Not sure if others have had this problem. But I created an image for use with Vistaprint. They asked that I flatten the image before sending to them so I saved my multi-layer SVG (Inkscape SVG) file as a single layer SVG (Regular SVG).
Exported as a PDF and then sent to Vistaprint. Everything looked great on the website but as soon as they create a proof it shows errors:



What am I doing wrong? Should I manually flatten all the layers and then save as plain SVG? (I only saved as plain SVG and let it flatten for me).

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

There may be another topic about Vistaprint somewhere here. You could try using the forum search.

I'm not sure "flattening" would apply to a PDF. At least not one made with Inkscape. To my understanding, an SVG with multiple layers, converted to PDF, using INkscape, loses the layers, or is automatically "flattened".

Ok yeah, I just did a test. The PDF I made from a 3 layer SVG appears to only have one layer. I was using Adobe Reader to view it. I found apparently a layers menu, but it was all grayed out.

Have you been able to identify the missing content? Does it all fall into a single category, such as objects with transparency or objects with filters (including blur)? Although if everything looks good in the SVG, and in the PDF, and on the website, it would seem to me to be Vistaprint's problem.

I guess I could suggest using Inkscape SVG, then Save As PDF. But it's still sounding more like their problem, to me. Maybe they could use a different file format. Would they accept a PNG?

Sorry. forgot to include the link. Doh!
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/424557/vistapr ... ompare.jpg

Yeah I don't understand either. I thought PDF was one layer as well and everything looked fine on my end. If I convert to PNG wouldn't I lose quality? PNG is a raster format If I'm not mistaken while PDF can save the vectors.

Here's what I'd try first, if it's really a layering problem. Make a new document. Then in your original document open all layers that have your desired design in them, click on select all, then duplicate, then click on group (that only groups your dup'ed deisgn), then cut that grouped design and paste it over to the new blank document. Now everything is all on one layer and can be exported for Vista Print, but your original is still on several layers in the other doc.
Sometimes instead of making a new document I just make a new layer at the top of all layers (and I call it 'grouped design'), but it's easier at first to just cut and paste to a new doc. If you make any changes, you do have to remember to update the grouped design too.

Oh yes, I see the problem areas.

You would only lose quality if you plan to scale the PNG. Inkscape's File menu > Export Bitmap does a remarkable job of retaining the original vector quality. But if you scale the PNG, that is lost. Or if you re-saved it in another format, it begins to lose quality.

But having said that, I still don't think it's a problem with Inkscape. If the PDF looks like you want, I don't see why they can't print it how it looks. Personally I would argue that with them until they were forthcoming with some explanation as to why it shows up perfectly on the webpage and in the PDF, but only has problems after they print it. That's just me, I guess. But it doesn't reasonably, to me, seem like a problem with Inkscape.