Overprinting issues...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I have a paragraph style with a large rule set to overprint, but the text to knockout. (the idea to look like highlighted text, with the highlighted area overprinting). CMYK colour. I'm getting an unusual overprint preview and the pdf separations indicate that rule is not overprinting. Indesign CS5. Any ideas?

If I create a solid box and set it to Multiply with the same colour breakdown it works, but the overprinted rule will not.

Perhaps I am asking too much out of one text box?

Thanks for the reply PPA,

I have attached a couple of pics to illustrate my problem. The first pic is just a multiplied filled box with a text box over the top. The other which has an odd purple hue in it is the overprinted stroke on the paragraph rule. Also attached is a pic of the rule settings.

The overprinted stroke (even with this strange preview) actually isn't overprinting when I check my pdf separations.

The reason I initially wanted to set it up with a rule is because it's quite a long document, when headings are typed in, the rule fits the text perfectly as I type it, saves time creating different shaped boxes for each headline, as some of them break into multiple lines.

All of the images are cmyk.tif files (not greyscale) but this shouldn't be creating any issue.

I have been through the document and changed the entire thing to multiplied filled boxes so I know this will print okay... so I have found a work around. I just wondered if there was an answer to this - I hate an unsolved issue!

It might just be one of those odd things... in theory, the rule should work! (in my head it should anyway)

Spacecadet, I have taken a screen shot of my preferences. I also fiddled around with them to see if it was making any difference... but alas... no.

PPA, yes the pics are different, one has a greyscale colour space and the higher contrast is cmyk... I thought I would see if it was that making the difference. But no, it didn't effect the overprinting either. Neither files are RGB

I'm very thorough setting up my files for print, but this one is a complete mystery to me.

I still keep coming up with that maybe I am asking too much of one text box... KO'd text with an overprinted rule. I might have confused indesign

I bet it's something really simple that I'm missing! lol

Jamietshaw - I have checked the separations, and it isn't separating correctly in indesign.

Spacecadet - I can't set the rule to multiply without it effecting the entire text box, and I need the text to knockout.

But you are right. I've been doing the research. It's because it's a cmyk colour set to overprint. i.e.- usually you would overprint a spot colour (being that overprinting is a print process rather than an effect) so in effect - you don't overprint cmyk.

So that's my problem I'm guessing - I'm trying to use overprint to create an effect that it's not intended for. That's why multiply works and overprint doesn't!

Problem solved - Shazzam don't do it again

Thanks for helping me out guys, much appreciated.