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#1 2005-05-07 1:29 am
PDFs and spot colors
I am having trouble getting a two-color document to come out on the service provider's side as two colors, rather than CMYK. He is printing film directly from the PDF file, but for some reason it's coming out CMYK.
I have to add that there are communication problems that prevent me from understanding the situation better. I am in Japan, the printer is in Korea. We don't speak each other's language, and I am having to communicate with him via someone in Korea who doesn't know anything about CMYK, spot colors, etc. Time is short -- the document needs to be completed by May 13.
I checked the original document in InDesign, and the two colors used there are set as Color Type-Spot, Color Mode-CMYK. I'm not sure what Color Mode means, but it seems to me if the Color Type is set as Spot, then the printer should be able to get spot-color separations out of Acrobat. For the cover of this document I've already had to create separate blue-plate and gold-plate files and send it that way; I'm trying to avoid having to do the same for the interior pages. Any ideas??
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#2 2005-05-07 7:46 am
Re: PDFs and spot colors
I don't have a copy of ID so I am shooting from the hip herer,
I think you need to change the color mode to "Device N" not cmyk.
Device N will allow the pdf to retain the spot colors instead of converting them to proccess.
Good luck.
-Ed
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#3 2005-05-07 10:33 am
- chl0525
- Member
- From: Merriam, KS USA
- Registered: 2001-12-12
- Posts: 147
Re: PDFs and spot colors
InD CS has a "Expot PDF" function, if you use the PDX X3, click on advanced and select "leave color unchanged" it should work (I have no experiance w/ earlier versions of InD so this might be true of them too).
You can then open the doc in Acrobat 6 or later and view the separations, you will see that it is a 2-color file.
good luck.
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#4 2005-05-07 3:44 pm
- Mr. Happypants
- Member
- Registered: 2001-11-14
- Posts: 1323
Re: PDFs and spot colors
Yeah, or print to .ps and when you Distill it make sure that the "leave color unchanged" option is checked also.
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#6 2005-05-09 12:41 pm
- Mars_Attacks
- Agent Mark Larr
- From: GA
- Registered: 2001-07-27
- Posts: 4448
Re: PDFs and spot colors
The problem may be in the rip.
Hold on, lemme pop a few test files over to my rip.
I've never tried spot seps from a PDF before.
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#7 2005-05-09 12:48 pm
- Mars_Attacks
- Agent Mark Larr
- From: GA
- Registered: 2001-07-27
- Posts: 4448
Re: PDFs and spot colors
Seems the convert spots to process box is checked or the spot color is actually process in the color type on your end.
Make sure the spot colors are spot under COLOR TYPE in the color swatch box in ID.
OR what I figure they're morons and are ripping to process instead of sending spot seps to the rip.
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#8 2005-05-09 2:50 pm
Re: PDFs and spot colors
i could help you in IDCS, but since you're in ID2, i'm not sure if this will help.
it works like this in IDCS, though: when you export a PDF, you pick where you want to save the file, then it gives you the settings box. Under "advanced" there is a button called "ink manager", and you want to look in there. if spot colors are listed, you should be alright. make sure "convert all colors to CMYK" is NOT checked.
good luck!!
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#9 2005-05-09 11:04 pm
Re: PDFs and spot colors
"Ink Manager" checks out OK.
I think the key may be the color MODE. Color TYPE is set to SPOT, but color MODE is CMYK. But SPOT is not one of the options under color MODE, nor is the DEVICE N that Zalgren suggested.
The other color mode choices include RGB, LAB, several flavors of PANTONE, and other color systems like the Japanese TOYO colors. Any idea what I should pick?
The Korean printer seems to have found a workaround, but I want to get this sorted out for next year.
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#10 2005-05-10 7:51 am
Re: PDFs and spot colors
OK - sorry, but it looks like ID dosn't do DeviceN -
After looking though - have you checked under print - output - color. Change the mode to "IN-RIP-Seporations.
That might have the results you are looking for.
-Ed
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#11 2005-05-10 1:48 pm
Re: PDFs and spot colors
tokyoite wrote:
"Ink Manager" checks out OK.
I think the key may be the color MODE. Color TYPE is set to SPOT, but color MODE is CMYK. But SPOT is not one of the options under color MODE, nor is the DEVICE N that Zalgren suggested.
The other color mode choices include RGB, LAB, several flavors of PANTONE, and other color systems like the Japanese TOYO colors. Any idea what I should pick?
looks like you have solved your problem, but just don't know it. Double click your spot color in the swatches palette. The color type MUST be spot but the color mode should NOT be CMYK! It should be something like Pantone Solid coated. (almost makes no diff which one you choose [coated, uncoated, etc.] as long as it's a Pantone Solid).
Then when you export the PDF, using Print or Print Optimized is OK, but i have found a bug that Abode never fixed in ID2 or IDCS... you MUST click to the Advanced tab on the left even if you don't change anything there. If you don't your spot colors will not show up. You will know because if you don't click there it will pop up 2 dialogue boxes with color warnings. If you do click to it, it just makes the PDF as it should.
I even contacted Adobe about this and they blew me off.
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#13 2005-05-11 7:30 am
- Mars_Attacks
- Agent Mark Larr
- From: GA
- Registered: 2001-07-27
- Posts: 4448
Re: PDFs and spot colors
I have a problem with a customer generated PDF sending out the black spot screened.
Grrrrrrr.
The idjit has everything as RGB.
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#14 2005-05-11 5:39 pm
- Mr. Happypants
- Member
- Registered: 2001-11-14
- Posts: 1323
Re: PDFs and spot colors
M$ doc? That'll do it every time. God bless PitStop. (Yes, it's redundant, but it's a lifesaver)
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#15 2005-05-12 7:59 am
- Mars_Attacks
- Agent Mark Larr
- From: GA
- Registered: 2001-07-27
- Posts: 4448
Re: PDFs and spot colors
Yeah, Punisher.
I have pitstop, but it was just easier to reset the type.
Exactly why I charge $300 just to take in a punisher file.
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