Effects not working when PDF'd
Marlene
I've got an ID file that uses bevel and drop shadow effects on some
boxes and photos. One of the photos is a duotone.
When I print to PDF as PDF version 1.3, which I have to do because the
client has a very old RIP and cannot output newer PDF versions, the
special effects go crazy. One one page some of the bevels/shadows show
up, some don't. Four of the photos show up as an empty white boxes (no
bevel or shadow). Another photo, which is a duotone (black and a PMS
blue), shows up as just blue (not black). And all of the circular boxes.
If I export to PDF/X, the file looks pretty much okay, although some of
the bevels don't seem to be the right color.
So how I can I work around this? In the past, I've tried to use the PDF
Optimizer to "backsave" PDF/X files to PDF version 1.3, but it doesn't
work for the client -- they cannot output the files. And the client is
NOT going to update their RIP, so let's not go there.
For proofing purposes, what I've been doing is exporting the files to
JPGs, dropping the JPGs into a blank ID file and then printing to PDF
version 1.3. The resulting PDFs look fine, so should I just use that
method?
Or would it be better to do all of the beveling and stuff in Photoshop
and import into the ID file? I wanted to avoid that, because the client
makes lots of changes, which means lots of redoing stuff in Photoshop ...
Marlene
Bret Perry
InkJet???
Duotones would be using SPOT colors, right?
Are you using PMS spot color inks on a real press (for a 2,3, or 5 or
6-color job??)
PDFX1A will by default convert all colors to cmyk (it is intended for
magazines, which seldom/never have spot colors) -- so that is why the PDFX
seemed to work--no more spot colors...
ID cannot easily and correctly process spot colors that use effects by
itself.
It usually results in ugly white boxes and "missing" photos.
In this case "effect" means any shadow, colorizaton, masks or trasparent
background, etc. -- to do these properly in a PDF with ID, you need
Acrobat 6 at least. with Acrobat 6, Acrobat will handle converting the job
to "flat" plates.
If your duotone is going to be printed in CMYK, you're in luck -- then
convert it to CMYK in photoshop and replace any spot colors used in ID
with their CMYK equivalents. Depending on how you made the duotone, you
might have to colorize and use adjustment layers to copy the duotone
curves and get the right look.
With CMYK, ID can usually make a flat (1.3) PDF correctly.
If your duotone is REALLY using spot colors (I.e. you are actually using
special spot color inks), then:
Set Output to "no color conversion" (to get your spot plates)
This will work with Acrobat version 6, which has layers.
It probably won't work with 1.3 (Acrobat 4??)
OR your may have to output each plate as a separate PDF and rip them
separately or make a 1.6 PDF and save it out as each plate separately,
then convert to 1.3.
But really, someone with an old rip should not be attempting to use
effects with spot colors.
You might be able to "print" to PDF (from the print menu, not export) --
let InDesign manage color (under color management in print dialog) then
under "Output", select "overprint simulation) I haven't tried that for
prepress but it works for printing to my Xerox color printer.
Lastly, perhaps you could have them make plates by printing from Acrobat 6
or above, but output RASTER (not Postscript, but DOTS from acrobat) ---
that should work with any rip, I think.
If you are not using plates, then converting to CMYK may be your only
option.
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Bret Perry
Studio IT Manager/Production Artist
ph 626-463-9365
fax 626-449-2201
bpe...@russreid.com
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Marlene
They haven't told me yet how it's being printed, but it'll be either
offset press (cmyk) or whatever digital output device they have. It's
definitely not being printed using spot inks.
Converting all of the spots to CMYK in ID seems to have fixed things.
The version 1.3 PDF looks fine now. I'll probably go ahead and convert
the duotone to CMYK in Photoshop, just to make sure.
Marlene
Bret Perry
We do quite a lot of 2-color printing with tons of effects - It is a pain!
I always tell designers who like to "spec" PMS colors to always use the
"Pantone Color Bridge CMYK PC" in their swatches panel (new swatch)
That way you can pick a "PMS" and get 4-color process without converting
or renaming...
(not all PMS colors are in "Color Bridge", but if they are not there, they
look really different in CMYK -- like 021 orange for instance)