APub prints very poorly imported ADesigner files

[Pedrober]

I am including ADesigner files in an APub publication (inside picture frames) and the quality of the printout of these designs is very poor (same behaviour if I export the page to PDF and I print the PDF), while, at the same time, the body text outside the picture frame is printed perfectly. However, If I print the same Adesigner linked file directly from ADesigner, the quality is perfect. Similarly, if I open the ADesigner file in Apub and print it, the quality is also perfect.

Preflight messages are confusing. The Resource Manager shows the placed file dpi as 343 dpi, but Preflight indicates that the placed image dpi too low (60). This issue only happens with several ADesigner files, but the printing problem occurs with all ADesigner files inside the Apub document.

The Document setup DPI is always 300dpi in both APublisher and ADesigner, but we are working with vector.

It definitely appears to be a bug. If I open the Apub publication in ADesigner and I print the whole page, I encounter the same problem as in APub. However, if I click the picture frame containing the ADesigner file and I isolate it, the printout is perfect.

I can zoom in on the ADesigner files in Apub without any problem. Even after enormous zoom, the quality of the ADesigner drawings is perfect. The problem only occurs when I print the Apub document containing ADesigner files.

The only explanation I can find is as follows: in the ADesigner files, there are some low-quality raster objects along with text. It's as if the poor quality of these raster objects affects the rendering of the text in APub printing. Anyhow, if I delete those objects in ADesigner and export the text only to eps, the problem persists in APub.

More information: astonishing! I created a PDF from my Apub and, then, I have reordered the pages in Acrobat. In the resulting file, the ADesigner files are printed OK. Any explanation?

 

[Hangman]

Hi @Pedrober,

Could you upload your Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher files along with an exported PDF that exhibits the problem so we can take a look at what may be causing the problem?

[Pedrober]

For sure. Give me a private link to send the files.

[Hangman]

Hi @Pedrober,

I'm an end user like yourself but would be happy to take a look at your files if you are happy to send them via a DM... If you'd prefer someone at Serif to take a look they can provide you with a Private Dropbox link so you can upload your files there...

[Hangman]

Hi @Pedrober,

I've just replied to you via DM... Let me have your feedback on the issues raised and we can move forward from there...

[Pedrober]

I am quoting some of your comments here:

The 'Placed Image DPI too low' error you see in pre-flight is caused by the stretched yellow cabinet at the top right of the graphic... Pre-flight is looking at the source DPI of any placed graphics in your Designer file and that particular graphic has a DPI of 52 along the x-axis which is why you see the error, i.e., it's below the default 72 dpi, increasing that x-axis dpi to a value above 72 dpi will remove the error.

This isn't a bug but expected behaviour when dealing with small, low-resolution image files...

[Pedrober]

I have created a pure vectorial image in ADesigner and the problem persists: perfect printing from ADesigner (or from Preview if I use an EPS exported from ADesigner) and poor printing in APublisher. Maybe I have a wrong parameter in my Apub document that is generating this problem?

[Hangman]

Hi @Pedrober,

Could you upload your new Vector-only Designer file so we can run some print tests from both Designer and Publisher to see if we see the same issue...

[Pedrober]

Excuse me. I've been (and I am) very busy. I am attaching the original .afdesign file and the .afpub file.

Vectorial_test_source.afdesign Vectorial_test.afpub

[Hangman]

Hi @Pedrober,

No problem at all and many thanks for the files...

I suspect the issue is down to the fact that your Affinity Designer file uses an RGB Colour Space but your Publisher File uses a CMYK Colour Space. This means, depending on the printer that the RGB Black you've defined in the Designer is being translated to a CMYK Black when printed from Publisher resulting in both a dark grey instead of Black and the Black being printed using all four inks in your printer which can result in a slightly blurry effect, i.e, your black lines won't appear as crisp because the black is made from all four inks...

I've converted your Designer file (26.afdesign) to CMYK and I've converted all the objects so they appear as K100 only and exported the file to PDF...

If you print the attached Designer File on its own, the Publisher file with the updated Linked Designer file and the PDF file do the prints now look as expected...

Updated Designer and Publisher Files

Vectorial_test.zip

Exported PDF File

Vectorial_test.pdf

[Pedrober]

Thank you very much for your help. I am printing to a laser printer and CMYK also creates problems with blacks. I have changed my Apub document to RGB colour but it doesn't help. Anyhow, I think you're right. There is a misconfiguration problem. If I am able to figure it out, I'll report.

Regards.

[Hangman]

33 minutes ago, Pedrober said:

I am printing to a laser printer and CMYK also creates problems with blacks.

What specific problem do you see with the blacks?

The uploaded file only uses Black but your printer may still be trying to print using all 4 inks, assuming it's a CMYK laser printer... What is the make and model of your printer?

Do you have an option in the Print Settings to print Black Only? I believe there is an option in Acrobat Reader to print Black Only or Greyscale...

[Pedrober]

Thank you very much for your assistance. The laser printers I am using are a Brother DCP-8070D and a Brother HL2300D. In those printers, CMYK blacks are always poorly printed. I use RGB blacks and then the printout is OK.

[Hangman]

Hi @Pedrober,

So if you use your original Affinity Designer file which uses RGB Black then change your Publisher Document to RGB as well, does the imported Designer file print as expected?

[Pedrober]

No, it doesn't.