Received 9 separate "Print Ready" PPT files
1. We don't print from PPT. We open them in PPT, save as pdf, then import to Corel for sizing and proofing (p.s. these were not "print ready"!)
2. PPT DOES NOT warn of missing fonts and will just sub whatever it feels like. Customers says no proof needed just needs them in a hurry. WRONG FONT PRINTED
3. Click on text in question in PPT says it's "blah blah" font but actually shows a completely different font. Guess which one gets used when creating the pdf?!
4. Nothing I can do to convert the font correctly. Copy & paste to any other office program, copy/paste to Corel etc.
Customer will have to go with what we printed but isn't going to be happy. They aren't going to understand anything I tell them about how wrong this whole project was!
I say we stop allowing PPT files!
OMG these made me smile and my heart so happy. You guys rock.
Nothing print ready ever comes from a PPT, I have to use it all the time and at best I can get some good looking stuff but with an intense back ache. One of the most miserable programs to use physically IMO.
But would never consider it print ready. No matter how you convert it. Microsoft restricts everything on exports dumbing it down to what i would consider even less than 72 dpi.
Receiving things from a client in power point ready to go... not. It usually looks like it came from well... power point.
My production department won't allow ppt files. We take it as an opportunity to educate them and sell our services to fix what is usually horrible design. Most of our clients already expect that anyways.
Though I'm not sure of your situation ;-)
Love the community replies though! Keep up the good fight.
Cheers!
Jason
Also there is a way for your client to embed fonts w/in the save options for ppt if that is the only issue. It can blow up the file size a bit though. But you could tell them about it. Or they can do the print to pdf option.
Likely though you will still have an issue or other importing it into your production program.
I often use pdf from Corel to send to customer requested specialty vendors, but I know the right way to prep it. Most still complain they need an AI or EPS file, but that is exactly what a pdf file is. Corel actually does a way better job of importing pdfs than AI.
If the vendors know what they're doing then it wouldn't be an issue. My last gig I was behind a firewall with a lot of stuff and not able to send many file types and depending on the project I would do it on purpose just to mess with them.
Some of it being protective of my art assets or just testing the talent of their organization. Funny part is it was usually like we can't use this logo - which is vectored in the pdf (ignorant)- Next. LOL
I've never had issues with placing a PPT-produced PDF into ID or QXP before. I've also imposed some of those PDFs using my imposition software and they have always been good.AI absolutely sucks importing PDFs...but Adobe will tell ya not to do so anyway. CD (and a couple other applications I use) will at least and discard all unneeded masks. Something that is tedious at best in AI and prone to releasing ones that are needed if all one does is select the PDF once opened and press ctrl+alt+7 until ya get tired of holding those keys down.A PDF is neither an EPS nor PDF file. It is true one can save a PDF version when saving an AI file--which is needed for other applications to place them. But the constructs of the pdf copy has all the same limitations that an exported PDF has from Illy.
One can also save the AI format when exporting an EPS or PDF. It is the AI file copy that AI in turn opens if opening that EPS/PDF file. The AI native format is saved in the Private Data section that other applications, CD included, cannot get to.
I'd be interested in your imposition software?
Over the years I've worked across so many platforms and software for thousands of projects so much of it is second hand to me for work arounds I take for granted.
I still have some hit and miss especially with purchased stock art importing into Corel just completely destroying the original eps art that imports fine into illy.
The export for me to ai has been super spotty still for larger files. Takes forever. But even if I start files in AI or Corel and try to move to AI for teammates sake AI just can't handle the stuff I want to do most of the time.
I tried starting this design in AI, even at 1/10th scale it couldn't handle it. Plus ai environment can't do very large stuff like CD can. https://community.coreldraw.com/show/community_galleries_def_/m/fitz/230275
ZERO issue in CD. Taking it back to Ai what a mess.
I can only say that once you move up to wraps on sprinter and box trucks Adobe products become difficult, then moving on to 50 feet to 100 feet signage just forget Adobe products. There's something about their applications that work well at web or small print sizes but become a nightmare at large sizes. Scaling is no help because the image resolutions have to be what they need to be at output size and then it's the Adobe crap out.
Scaling with images is the exact same issue in any application. If you do work at 50% of size, the images need to be twice the target resolution. I have used many applications for scaled-down work. They all work the same, CD &AI included.
That said, AI is the last application I want to do for even projects that fit within the current page-size limitations. But for me, on my computers (that are aging), the issue is one of speed of work. CD is quicker on these systems. The whole "time is money" thing.
It a bit more complicated for some things. AI files that have any transparency in and the entire panel of the print containing the element has to be rasterized before print or you get a subtle color shift. The resulting files get heavy fast and Adobe products just drag.
If you're doing 10 panels per side and you're forced into this it kills you.