pdf converted to tiff and placed in InDesign is wrong scale 2

[TotallyConfused]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this forum and new to InDesign CS3. I am on a Mac and need to create a multiple page InDesign document/report that has a lot of text, graphic images and maps.

My problem is with the maps that are created in AutoCad and saved as pdf files.

I would like to place the pdfs in InDesign but if the files are too large, I notice that InDesign is "not responding". Note that I have no problem placing the smaller pdf files (200KB)—just the large ones (1.2 MB).

So, I opened the pdf in Photoshop and converted it into a tiff. I was able to place the tiff in InDesign instantly but noticed that it was not placing my map at 100%. Scale of my map is very important and it reduced the tiff just a little smaller than the original size.

Does anyone know why my tiff is not getting placed at the correct scale? When I click on the tiff and look at the info bar, it is showing that the image is 100% but when I print out my map and measure it with a ruler/scale, it is at the wrong scale.

I did a test and scanned an image as a tiff. I placed that tiff in InDesign and that images was placed correctly at 100%. My problem seems to only be with files that were originally pdfs and converted into tiffs.

Any help in the matter is greatly appreciated.

-TotallyConfused

 

[apepp]

...sounds to me as though you have rendered the PDF via photoshop to a different size/resolution...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...there are also two parts to placed graphics in indesign, the container frame and also the actual image within that frame, to actually get at the image inside a container you need to TRIPLE click a graphic frame with the select tool (black arrow), or just click once with the WHITE arrow (direct select tool)...

...you are then presented with the actual scale of the graphic...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...it is also not good practice to rasterize PDF file via photoshop as you convert vector data into bitmap...

...if you are having trouble with saving PDF form Autocad, then either print to the PDF printer driver from Autocad to create a PDF, save as EPS, or open the troubled PDF in acrobat pro and try to save out of acrobat as EPS, or optimize the PDF under the "Advanced" menu within acrobat to clean it up...

....another workaround is to save to postcript from acrobat, and then re-distill using acrobat distiller to new PDF, using correct distiller settings...

andrew

 

[eugenetyson]

InDesign shouldn't have a problem placing a pdf

The problem is probably with your pdfs that you're placing.

Make a copy of the pdfs (so you don't mess the originals)

Then use the PDF optimiser

Change the Downsample to 300 pixels/inch. For images above 450pixels/inch


Then Place your new pdf into InDesign.


I think that should work.

But saving as a TIFF is a no no.

You can even save as EPS from Acrobat which would be better than TIFF.

http://www.doozler.blogspot.com/

 

[TotallyConfused]

Thank you guys for all your help!

I opened the pdf in Acrobat and saved it as an eps and was able to place it in InDesign with no problems. Image came in at 100% . . . awesome!

I still need to do some research about optimizing files in Acrobat. I don't understand the different image settings. . . downsample & compression. But for now, the eps worked!

Thanks again

 

[eugenetyson]

You should really print the pdf to a postscript file and then redistill it using Acrobat Distiller.

You make a Postscript file (by printing to postscript it asks for a location).

Then you open Distiller and drag and drop the Postscript file onto the Distiller program.

That makes a new pdf and should work.

But I suppose that's another days work too.

http://www.doozler.blogspot.com/