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Why are some colours being distorted when exporting from ArcGIS Pro to PDF?

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA

I'm exporting a large map layout from ArcGIS Pro to PDF and most of it is fine, but some features are having their colours changed (inverted?). In particular, a logo image, image containing text and the scale bar and scale text are changing.

I've tried changing the Image compression to "None" and improving the Image Quality from "Fastest" to "Normal" with no luck. Can anyone else point me in the right direction?

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Accepted answers

ThomasColson

I suspect its because Pro, unlike ArcMap, no longer allows you to "Vectorize layers with bitmap markers/fills" for Picture Symbols, or Convert Marker Symbols to Polygons. I'm finding that Pro simply cannot produce quality cartographic output, due to hokey implementation of tools that worked well in Arc, or issues like this.

All comments

DanPatterson_Retired

export to pdf....

There are a number of options depending on whether a vector of image format is specified.

If an image format is chosen then there are options for the color map.

What was chosen in light of the optional output format you wanted?

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA

Hi Dan. I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. I believe you want me to confirm if I set it to Vector or Image format but I don't know where I am supposed to change that setting? Is this in the Export window I showed in the screenshot above or somewhere else?

DanPatterson_Retired

It is in the link in my thread

Make sure a map or layout is your active view.
On the Sharetab, in the Export group, click Map or Layout , depending on the active view.

and you choose a format... it splits depending on whether you are specifying a raster or vector.. Check the link in those two sections.

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA

I am definitely exporting the Map Layout as a PDF file (vector). I am attempting to Export the Map Layout as an image (PNG) @ 300dpi now to see if it has the same effect or not.

EDIT: Exporting to a PNG (image) produces the desired result (images in their original format - no distortion).

ThomasColson

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA

Putting it simply, that plain sucks. You would think that the latest and greatest would at least include all of the functionality (even if achieved via different, "improved" methods) of it's predecessor. Maybe in the future this will be fixed. PDF's are after all a pretty common format for document creation.

MarcelSt-Germain

Yes, it's frustrating to lose what's worked fine in arcmap. Most of the project 300+ are in PDF so, for now no use of Pro even to make cartographic work in arcmap and finish the export in Pro since the unfinished PDF export.

The only good news is about transparency. In arcmap, if you put a raster or transparency above a vector layer, all vectors are rasterized. Now, it's working fine.

Please Esri finish the work with the option ConvertMarker Symbol to Polygon like in arcmap.

MarcelSt-Germain

Unfortunately Esri use time to add a lot of new features but leave unfinished the basic tools.

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA

You mention that the transparency now works as vector outputs. Are you referring to in ArcMap or in ArcPro? This is something that I have come across in the past as well and is frustrating. If ArcPro can handle this then that is a positive (though still useless if PDF's don't handle images very well).

MarcoBoeringa

I don't think this entirely fair as related to Pro. I have had great success printing some highly complex and detailed vector based topographic maps from Pro. I also think this issue has very little to do with specific ArcGIS Pro PDF export settings or possible(?) inabilities for converting raster to vector or vice versa.

Things to be aware of:

- As to the original posters problem: This page (Visual differences in imported map documents—ArcGIS Pro | ArcGIS Desktop) clearly states that Pro, contrary to ArcMap, is now colormanaged.

- It is likely the particular problem witnessed here, is actually a color management issue, where either Pro does not export/embed the proper profile for each individual image making up your layout, or Adobe Reader / Acrobat or whatever application you are using to view the PDFs, does not respect the embedded profiles and garbles the resulting display. E.g., if one or more of the images used some CMYK profile, that could definetly explain the garbled result here if mis-interpreted by your reader application as RGB. As to a (possible) bug in older versions of Adobe software, this thread:

Wrong color on PDF Export

seems to hint on possible issues with older versions of Adobe Reader / Acrobat and exports of layout documents with mixed profiles from ArcGIS Pro. Upgrading the Adobe Acrobat seemed to resolve the issues of that user.

Some additional information about formats and profiles:

Embedding ICC profiles in image file formats

Is it possible in Acrobat to check profiles that are embedded in images? (Print Production)

- In general, I think it would be wise to make sure all of the used (sub) images of your layout use the same profile, e.g. all sRGB or AdobeRGB, or all a specific CMYK profile if the exact printing medium / paper / printing system is already known. Although properly colormanaged software should take care of the differences, if there are multiple components / software systems involved, one may fall through if not.

By the way, a nice introduction to color management is this Cambridge in Colour webpage:

Tutorials on Color Management & Printing

although it is more targeted to photographers. But there is a ton of other information out there on the web regarding color management and designing for (offset) printing.

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA

Hi Marco. I am pretty confident that it is not the external software that was being used to read the output products as I tried it with numerous export file types that opened with different software packages and all had the same result. Put simply, whilst having more complex colour management options is not a bad thing for people like yourself, it shouldn't come at the detriment to other users who have been undertaking tasks for many years using preceding software without any glitches. Many graphics and images included in map layouts can be sourced from many places and there is a high chance they won't all be the same colour profile. You shouldn't need to be an expert in background settings like this to be able to produce a simple map layout to PDF which is a widely used document format.

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