Need some help exporting InDesign into PDF with non printing objects

[da_alchemist]

Hey guys...

Slightly annoying problem on my hands...

I want to export my Indesign file into a PDF format, now that sounds simple enough BUT, I have some non-printing objects in my Indesign file which I WANT to show on the PDF but I don't want to print. Following?

For example, I want the client to view my PDF file in all its glory but some clients have very crappy printers so if they print it will only print necessary objects.

Can anyone please help me with this? I click on the Include non printing objects inside the export dialogue box and I've set a non-printing attribute to the objects I don't want to print so I don't know what else I'm doing wrong.

Thanx

 

[Belly-laughs]

On top of my head, I´d say it´s not possible. If you include the non-printing items in your export, they´ll print from Acrobat, as you´ve discovered. I guess the solution is to supply your client with two PDFs, one for viewing and one for printing.

I won´t say it´s not possible for sure. It´s an interesting problem – hopefully with an equally interesting solution. I´ll check back to see if anyone has the answer.

 

[da_alchemist]

Found it!

On top of my head, I´d say it´s not possible. If you include the non-printing items in your export, they´ll print from Acrobat, as you´ve discovered. I guess the solution is to supply your client with two PDFs, one for viewing and one for printing.

I won´t say it´s not possible for sure. It´s an interesting problem – hopefully with an equally interesting solution. I´ll check back to see if anyone has the answer.

Thanks for the reply Belly-laughs. I almost obsessed over the problem all day (up until now) and I finally found a solution, although its not a totally elegant solution, it works!

I converted the objects--which I do want visible but which I do NOT want to print--into buttons in InDesign. I then double clicked the newly converted button and the button options dialogue box appears; next I chose "Visible but doesn't print" from the drop down menu.

And it works! If anyone finds a better solution pls let me know.

Thanx.

 

[Belly-laughs]

That seems like a good solution. Have you tried seeking advive at the Adobe InDesign forum ? I´m sure someone there would be able to help. Or perhaps they´ll find you solution absolutely brilliant 🙂

 

[da_alchemist]

That seems like a good solution. Have you tried seeking advive at the Adobe InDesign forum ? I´m sure someone there would be able to help. Or perhaps they´ll find you solution absolutely brilliant 🙂

Thanx. I'll check it out.