Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF?

dnb700 · 04-27-2009, 02:27 PM

I've made a book cover using "Paint.NET." It looks really nice until I convert it to a PDF. It comes out with the text blurry.

Someone said that it needs to be converted to a postscript file and then ran through Adobe Distiller with the settings set to "PDF/X-1a:2001"

Anyone have any experience with this type of thing?

Since I do not own Adobe Distiller, I'm willing to pay someone to help me get this thing looking good.

Thanks!

Dan

Asher · 04-27-2009, 03:25 PM

Hello Dan,

Have you tried converting the picture to a .jpg file and
then using that as your cover instead?

You can try using an online image editor:
Picnik - edit photos the easy way, online in your browser

If that still doesn't work for you, you can PM me... I'll
see what I can do to help

Asher

dnb700 · 04-27-2009, 04:32 PM

Asher,

Thanks for responding to my message!

I'm really frustrated! My book is complete, and I received my proof copy. The back cover looks awful and needs redone.

I used Paint.net to create it, saved it as a jpg, and then converted it to a PDF. The blurriness resulted from the conversion to PDF.

I wouldn't mess with doing a PDF at all, but the company who's printing my book requires a PDF file. They did give some specifications though...

~ convert the image file to postscript
~ run the postscript file through Adobe Distiller (which I do not have)

Can you help?

Thanks!

Dan

Loren Woirhaye · 04-27-2009, 06:11 PM

Other programs make PDF files. I have one I use that does
a good job with graphics. OpenOffice is free - I don't use it
myself so I don't know how well it handles graphics.

My understanding is you just need to get a clear .JPG into
.PDF format?

Use a different PDF maker tool. Sometimes the premium
brands (like Adobe)... suck.

dnb700 · 04-27-2009, 06:38 PM

Loren,

You're right, I just need to get a JPG into a clear PDF format.
Do you know another free PDF maker tool other than Adobe?
OpenOffice doesn't appear to be free.

Thanks!

Dan

Norma Holt · 04-27-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnb700

Loren,

You're right, I just need to get a JPG into a clear PDF format.
Do you know another free PDF maker tool other than Adobe?
OpenOffice doesn't appear to be free.

Thanks!

Dan

I use PDF Creator and it does covers etc. for free.

Norma

Loren Woirhaye · 04-27-2009, 06:45 PM

It's open-source - meaning you can get it and use
it for free. OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite
a lot of Warriors use it.

Pat Ordenes · 04-27-2009, 07:03 PM

send it over, and I'll convert it for you.
no cost.

Jeff Henshaw · 04-27-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

OpenOffice doesn't appear to be free.

It is completely free.

Try this link: OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite

Regards,
Jeff.

Sean Kelly · 04-28-2009, 01:24 AM

The image that contains your text needs to be in its original size before converting it to PDF.
When you have a 'scaled' image in your document that you convert to PDF the image in the PDF will look blurry and generally be of a low quality.

To solve your problem you must ensure the image is placed in your document in its original size before converting to PDF. If the image is too big, resize it before importing it into your document.

Sean

Nathan Denton · 04-28-2009, 02:13 AM

Slow down, you might be doing it too quickly

Brad Gosse · 04-28-2009, 06:55 AM

PDF/X-1a:2001 is a compressed PDF format. You need to distill using press quality.

akyak · 04-28-2009, 07:59 AM

all good points noted here, but the real reason for the loss in image quality is because you are creating a PDF document from a raster (bitmap) image. If you want crisp, clean graphics then you need to lay up the original in a vector program so that the images are saved as curves and not pixels.

dnb700 · 04-28-2009, 10:10 AM

What's a "Vector" Program?

bminor · 04-28-2009, 10:20 AM

I tried it with OpenOffice writer and the conversion to pdf worked beatifully.

The only thing, if you have your ebook done with MS Word in doc format and open it with OpenOffice you have to check the whole document before converting as you might have lost some of your formatting.

Klaus

akyak · 04-29-2009, 11:54 PM

dnb700... a vector program deals with curves and text in a mathematical sense, a bitmap program deals with them using pixels. A more layman explanation would be that something like Adobe Illustrator or CAD is a vector program where Adobe Photoshop or MS Paint is a bitmap program.

akyak · 04-29-2009, 11:59 PM

perhaps an analogy would help more... ok here goes!

what do you think would look clearer and more accurate:

a real piece of rope?
or a painting of a piece of rope?

the vector program will keep a real piece of rope as the image object, but the bitmap program will paint a recreation of the piece of rope using pixels of colour. Given that pixels are square, you will always get blurred edges in bitmap when trying to paint the piece of rope.

Not sure if that helps or confuses the situation. All I can say tho is that the author needs to lay up their covers using a vector program if they want crisp, clean PDF images

jhongren · 04-30-2009, 01:21 AM

I have been using this to pdf file if your file is not too big =)

Convert MS Word (doc) files to Adobe Acrobat files (pdf) for free. No login required.

