PDF Exporting to Adobe Illustrator help

[BrewchaLibreBrewingCo]

Hi Guys,

 

id love to get some help if I can. I need to be able to convert a file and send it to my labeling company to print some beer can labels. I seem to have issues with sending them a file they can use and they mentioned its probably best to reach out on here and see if its a problem with Affinity's software

 

what i need to do is export a design as a PDF containing Adobe illustrators native file editing capabilities.

 

I have uploaded the 2 files if anyone would like to take a look. 

 

I'd love a step by step guide on what to do so I can get this sorted for each new release I do. currently I'm saving these files as JPGs and sending them to https://fixbadart.com/ to be vectorized and sent back as an EPS and PDF 

 

I have the 3 latest Affinity products so if anything needs to be done on the others i have access to them also

 

 

thanks all! hope this can get sorted, let me know if there's anything else you will need

 

Metalic Base.afdesign Top Print.afdesign

[loukash]

5 hours ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

print some beer can labels

Mmm… 🍻! 
Now, such a thread always gets my attention . I see that you're from Perth. My bestest buddy comes from there – but he lives here in Europe since years – and he's an excellent home brewer. I love his 🍺!

5 hours ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

export a design as a PDF containing Adobe illustrators native file editing capabilities.

Illustrator can of course edit PDFs since decades. No issue here.

5 hours ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

I have uploaded the 2 files if anyone would like to take a look. 
I'd love a step by step guide on what to do so I can get this sorted for each new release I do.

No offense intended, but people actually take design classes to learn these things in the first place, so that they can work as professional designers and actually get paid to master complex workflows like this…  

5 hours ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

currently I'm saving these files as JPGs

This is probably the worst format you'd ever want to use in this scenario.

5 hours ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

sending them to https://fixbadart.com/ to be vectorized and sent back as an EPS and PDF 

100% redundant step.
Just export as PDF directly from Designer.
Not every PDF setting is ideal though. Ask the printing company which exact PDF kind they accept. For most printing workflows, PDF/X-4 would be ideal but not every printhouse can handle it.

Also keep in mind that compared to Adobe products, the PDF export library pdflib as used in Affinity can't handle bitmap effects or filters very well. Whenever you're using a layer effect, everything underneath will be rasterized. Avoid layer effects whenever possible.

[loukash]

Also, to check the structure of your exported PDF, simply open it in Designer again.

[loukash]

10 minutes ago, loukash said:

Avoid layer effects whenever possible.

Looking at your layouts, you seem to be using layer effects mainly for pseudo outline strokes.
Don't!
Use the Appearance panel and simply add more vector strokes to your objects. That will prevent unnecessary rasterizing.

[BrewchaLibreBrewingCo]

Thanks for your reply @loukash, I have been exporting it as a PDF but it doesn't seem to work on their end when they are opening the files. Could that be because of the layer effects?

 

Are you able to help me with correct settings to select in the advanced options when exporting so they are in the correct vector format with 0 raster dpi

 

[loukash]

53 minutes ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

Could that be because of the layer effects?

Highly likely so. If vector objects are required, don't use any layer effects.

Layer effects are bitmap based, so they will always output bitmap, no matter what you try.

There are a few FX exceptions that at least won't rasterize the objects below as long as you export PDF version that supports transparency, like the Outer Shadow.
But there's still an unresolved bug in Affinity that a K:100 shadow won't properly overprint, knocking out objects below. See this thread for some workarounds: 

(Frankly, as much as I hate to say this, for complex vector based designs for prepress that involve many nifty effects and transparencies, I'm still resorting to Illustrator CS5 on my old Mac because the PDF output then just works… )

53 minutes ago, BrewchaLibreBrewingCo said:

correct settings to select in the advanced options when exporting so they are in the correct vector format with 0 raster dpi

Setting Rasterize to "Nothing" will simply ignore any rasterized objects on output. That's not necessarily what you want. 
In other words, as far as I'm concerned, at this stage there is no way around avoiding Layer FX altogether if clean vector output is required.
Many layer effects can be somewhat simulated by using additional vector objects or multiple fills and strokes via Appearance panel. It's just a p.i.t.a. to create those in Affinity.

Heck, even FreeHand 9 could create 100% vector drop shadows simulations back in 2000! 
I've posted an example of such a vector shadow workaround à la FreeHand a while ago:

[Dan C]

Please find attached a 'fixed' version of your file, which no longer uses any FX and can be exported to PDF with vector layers, which can then be imported into Illustrator.

There were a few oddities with your file, such as the document using a 32bit HDR colour space (which is unusual for a label) as well as a few issues with the text objects, so I have recreated these.

Please carefully double check this file to ensure you are happy with my changes before sending to print etc.

Metalic Base_F.afdesign 

I hope this helps

[loukash]

22 minutes ago, Dan C said:

There were a few oddities with your file, such as the document using a 32bit HDR colour space (which is unusual for a label)

Should be likely CMYK with spot colors.

[BrewchaLibreBrewingCo]

15 hours ago, Dan C said:

Please find attached a 'fixed' version of your file, which no longer uses any FX and can be exported to PDF with vector layers, which can then be imported into Illustrator.

There were a few oddities with your file, such as the document using a 32bit HDR colour space (which is unusual for a label) as well as a few issues with the text objects, so I have recreated these.

Please carefully double check this file to ensure you are happy with my changes before sending to print etc.

Metalic Base_F.afdesign 

I hope this helps

Thanks Mate! ill try sending this as a pdf to my printer and see what he thinks *fingers crossed*

[BrewchaLibreBrewingCo]

16 hours ago, loukash said:

Highly likely so. If vector objects are required, don't use any layer effects.

Layer effects are bitmap based, so they will always output bitmap, no matter what you try.

There are a few FX exceptions that at least won't rasterize the objects below as long as you export PDF version that supports transparency, like the Outer Shadow.
But there's still an unresolved bug in Affinity that a K:100 shadow won't properly overprint, knocking out objects below. See this thread for some workarounds: 

(Frankly, as much as I hate to say this, for complex vector based designs for prepress that involve many nifty effects and transparencies, I'm still resorting to Illustrator CS5 on my old Mac because the PDF output then just works… )

Setting Rasterize to "Nothing" will simply ignore any rasterized objects on output. That's not necessarily what you want. 
In other words, as far as I'm concerned, at this stage there is no way around avoiding Layer FX altogether if clean vector output is required.
Many layer effects can be somewhat simulated by using additional vector objects or multiple fills and strokes via Appearance panel. It's just a p.i.t.a. to create those in Affinity.

Heck, even FreeHand 9 could create 100% vector drop shadows simulations back in 2000! 
I've posted an example of such a vector shadow workaround à la FreeHand a while ago:

Thanks for this! allot of this is over my head but with time and questions asked (and a heck of allot of googling) I'm hoping to be able to have the basic understanding.

 

I have removed all the FX and edited the design so its still how I want it without the FX and have converted it to a PDF and sent it on to see if it works. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes as I'm a little stumped if it doesn't work this time around.

does the settings look correct?

 

[BrewchaLibreBrewingCo]

Looks like removing the FX was the trick! The printer says he can make it work now.

 

Thanks for the help fellas