iPad pdf download missing images

Question

iPad pdf download missing images

For example, when the "Meditations on Breguet and Mathematics" pdf is downloaded to my iPad (from http://www.watkinsr.id.au/Breguet.html) some of the figures in it are not displayed, and there is blank space where the figures should have been; and some figures display correctly. However, it downloaded correctly on a laptop.

More bizarre: First using my iPad, I put the pdf on iCloud and then opened it on my desktop - the figures were still missing. Second, I emailed the pdf from my iPad to myself and opened the email attachment on my desktop - all the figures appeared correctly!

At the moment I have no idea why! Any suggestions?

Posted on Dec 30, 2018 3:58 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

past-my-prime Author

Level 1

6 points

Jan 2, 2019 2:52 PM in response to LotusPilot

Sorry, I have been a bit scatty in my previous messages and not precise enough.

Late yesterday I contacted Apple Support and spent about 2-3 hours going through the problem, including resetting my iPad back to a clean system. After re-entering language, location, email address etc the problem still exists. Apple support has escalated the problem and I have to wait until they get back to me.

I am using iOSs native PDF capabilities.

I have just installed Acrobat Reader and it works fine. I agree that it is unlikely that all file types could be processed correctly without 3rd party apps, but pdfs are so important they have to be processed correctly.

Anyway, when I have some feedback from Apple I will give a progress report here.

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Answer 2

Jan 2, 2019 3:49 AM in response to past-my-prime

On the basis of you now having demonstrated successful rendering on earlier versions of iOS, then you may have found an issue introduced in iOS12. Unless I’ve missed something within this discussion, you don’t appear to have indicated whether you are only using iOSs native PDF capabilities - or if you have installed a third-party PDF reader App.

If you’ve not yet tried a third-party App, then give one a try - there are plently to choose from, but a good place to start (if not already tried) would be Adobe Reader for iOS. What you need to establish is whether this is a problem lies with iOS12 “native” Apps having issue with what might be advanced/specialised PDF content - or something else.

iOS cannot realistically be expected to support every file type - or nuance thereof - but if it worked on earlier versions of iOS and not on 12.x, then you should both report the bug to Apple via their feedback channel and raise a formal support request using the Contact Support link at the top-right of this page.

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Answer 3

Feb 5, 2019 7:27 AM in response to LotusPilot

I have just had a client say that my pdf wasn't showing the images. I have resaved it as a 'press quality' pdf from indesign and it now works perfectly. The file is very large though so not perfect.

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Answer 4

Dec 31, 2018 7:39 PM in response to past-my-prime

After much tedious work I am confident that iOS 12 does not render CMYK images in pdfs. Grey and RGB images are fine. CMYK images are fine in Mac OSX, Windows and (I think) Android which is why the displays change (there is nothing wrong with the pdf files).

Is there any way of telling Apple about this problem?

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Answer 5

Jan 1, 2019 12:58 AM in response to MWPMWP

Most pdfs were created using Adobe InDesign and exported from it as pdfs, so I am confident that they are fine. Several pdfs use CMYK because they were printed or supplied in a format that could be printed. There is no logical reason why RGB should be OK and not CMYK. As I have said, everything so far except iOS 12.1.1 renders the images correctly; I am waiting on friends with older versions of iOS to test the files on their iPads/iPhones, but I bet they work OK. It is very likely that Apple has stuffed up - it happens.

If anyone has older versions of iOS then you can test:

http://www.watkinsr.id.au/Christin.pdf (Figures 3, 4, 5, 9, …)

http://www.watkinsr.id.au/Breguet.pdf (Figures 1, 2, 3, …)

http://www.watkinsr.id.au/Origins.pdf (Figures 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, …)

http://www.watkinsr.id.au/Emma.pdf (All figures!)

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Answer 6

MWPMWP

Level 1

89 points

Dec 31, 2018 8:08 PM in response to past-my-prime

Maybe the images that don't show up weren't embedded in the pdf properly when the pdf was created. If it was made on a specific computer where the images were located, they would show up. Once the pdf gets to another computer or iPad, the images simply wouldn't exist on that device. Then again it could be what you mentioned about CMYK images not rendering, since CMYK is basically for printing.

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Answer 7

Jan 1, 2019 2:54 AM in response to past-my-prime

You say that “everything so far except iOS 12.1.1” renders the PDF correctly. Have you actually tried to access the PDF documents with which you have difficulties on earlier cersipns of iOS- such as 11.4.1 or earlier?

If the PDFs will render correctly on earlier version of iOS, then you might have good reason to raise a Support request with Apple.

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Answer 8

Jan 2, 2019 3:12 PM in response to past-my-prime

I’m pleased that we’ve been able to find you an effective work-around solution that restores expected functionality for PDF.

It seems that you’ve identified/highlighted yet another issue introduced by iOS 12. I recommend that, in additon to you having requested assistance from Apple Support, you additionaly report the problem (as a bug) via Apple’s feedback channel:

https://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

You’re unlikely to receive a formal response from Apple, however, it is understood that all issues are logged. If sufficient reports are recorded for any particular issue, Apple reportedly escalate for investigation.

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Answer 9

Jan 6, 2019 3:22 PM in response to LotusPilot

There has been some progress. Apple support has telephoned me several times and we have spent 4+ hours trying different things.

As a result, the problem has changed significantly. Apparently the pdf problem has been fixed in iOS 12.1.2, but after many attempts, including resetting to factory defaults, it has not been possible to upgrade iOS on my iPad. And I have found 2 other iPads (one 5th, one 6th generation) that have the same problem and refuse to update to the new version.

Where to next?

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Answer 10

Jan 1, 2019 2:06 PM in response to past-my-prime

I just did another test. On my iMac I copied Emma.pdf to iCloud. I opened the file on my iMac and it displayed correctly. Then I tapped on it on my iPad to open it and it did not display correctly, independently of the browsers

.

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Answer 11

Feb 5, 2019 2:51 PM in response to past-my-prime

Sorry, I was premature and should have tested first. I have just created 6 versions of a pdf file that was bad using compatibility A4, A5, A6, A7 and A8/9 and all display OK; A8/9 is the latest version of PDF that I can generate using InDesign CS 5.5.

That is, I cannot reproduce the fault! I have no idea what is going wrong.

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Answer 12

Jan 1, 2019 1:53 PM in response to LotusPilot

Last night the files were tested on iOS 11.3.3 and 11.4.1 and they display correctly.

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Answer 13

Jan 6, 2019 3:33 PM in response to past-my-prime

Unfortunately, iOS 12.1.2 is only available for iPhone - not iPad. The next update for iPad, that we might see, is iOS 12.1.3 (release date not yet known).

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Answer 14

Feb 5, 2019 6:54 PM in response to past-my-prime

Hi gilesfromgc,

What version of InDesign are you using?

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Answer 15

Feb 5, 2019 2:09 PM in response to gilesfromgc

First, I have upgraded my iPad to iOS 12.1.3 and the problem is still there; no change.

Second, I have found there is a work-around to fix pdfs generated by inDesign. When you save the pdf choose

Compatibility: Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)

That worked with all my bad files. And "Reduce File Size" in Acrobat works, although I think the files are larger than when compatibility is with a later version of PDF. I have not yet tested my files when compatibility is with a later version of PDF.

I haven't notified Apple of this.

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