Troubleshooting an InDesign Export to PDF

Adobe InDesign is a part of Adobe Creative Suite. InDesign allows users to create print documents such as newsletters, books and magazines. InDesign also creates files for Web publishing. Exporting a file to PDF via InDesign or any other software locks the document so that elements cannot be copied and changed by a user. You may incur problems when exporting files to PDF. Managing most exporting problems is easy.

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Instructions

Troubleshooting
- 1
  
  Zoom all the way out on your pasteboard. Make sure no stray items are on the pasteboard. Use "Select All" from the Edit menu to see if there are any small items on the pasteboard you don't immediately see. A stray item on a pasteboard can impair output.
- 2
  
  Simplify the document by merging all layered elements and using only a few fonts. Multiple layers and numerous fonts can slow down the PDF output process.
- 3
  
  Go back and change how you transformed images. For instance, take a very large image that you scaled down in InDesign back in to Photoshop. Decrease the size of the image or images in Photoshop and re-place them in InDesign.
- 4
  
  Change all images to TIFF files for easier output.
- 5
  
  Check to make sure no images or text boxes cross the fold between facing pages.
- 6
  
  Check your Adobe PDF Presets. "Press Quality" and "Smallest File Size" may help export your document.
- 7
  
  Use "Preflight" and "Package" options from the File menu. These will show a pop-up window listing all the items in the document. For instance, if you have a stray font command, it will show up on your Preflight test.
- 8
  
  Reboot. As with all hardware and software, sometimes a simple rebooting of the software or computer itself clears out problems.

Tips & Warnings

If your problems with outputting to PDF are unique, you may want to join a user group to see if anyone else has had the same problem you are having.
Consult Adobe for technical issues not corrected by simple troubleshooting.

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Photo Credit paper feed image by Glenn Jenkinson from Fotolia.com

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Troubleshooting an InDesign Export to PDF

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