PDF to Book

Locked If you need help with PDF to Book files, please read

Welcome to our PDF to Book forum – our community is glad to help with questions around PDF, InDesign, you name it. If you have a question about PDF to Book, please search the site before posting a new thread in this forum (there’s a search box in the top right corner of all blurb.com pages).

If your question is more of a problem, meaning you’re stuck and require help to continue working, your issue might be addressed in the short list below.

Stuck in Preflight?

Book files can take up to a few hours to finish preflight. If, after many hours, your file is still showing “in progress” on any of the steps you may want to try uploading your files once again.

Note: Re-uploading your files from an alternative web browser solves this problem in most cases.

If your files are rejected for being the incorrect size:
1a) When using an Adobe product, such as, InDesign make sure to use the Blurb PDF Export Preset to ensure your files are exported correctly.

Note: Download and install the Blurb Plug-in for InDesign for best print results.
 
1b) If using a non-Adobe product:
Make  sure to verify the following, to ensure your files are exported correctly:
– You have exported your files with NO marks included. Including any marks will change the size of your document which will cause it to be rejected.
– You have verified that the FINAL exported size is as indicated from the PDF to Book Specifications Calculator.
 
2) You can verify the size of your documents prior to uploading by viewing your PDFs in an outside viewer like Adobe Reader. To verify the size, first simply navigate to File>Preferences>Units and choose Points. Then navigate to File>Properties to see the exported size of your book file. See our guide for properly reviewing your final exported PDFs.
 
3) Once you have verified your document is the correct size please try your upload again.

Files are rejected for not being in X-3 format:

Please see post below

 

If you continue to have trouble, or there is a problem that is not listed here, please contact Customer Support for help.

-Craig
Posted by
csm
Apr 12, 2010 12:16pm PDT
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For files that are rejected for not being in X-3 format:

All PDF to Book submitted files MUST  be in X-3 format Version 1.3.

You can verify the version by viewing your exported PDF in Adobe Reader and navigating to FILE->PROPERTIES and be sure that it is Version 1.3 (Note: This does not guarantee your files are indeed X-3 compliant but it is usually a good indicator to begin with).

1a) If you are using an Adobe product:
Re-export your file once again making sure to use the Blurb PDF Export Preset. Also verify there are no warnings in the summary tab of the Export to PDF dialog box.

A common error that causes a file to not be correctly export as an X-3 compatible file is trying to use permission-restricted fonts in your PDF. (You should have seen a warning when exporting your PDF).

Note: Make sure not to re-save your PDF multiple times as this may cause the file to become non-compliant with the X-3 standard.

1b) If you are using a non-Adobe product:
Most non-Adobe products and “Print to file” workflows are not capable of creating an X-3 PDF.

Because of the complexities of alternative workflows it becomes difficult to recommend a “one size fits all” solution. If you contact Customer Support we’ll do what we can to help. Make sure to let us know all the details of your workflow, such as, OS, design software etc.

-Craig
Posted by
csm
Apr 12, 2010 12:19pm PDT
Permalink
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