One thing you could try is to convert them all to a completely different spot color than the one you want, and then convert them back. I would think, if you are changing a spot to another spot with the same name, Pitstop might not be doing anything thinking that it is already the color you told it to convert to.

What you describe though, sounds a bit like a color profile or color space mismatch issue between the files.

Still, if they are printing digitally, I'd convert them all to CMYK before they get to the printer like you did initially, since they will get converted by the copier anyway and you will have more control of the color build you get.

I think you are going to have some problems getting that plate hung on a press.

Even if they are web fonts, they are probably better than half the fonts customers send in (or don't send in) with their files, so a valuable resource to know about.

Since the file can't seem to decide what font it wants to be, maybe you can choose whatever you like!

It does seem to be a serif font though, so comic sans is not going to be an option. 

You could also use the old designer trick of opening the .pdf in Illustrator, and saving it as an .eps! One big rectangle of a vector image... the same size as the .pdf, but still...

Seriously, most likely the only way it's going to become vector art is if it's recreated as vector art.

I was in a similar situation to you baker a while back and unfortunately, getting color right takes a lot of time and resources and your boss won't want to waste all that paper and press time to do it right. Back then I was getting pressure to calibrate our proofer to match the customers files. "Ok, but it's pointless if the press can't actually reproduce that color" would be my response and I would move on. It didn't help that the prepress area had these terrible yellowish safety lights that screwed up any ability to see accurate color.

Anyway, ideally, what you want is to match your proofer to your press/final output device.  The person that was brought in sort of attempted to get you closer there, maybe but probably just messed things up more.

To expound on what Joe said a bit (sorry if this gets a bit long):

You want to run test sheets on your press (or whatever) with the device settings (ink flow, curves, etc.) neutral, or in the middle of the presses range. That will give you a baseline for what the press can actually print. Hopefully your test print has a series of tint boxes that go from a 0-100% screen (5-10% increments) which you need to measure with a densitometer. You are checking to see if the expected % matches the printed %. So then, if the 70% doesn't read 70% on press, that's where you need to use the CTP curve to bring the actual and expected densities in line. That process is repeated until the press and expected densities match. If you print on different materials, you may want to have separate profiles which means you would have to go through the whole process for each different thing you print on.

Once that is all done, then you adjust the proofer output to match the calibrated press sheet. In your situation, it probably doesn't need to be too exact so you can just do this by eye. Output a proof and check it to the press sheet. +Y, -C, etc. Again repeat until the proof is in line with the press. You want to do this in good light (under a full spectrum light bulb, or even outside can work).

Short of making your customers match their files to what they actually want, there is unfortunately, no way to get around all the color work you are doing in the files to get them to reproduce as needed, but you will know that once your proof matches the customers, it can be reproduced on your press without having to jump through hoops.

Hopefully all your prep time is getting charged back to the customer. If not, I can understand why your employer has no money.

We are using Prinergy here and under the color handling options you can set it to either use a lookup table(library) for color handling, or honor the color values in the file, which would probably be the best solution if available.

Not sure what you are processing your jobs through, but it sounds like your system is using a lookup table/library to tag colors and only library available is for Pantone coated. As such, it's defaulting everything that gets processed to the coated version of your spot. If it is staying a spot and running on a conventional press it shouldn't matter if it's tagged C or U for the final printed piece, since the spot will print whatever color the ink loaded into the press is. The trick would be to proof it accurately being the wrong version. Assuming you only have the Coated library installed you would need to add an additional library for uncoated and any other versions that you regularly use. I haven't had to do this myself, but I believe you can get libraries from the Pantone web site, or you could try Fuji. They should be able to provide you with what you need.

I would think that you need to find out what the people in charge would consider appropriate. Since they seem to have shot all the ideas you who have to live with the solution have had, bounce it back to them. At some point it would seem appropriate to get OSHA involved in the discussion as well so you can be sure that you are covered there.

I agree with Joe that the least expensive would be to move prepress (or at least the plate making) to the same floor as the presses... Or you could propose they move the presses to your floor... 

Quote from: scottrsimons on June 21, 2019, 12:34:47 PM
I was on an Adobe forum and someone said this about disconnection your computer from the network and it helped.

QuoteMany times networks are not updated so as to maintain compatibility with Firewall and virus protection which can hinder the correct operation of newer graphics software.

Anyone have any ideas what they might mean by that? First I've heard of someone blaming the network for software that runs locally that is running slow.

Sounds to me what they are trying to say is; the more layers of security you have between your computer and the internet, the slower it is for "newer graphics software" to dial out and call home, or surf the web, or whatever it is that the software does when you aren't looking. I agree with Joe though, it's really just Adobe checking up on people using their software.

Your boss will find it hard to argue when there is no work due to your server not working.    If they don't want to fix it not much more you can do but 

In general if you ask 3 people how to do something in Photoshop you will get 7 different ways to do what you want. You can do the same thing so many different ways.

That being said, I would suggest starting with the healing brush tool. It works like the clone tool, but also blends rather than just clone,  so you can get less obvious results. If you are careful with the clone tool that would work too as long as you use a soft brush so it blends better.

If there are minor spots/blemishes you could also try a color fill on a new layer that is set to multiply. Eyedropper a mid tone flesh area and brush over the area that needs the clean up on a new layer. Then set the layer to multiply and adjust the opacity to change how strongly it shows up.

Also, in general, I'd suggest that you create a new blank layer for your retouching that way you can turn it on or off to see your results or get rid of it without having to start over again.

I currently drive 45 miles each way which translates into about an hour. Before I changed jobs I was almost exactly 1 mile away which was a 5 minute trip.

The short trip was way better, but I mostly don't mind the long drive except in the winter or road construction season.

Wow, I only got part way through that description and I saw around 7 different positions being described. There's prepress, project manager, a CSR, a planner, inventory manager, purchasing agent, and a legal/regulation expert.

Hopefully they have budgeted enough to hire at least 4 people for that position. 

We just had a job go through that it was claimed at some point was going to be black only plate changes, but guess what? Brown type is not black only so full plate changes all around!

Spot colors and transparency have never been a good combination. If I remember correctly, back 10-15 years ago when transparency was newer and .ps and by extension .pdf didn't support it, you would always get the dreaded black box (sometimes the white box) where a spot and transparency overlapped. I think because the transparency was always 4 color and the spot was well, a spot color, the RIPs didn't know what to do and handled it badly. The modern RIPs are better at rendering these things now, but apparently Fiery still has some issues.

Still, I don't think I would feed anything with a spot color to a Fiery RIP. Those things are so unpredictable, unless your Ricoh is using spot color toners I'd convert all your spot colors to process before they get anywhere near the Fiery.