Adobe CS5.5 (v.7.5) Mac Upgrade NL 65103443 Benutzerhandbuch

When you print an InDesign file 

that contains transparent objects, 

InDesign performs a process called 

flattening, which converts all areas 

of transparency into a collection of 

opaque vector and raster objects that 

retains the appearance of the original 

objects. Flattening also occurs when 

you export a PDF file with Adobe 

Acrobat® 4 compatibility (such as a 

PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3 file) or an EPS 

file, using File > Export.
You can choose the flattening quality 

in the Transparency Flattener area 

of the Advanced pane of the Print 

dialog box or the Export Adobe PDF 

dialog box. By default, the Preset 

menu includes three options: Low 

Resolution, Medium Resolution, and 

High Resolution. In general, Medium  

Resolution is appropriate for proof-

ing, and High Resolution should be 

used for all final output.
If you’re printing to a device that 

does not support Adobe PostScript®, 

or creating a PDF file that you will 

send to a client as a proof, you should 

check Simulate Overprint in the Out-

put pane of the Print dialog box. This 

way, the proof will look the same 

as it looks onscreen with Overprint 

Preview (View > Overprint Preview) 

enabled. This is especially important 

when using spot colors.
If none of the default presets meets 

the requirements of your printer—or 

your output provider’s printer—you 

can create custom flattener presets by 

choosing Edit > Transparency Flat-

tener Presets and then clicking New 

in the Transparency Flattener Presets 

dialog box. For information about 

creating flattener presets, refer to 

InDesign Help. 
Note that flattening is not neces-

sary when creating a PDF/X-4 file 

and printing to an Adobe PDF Print 

Engine RIP.

In a document that will be flattened, 

it is a good practice to place text on a 

higher layer than transparent objects. 

This removes the chance that some 

text characters will become outlined 

in the flattening process.
The Flattener Preview panel (Win-

dow > Output > Flattener Preview) 

helps designers and printers prevent 

mistakes and helps ensure high-  

quality printed results by identifying 

transparent objects or objects that 

interact with transparent objects.

32  Adobe InDesign CS5  |  Conversion Guide