Hallo,

i have made a test with Quark. I think the pdf setting (1.7 Acrobat 8) is the culprit. I only use PDF-X3 or PDF-X1 settings in Corel.

Hi O,

There have been other ways for a long time (at least acrobat 5 era) , such as

pstill

or a slicker method: http://www.intellipdf.com/curves.htm

not cheap, but it tells you what's going on. (thx to Todd Miller)

otherwise, Acrobat 7 pro can also convert fonts to outlines (curves) through the flattening stuff.

Here's how to add a transparent watermark, which then lets you apply the "convert text / strokes to outline" feature. This is great when someone sends you a PDF with obscure fonts, and you have to get the PDF into Draw for whatever reason.

Step 1. Document | Add Watermark & Background
Add a simple watermark, with 0% opacity.

Step 2. Advanced | Print Production | Flattener Preview
You can now select the option to convert text and strokes to outlines, and apply it.

Step 3. Export as an EPS or save as new PDF file.

Step 4. for fun, try selecting some text with the touchup text tool. Can't do it? That's good!

Step 5. Open the PDF or EPS in Draw. Select either text or curves on the dialog that appears, shouldn't matter since the text is all curves anyway.

The geometry for the transparent watermark will be there, so you may need to search for it to delete it (or just ignore it, if it's not a big deal to you).

Olivier Fournier:

I discover something great today, did you know Ariel that it's possible to vectorize the fonts that are included into a PDF file?
With Acrobat

Ariel : I sometime need to use PDFs that come from customers. I import them in CorelDraw for jobs or other staff.
Sometime too, serigraphic printers use the Pdf I send to them to import in there applications, they allways ask me to have vectorized fonts, but sometime I can forget this, so it's good to have solutions as Jeff told .

Carlos, I suspected the (1.7 Acrobat 8) CorelDraw savings to make troubles with Xpress, that could confirm my suspicion...

 Just To had an other bad experience with PDF filter exporting :
I just saw that some little ojects was well interpreted in the old compatibility : Acrobat 8
and are very bad interpreted in the PDF/X-3 filter export (aleasing)

Hallo,

in PDF/X-3 or PDF PDF/X-1a it is normal. What can you do?

See the attachment - you can manipulate the DPI.

carlos:

Hallo,

in PDF/X-3 or PDF PDF/X-1a it is normal. What can you do?

See the attachment - you can manipulate the DPI.

PDF/X-3 or PDF PDF/X-1a works fine.

Carlos, the resolution in the Options menu is only for effects (such as the drop shadow) but it does not affect the PDF resolution. You must go to change the Settings values in the "Advanced" menu, inside the Publish to PDF dialog

Ok, but your solution Carlos can be done only with Acrobat professional and distilleur, not with CorelDraw.
I 've tried to increase the dpi in the CorelDraw filter (Publish to PDF) and put it at 600.
It reduces the problem but don't eliminate it and on all it multiplies the weight of the file by 3...

The case of what I showed just before was done with a powerclip. Inside it in the PDF, the bitmap seems to be cut just along the path of the container, so the pixels are not completely filled under the path, there are visible holes.

So to resume if I use the Acrobat 8, I have problems with colours, and if I use PDF/X-3, I have problems with picture definition and powerclips.
Well, I would like that Corel answer us and help us to choose the best solution to do professional works.
I have plenty of ads to do and I'm in complete doubt about CorelDraw X4...

Please Corel, react!

Hallo Ariel,

Ariel:

PDF/X-3 or PDF PDF/X-1a works fine.

Carlos, the resolution in the Options menu is only for effects (such as the drop shadow) but it does not affect the PDF resolution. You must go to change the Settings values in the "Advanced" menu, inside the Publish to PDF dialog

you're right! Both factors must be taken into account.

Olivier Fournier:

 Just To had an other bad experience with PDF filter exporting :
I just saw that some little ojects was well interpreted in the old compatibility : Acrobat 8
and are very bad interpreted in the PDF/X-3 filter export (aleasing)

which size has your text or image? can you send me the cdr file to test? seems that it converts to bitmap, that is one of the options in the Publish to PDF menu

Hi Ariel, again thank you again for your help !

http://www.procreat.com/IFOR_Nouvelle_Annonce_CHEVAL_PRATIQUE_Hauteur_266_Largeur_92.cdr

(58,5 Mo)

The problem is simple to reproduce :
Draw a circle, then draw a red square that you transform in bitmap image (dpi doesn't matter)
Put it (clipboard) inside the circle and then Publish a PDF do it with PDF/X-3 compatibility, then Publish the same PDF but only change the compatibility to Acrobat 8.
here is the result :

















Of course I tested it on X3 and the problem is not present.

So it's a true problem in X4 with this filters.

I don't know what to do with this problem, it's visible on the productions...

Jeff Harrison:

Yes, but Microsoft reserves the right to make the final decision on whether they want to reactivate.

 I have never had any issues with reregistering Microsift or Adobe products to new machines.  I have some licenses of XP that have been passed along through 3 systems due to failures or upgrades, no issues same can be said for Adobe.

To all those who have posted here, I have written extensively on PDF output for CorleDRAW in the CorelDRAW Pro magazine and have professional level tutorials. I have been using exclusively PDF work flows for years, PDF, portable document format, means what it says if your using Corel published PDF you have a limited work flow, it works some places and not others.  If you're serious about a PDF work flow you will need to use Distiller published PDF.  You will also need to create your file in a postscript compliant manner, that definition changes with the quality of the RIP being used.  However creating universally compatible PDF files from CorelRAW using Distiller is quite possible.

David,
Yes it's possible, as you say, to print with distiller, but trying by myself with Acrobat 9 Distiller, here is the result :

Distiller or Publish to PDF, it's completely the same problem.

Maybe some options that I don't know in Distiller can avoïd this? 
Unfortunately, I don't know them...

To bring a correction as I told before that X3 had'nt this problem with PDF/X-3, in fact it has!
 

Olivier Fournier:

Maybe some options that I don't know in Distiller can avoïd this? 
Unfortunately, I don't know them...

The problem is most likely that you're using non-postscript compliant file creation techniques. The transparency bounding box may be the issue. Please e-mail the 40 sample to davidmilisock@comcast.net I'll play with it and send it back.

Hi,
Finally, I found what's wrong with CorelDraw X4 !
Searching and playing with powerclips and bitmaps, I found!
Bitmap Objects that contain transparencies make aliasings (or holes along the edge if you prefere) when placed inside a powerclip and exported in PDF filter X-1a, X-3, and A-1b. The solution is to flaten the bitmap and thus delete the transparency (note that a bitmap can contain a transparency that you don't see) the only way is to flaten the bitmaps that are in Powerclips.


To understand better the different PDF formats, I could advise you to see the FAQ of the the Ghent PDF Workgroup:
http://www.gwg.org/content/downloads/whitepapers/PDF/GG_FAQ_PDFX_EN.pdf

For my side I think that PDFexported from CorelDraw can make big troubles with colors, depending of the specifications of the printer, press desk, software that is received it, and depending a bit of my unknowledge too ;) Working with multiple colorimetric spaces, it can be hard to provide a compatible PDF.

I'm trying currently Pitstop from Enfocus, to verify and certify the PDF I make with CorelDraw. I do test with it and it's rather good because it  prevents you of errors and can replace the colorimetry...