Affinity Designer - Ghost lines in PDF

[DigitalStirling]

Hi

I have ghost lines in exported PDFs that are driving me nuts.  I tried everything to get rid of them but I was unsuccessful. 

OS:  Windows 10 on latest patch level
Application:  Affinity Designer 1.10.5.1342
Issue:  Ghost lines in the white areas of the GEM logo part that I cannot see when I am in Affinity Designer. The actual logo is an embedded .afdesign file that doesn't contain any stroke for the curve object. I tried multiple approaches to create the PDFs, but the lines are always there.

Interestingly, if I re-import the PDF back into Affinity Designer, there is actually an outline object and if I hide this layer, the lines is removed. If I then re-export (see 2nd export) the file, it appears to be clean. However, I am not sure if it is still intact as far as colour space, etc etc. is concerned. I really want to export it correctly from Designer first time!

Am I doing stupid? Can anybody help. This is driving my crazy.

Thanks very much for your time and effort. I really appreciate it.

Kind regards

Phil

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_Rectangle Design_Support.afdesign

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_Rectangle Design_Support.pdf GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_Rectangle Design_Support_2nd export.pdf

[Lee_T]

Hi DigitalStirling

I'm not sure why the line is appearing and I will continue to look into it, but in the meantime this seems ok as a workaround.

1  Add a white background,

2  convert GEM text to curve

3  expand stroke of blue square

4 Use stroke panel to expand a white stroke .1pt of group.

 

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_Rectangle Design_Support.pdf

[Hangman]

@DigitalStirling,  This is a common problem and has to do with the way the PDF Reader software displays clipping paths as explained here back in 2019...

and again here in 2021...

For me the 'ghost line' is non printing so I'm pretty sure you won't see it on the finished printed business card but to be 100% sure check with the printing company to confirm this is 100% the case.

Alternatively instead of using a clipping path (even though that is the logical and easiest way to achieve the logo in question), you could also place the text layer above the purple shape in the layers panel, select the two layers and use the Subtract Boolean which will subtract the text from the purple shape and subsequently the file will have no clipping path... You then won't see the ghost line on the PDF file either...

PDF Exported from Designer where a Clipping Path is Used

 

PDF Exported from Designer where a Clipping Path isn't Used

 

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards No Clipping Path.afdesign

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_With Clipping Path.pdf

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards Boolean Subtract.pdf

[DigitalStirling]

38 minutes ago, LeeThorpe said:

Hi DigitalStirling

I'm not sure why the line is appearing and I will continue to look into it, but in the meantime this seems ok as a workaround.

1  Add a white background,

2  convert GEM text to curve

3  expand stroke of blue square

4 Use stroke panel to expand a white stroke .1pt of group.

 

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_Rectangle Design_Support.pdf 413.46 kB · 4 downloads

Hi Lee

Creative solution, great, thanks very much for that. 

Kind regards

Phil 

[DigitalStirling]

33 minutes ago, Hangman said:

@DigitalStirling,  This is a common problem and has to do with the way the PDF Reader software displays clipping paths as explained here back in 2019...

and again here in 2021...

For me the 'ghost line' is non printing so I'm pretty sure you won't see it on the finished printed business card but to be 100% sure check with the printing company to confirm this is 100% the case.

Alternatively instead of using a clipping path (even though that is the logical and easiest way to achieve the logo in question), you could also place the text layer above the purple shape in the layers panel, select the two layers and use the Subtract Boolean which will subtract the text from the purple shape and subsequently the file will have no clipping path... You then won't see the ghost line on the PDF file either...

PDF With Clipping Path Used in Designer

 

PDF Without Clipping Path Used in Designer

 

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards No Clipping Path.afdesign

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards_With Clipping Path.pdf 444.49 kB · 0 downloads

GEM Window Cleaning Business Cards Boolean Subtract.pdf 441.36 kB · 0 downloads

Hi Hangman

Thanks very much for providing the background to why this is happening. I am still a beginner really, but it makes a lot of sense to me now. It is always good to understand the underlying issue of the problem. 

Your solution is indeed workable. I will play with yours and Lee's approach and decide which way I want to go. 

Great to have a forum like this one where likeminded people are willing to help each other. How would you otherwise navigate through the maze of SW packages that never quite do what you want them to do :-). 

Cheers

Phil 

[Hangman]

Hi Phil,

You're very welcome... there are always numerous different ways to achive something and these forums are an invaluable source of information when you run into an issue and you'll usually find someone who's also experienced the same problem together with workable solutions...