Thin lines and boxes appearing in imported pdf

[Hayz]

Hello,

When I open a pdf press ready ad in Affinity Publisher (to edit it), there are thin lines and boxes showing that are not in the original pdf. The lines can be seen on a print out and do not disappear after editing or exporting the document. Please see attached screenshots showing the Adobe pdf and the same document opened in Affinity (look to the right of the black squiggle for examples). This is happening with multiple pdfs, not just one. I have v1 desktop and v2 iPad. Interested in buying the whole suite but editing pdfs is imperative. Thank you.

[Callum]

Hi Hayz,

Please could you provide the .afpublisher file in question so I can look into this further with you?

Thanks
C

[Hayz]

@Callum

Thank you. Please see attached.

lines problem 3915b_New LANDINI DISCOVERY RANGE_WT 331 oe 31.12.afpub

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you @lacerto The original files come from multiple sources so I would have to ask those people to do their work differently to accommodate me using Affinity. I'm hoping there is a simple way that I can get rid of the lines within Affinity. Any help much appreciated. Thank you.

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you again. For my work, I only need to change text (the date and telephone number) and the QR code image within an existing pdf (so we can run the same ad in different newspapers). I currently edit the pdfs using Adobe Pro on a Mac and they reproduce correctly in the printed paper/magazine. However, when travelling, I want to use an Ipad. Adobe Pro is not available for Ipad, hence the purchase of Affinity Publisher. Fonts are installed in Affinity, but if importing to Affinity affects other settings, maybe it isn't the best app for my work even if the original designers (who use InDesign) can make clipping rectangles smaller. (I can install colour profiles for the different media but anything else might be beyond my skills). Thank you again for taking the time.

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you so much for the thought you are putting into this. I tried the second option, used Acrobat Pro and deleted the elements. When I opened it in Affinity Publisher to add the date etc, the thin lines are still there. Does that mean there is also the risk that other less obvious settings have been changed once it opens in Affinity? Thank you @lacerto

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you. The original pdf has settings (set up originally in InDesign) for magazine/newspaper print Eg CMYK, embedded fonts, ink density etc. If I place the pdf in a new Affinity document, is that information lost?

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you so much. I have attached two original pdfs as they come from two different sources so could be set up differently.

INL_555 - TYM TS25 Land 237 updated oe 31.12_ 92 x 260 0409_FA1.pdf 3915_New LANDINI DISCOVERY RANGE_Land 215 oe 31.12.pdf

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you. You have no idea how helpful this is. I will set up some test files and send to the publications for feedback. Bleed isn’t required. One more question if that’s ok. When I create a new document  in Affinity, I select CMYK/8 and then have to select a colour profile before placing the pdf etc. The ads run in newspapers and gloss magazine so usually two different formats in InDesign I believe. Are there standard newspaper and gloss magazine colour profiles that you are aware of or should I send the list to the publications to ask? Many thanks again. 

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Thank you once again @lacerto I have asked that designer to check and resupply recent jobs that have any RGB/400% issues, as the media specs all stipulate only CMYK and 100% black. I should start with accurate source files. It will take me a few weeks to get this sorted, gather info and then trial some edited Affinity ads, but your suggestion sounds like it will solve my issue. You are an absolute champion for taking the time. Have a wonderful week!

[Hayz]

Hello again @lacerto I have been experimenting and hoped you could advise on something. I followed your steps and it's progressing well, thank you again. My text is 100% black K, images converted to CMYK, no thin line boxes after export to pdf. However, I may sometimes need to add an image with a drop shadow (e.g. right side mower deck image marked "New placed image" in attachments). When I check the pdf in Output Preview in Acrobat Pro, the 'drop shadow/outer shadow' on the new image is showing as "Not Device CMYK" and "ICC CMYK", while everything else is DeviceCMYK. This seems to be because of the Rasterise Unsupported Properties option in Export. However, if I change it to Rasterise Nothing, the shadow does not export at all. I've attached a screenshot, an Affinity file and two pdfs- only the pdf with rasterised unsupported properties retains the shadow. Would the shadow as "Not Device CMYK" and "ICC CMYK", cause any problems during printing at the newspaper? Is there a way to overcome it?

Does everything else look OK to you? Many thanks again! 

2. Aff rast unsupp to show drop shadow WT SNAP2007 INL_557 - TYM TS25 WT.pdf 2. Aff no drop shadow on export Affinity edit WT SNAP2007 INL_557 - TYM TS25 WT .pdf 2. Affinity WT SNAP2007 INL_557 - TYM TS25 WT .afpub

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

 

[Hayz]

Thank you. I used the Flattener Preview and changed it to DeviceCMYK. In Output Preview, half of the ad is now Not Device CMYK, even though the blending space changed to Device CMYK. Is there another setting I need to tick in Flattener to avoid this? Please see 2 screenshots. Thank you again.

[Hayz]

Hi again @lacerto, before I heard back from you, I had sent two test files to the newspaper and asked for feedback. I mentioned my shadow/Not Device CMYK and the Transparency Blending Colour Space concerns. I just received this reply:

Both artworks look fine from a print and preflight perspective.
The file titled 1. Original WT ad INL_557 186 x 260  is a bit darker and I think looks less washed out, but they should both print ok.

That sounds like good news, so hopefully the ad (once completed) will be OK. I've attached the exact files that I sent them. Can you see why they say the Affinity file looks more 'washed out' than the original? Most of the ad is the pdf passthrough so it should look the same as the original. On my screen, the colours look the same. Thank you again.

1. Original WT ad INL_557 186 x 260 .pdf 3. Affinity edit WT NondeviceCMYK shadow INL_557 .pdf

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Hayz]

Wonderful, thank you so much. I will send test files to each publication (as some need to be set up differently for gloss) before creating the proper ad. Through your feedback, I discovered that the publications were correcting our recent agency artwork to convert the RGB images to CMYK - only one had asked for resupply.

I’ve now purchased the whole v2 suite so will download that soon (you should be on commission lol). Thanks again.