import/export problem

[Paul Mc]

I'm trying to modify (another) PDF artwork file created in AI. The file doesn't import correctly but doesn't show any errors. In an attempt to figure out what was happening I found out that exporting the result back to a PDF also causes an error and fails to create any file - other than flatten which doesn't help in my case.

I enabled debug and found this in the resulting log file:

[Last exception 1404 in PDF_shading]["Option 'stopcolors' has too many values (> 500)"]

I'm wondering if this provides any clues as to what might be wrong.

I can't provide the original artwork as this is confidential.

The file contains a background image with a repeating pattern which I think might be the culprit as it imports as a stretched image and not evenly spaced at the original size that you see using Acrobat Reader . I don't have access to AI where I am to check any of this at the moment.

Any thoughts?

(Affinity Designer 1.8.5 for Windows)

The 1.9 beta also behaves in the same manner.

[Paul Mc]

An update: I ended up sending the file to a friend who has a copy of AI. He was able to read and then re-export as an EPS and that reads fine.

It is still a bug but I'm able to proceed.

[Sean P]

Hi Paul Mc,

It sounds as though the document is trying to export an object with a gradient containing over 500 stops! Would you be willing to send the PDF you imported to our internal Dropbox account so we can investigate please? I understand it is confidential so if you would still rather not send it that's fine. However as its a source PDF i would have imagined it to not exceed that amount of stops.

https://www.dropbox.com/request/EkAD9J6WAGUieVh2n52k