My printer is having issues with my pdfs

[Mike in Hinderwell]

I'm a small-scale hobby publisher and have been creating pdfs for use by my printer for many years on InDesign. The current book I have with the printer is the first done on Publisher 2 and it's been an easy move from InDesign. However, when my printer tries to pop an edited page into his printing file he is experiencing all sorts of issues. Is there anything obvious that I could have done wrong? 

 

[Hangman]

Hi @Mike in Hinderwell, welcome to the forums...

Can you elaborate a little on the problems being experienced by your printer as this should be relatively straightforward and also let us know your typical page setup in Publisher, e.g., A4 facing pages and the PDF export settings you're using in Publisher?

[Mike in Hinderwell]

Hi, thanks for the reply! I work on A5, created as facing pages but sent as individual pages. I think I would have exported as 'for print'. My printer works digitally so creates his file with the pdfs but he hasn't given me too much detail although when he tried to place a replacement single page today the whole 134 page file corrupted. I know he'd already had issues creating his file before this so will ask him for more details.

[Hangman]

Hi Mike,

Without a few more details from your printer it will of course be difficult to provide a great deal of help but I can't see that you've done anything wrong at all here, I would have to say the issue is with your printer. It would be helpful to know which imposition software the printer is using...

Is there any reason why you don't just create a new complete pdf which includes the edited page/s rather than just sending the edited page/s in isolation for the printer to insert?

[Mike in Hinderwell]

Thanks. I think in the past it has been easier for him to swap pages for new pages. I've just now uploaded the full file, although with their ftp limiting the size of file I can upload it goes in four chunks. I've emailed him to say I may ask for more details so hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to add some more info.

[Hangman]

With no disrespect to your printer the fact they even have a limit on file size uploads to their ftp server seems somewhat odd and dare I say antiquated. Most printers I use these days simply have a direct link to WeTransfer on their 'Upload Artwork' page in place of an ftp upload where you can upload up to 2.0 Gb for free or 200 Gb with a paid account which obviously the printer would be paying for...

I get that it's perhaps easer for the printer to just swap out a single page but if when trying to replace a single page he's managed to insert all 134 pages, then I very much suspect that is simply an error on his end though why the file became corrupted is a different matter...

Anyway, there's little point in speculating without knowing the details so hopefully you'll be able to find out more tomorrow and please do let us know... Out of interest, does the artwork potentially allow you to send just the relevant edited single page on its own for him to replace rather than the complete document?

[Mike in Hinderwell]

Just heard from the printer. It seems that using the Press Ready option was better. He did find the big problem though, one image was extending over the page which I'd missed having thought I'd cropped to exactly fit the page.

Thanks for the help!