Compile->Print creates PDF that fails Ingram validation (should be PDF/a)

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

tl;dr: In Scrivener v3.2.2, on Mac OSX 11.1, using Compile->Print generates a PDF that still has transparent layers. This PDF is acceptable to Amazon KDP, but fails PDF validation when publishing on Ingram.

I understand that Compile->PDF would make sense to keep layers in the generated PDF. However, I think any PDF-for-printing generated with Compile->Print should have all layers, transparencies, etc resolved. While I have published a workaround, this is an extra manual step for people publishing physical books on Ingram. Can Scrivener “Compile->Print” be changed to generate PDFs that are “PDF/A” format? (I do not think there is a need to change how “Compile->PDF” works.)

For full details of the steps-to-reproduce the problem, details of the error message, as well as steps to workaround (converting PDF → PDF/A) that worked for my own book, see thread: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=65061.

Hope all that makes sense, but let me know if you have questions or want other details?

Thank you!
John.

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It’s an Apple issue, not a Scrivener one:

https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/compile-for-ingramspark-removing-embedded-color-profile/45230/18

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hi there;

Hmmm… I was able to use LibreOffice on my mac to generate a PDF/A formatted PDF, which solved this problem. Same computer, same version of OSX (11.1). Details in PDF fails Ingram validation with error about "PDF CONTAINS ICC COLOR PROFILES" and needing PDF/X-1a:2001.

Regardless of problems might exist with Apple, I note that LibreOffice can do this on OSX, hence my post here asking if Scrivener could do whatever LibreOffice does. Only when doing “Compile->Print” so as to not disrupt people who want PDFs with layers, color etc.

(LibreOffice are open source too, so the code is visible, which might help?)

John.