Hope it helps. =)

John

04-27-2009, 02:27 PM	#1
dnb700 Daniel N Brown Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Peru, Indiana Posts: 26 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Social Networking	Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? I've made a book cover using "Paint.NET." It looks really nice until I convert it to a PDF. It comes out with the text blurry. Someone said that it needs to be converted to a postscript file and then ran through Adobe Distiller with the settings set to "PDF/X-1a:2001" Anyone have any experience with this type of thing? Since I do not own Adobe Distiller, I'm willing to pay someone to help me get this thing looking good. Thanks! Dan

04-27-2009, 03:25 PM	#2
Asher SG Lurker Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Singapore. Posts: 1,714 Blog Entries: 68 Thanks: 487 Thanked 280 Times in 159 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? Hello Dan, Have you tried converting the picture to a .jpg file and then using that as your cover instead? You can try using an online image editor: Picnik - edit photos the easy way, online in your browser If that still doesn't work for you, you can PM me... I'll see what I can do to help Asher
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04-27-2009, 04:32 PM	#3
dnb700 Daniel N Brown Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Peru, Indiana Posts: 26 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Social Networking	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? Asher, Thanks for responding to my message! I'm really frustrated! My book is complete, and I received my proof copy. The back cover looks awful and needs redone. I used Paint.net to create it, saved it as a jpg, and then converted it to a PDF. The blurriness resulted from the conversion to PDF. I wouldn't mess with doing a PDF at all, but the company who's printing my book requires a PDF file. They did give some specifications though... ~ convert the image file to postscript ~ run the postscript file through Adobe Distiller (which I do not have) Can you help? Thanks! Dan

04-27-2009, 06:11 PM	#4
Loren Woirhaye Who'm I kidding? War Room Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Easthampton, Massachusetts Posts: 4,542 Blog Entries: 15 Thanks: 117 Thanked 904 Times in 651 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? Other programs make PDF files. I have one I use that does a good job with graphics. OpenOffice is free - I don't use it myself so I don't know how well it handles graphics. My understanding is you just need to get a clear .JPG into .PDF format? Use a different PDF maker tool. Sometimes the premium brands (like Adobe)... suck.
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04-27-2009, 06:38 PM	#5
dnb700 Daniel N Brown Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Peru, Indiana Posts: 26 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Social Networking	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? Loren, You're right, I just need to get a JPG into a clear PDF format. Do you know another free PDF maker tool other than Adobe? OpenOffice doesn't appear to be free. Thanks! Dan

04-27-2009, 06:45 PM	#7
Loren Woirhaye Who'm I kidding? War Room Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Easthampton, Massachusetts Posts: 4,542 Blog Entries: 15 Thanks: 117 Thanked 904 Times in 651 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? It's open-source - meaning you can get it and use it for free. OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite a lot of Warriors use it.
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04-27-2009, 07:03 PM	#8
Pat Ordenes Graphic designer warrior War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 414 Thanks: 32 Thanked 55 Times in 41 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? send it over, and I'll convert it for you. no cost.
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04-28-2009, 01:24 AM	#10
Sean Kelly Advanced Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 750 Thanks: 5 Thanked 34 Times in 24 Posts Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? The image that contains your text needs to be in its original size before converting it to PDF. When you have a 'scaled' image in your document that you convert to PDF the image in the PDF will look blurry and generally be of a low quality. To solve your problem you must ensure the image is placed in your document in its original size before converting to PDF. If the image is too big, resize it before importing it into your document. Sean
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04-28-2009, 02:13 AM	#11
Nathan Denton HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia. Posts: 282 Thanks: 21 Thanked 17 Times in 17 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? Slow down, you might be doing it too quickly
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04-28-2009, 06:55 AM	#12
Brad Gosse Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orangeville, Ontario Posts: 2,906 Thanks: 1,312 Thanked 1,071 Times in 567 Posts Social Networking	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? PDF/X-1a:2001 is a compressed PDF format. You need to distill using press quality.
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04-28-2009, 07:59 AM	#13
akyak Warrior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? all good points noted here, but the real reason for the loss in image quality is because you are creating a PDF document from a raster (bitmap) image. If you want crisp, clean graphics then you need to lay up the original in a vector program so that the images are saved as curves and not pixels.

04-28-2009, 10:10 AM	#14
dnb700 Daniel N Brown Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Peru, Indiana Posts: 26 Thanks: 7 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Social Networking	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? What's a "Vector" Program?

04-28-2009, 10:20 AM	#15
bminor Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: , , Germany. Posts: 48 Thanks: 3 Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? I tried it with OpenOffice writer and the conversion to pdf worked beatifully. The only thing, if you have your ebook done with MS Word in doc format and open it with OpenOffice you have to check the whole document before converting as you might have lost some of your formatting. Klaus
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04-29-2009, 11:54 PM	#16
akyak Warrior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? dnb700... a vector program deals with curves and text in a mathematical sense, a bitmap program deals with them using pixels. A more layman explanation would be that something like Adobe Illustrator or CAD is a vector program where Adobe Photoshop or MS Paint is a bitmap program.
	My 12th year working on the web and somehow I've only just found the warrior forums. But, I heard Ray Kroc didnt sell a single hamburger till after he was 50 years old either... The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese!

04-29-2009, 11:59 PM	#17
akyak Warrior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 18 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? perhaps an analogy would help more... ok here goes! what do you think would look clearer and more accurate: a real piece of rope? or a painting of a piece of rope? the vector program will keep a real piece of rope as the image object, but the bitmap program will paint a recreation of the piece of rope using pixels of colour. Given that pixels are square, you will always get blurred edges in bitmap when trying to paint the piece of rope. Not sure if that helps or confuses the situation. All I can say tho is that the author needs to lay up their covers using a vector program if they want crisp, clean PDF images
	My 12th year working on the web and somehow I've only just found the warrior forums. But, I heard Ray Kroc didnt sell a single hamburger till after he was 50 years old either... The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese!

04-30-2009, 01:21 AM	#18
jhongren JohnYeo.name War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Singapore Posts: 2,639 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 454 Thanked 237 Times in 123 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Why do I get blurry text after converting to PDF? I have been using this to pdf file if your file is not too big =) Convert MS Word (doc) files to Adobe Acrobat files (pdf) for free. No login required. Hope it helps. =) John
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