Spot colors not printing on plate

scalver2000 · July 27, 2009, 11:31:27 AM

I'm not sure if this is a Trueflow problem or Indesign. I get pdf files and put them in a layout in Indesign. If they have a spot color i change it to cymk. I make a pdf that is CMYK and send it to Trueflow. I look at the pdf in acrobat and it shows cmyk, but when i make plates the spot colors that i changed to cmyk are missing??? Can anyone please help me!!!

almaink · July 27, 2009, 11:38:22 AM

Where did you do the spot to process conversion? Did you make a PDF proof to confirm the spots converted?

scalver2000 · July 27, 2009, 11:48:22 AM

I converted the spot color in Indesign. What ever spot color it brought into the swatches. Export a pdf out of Indesign and look at it Acrobat and i only had CMYK. If i convert the spot colors in pitstop before i bring it into Indesign they print fine. I was just wondering why it didn't work converting the colors in Indesign.

ninjaPB_43 · July 27, 2009, 11:48:56 AM

Steve, it's Brandon. What now, i didnt understand.. You are converting the "spot" to process in Indesign and then wondering why the spot is printing once you put it through TF? or NOT printing.. if you want to retain the spots for the plates.. You have to leave it designated as a "spot" in Indesign, then the spot will show up in PDF, as well as in TF.. Call me if you need me to help you.

scalver2000 · July 27, 2009, 11:55:09 AM

I want the spot to print CMYK.

DigitalCrapShoveler · July 27, 2009, 12:00:12 PM

Delete/convert the spots in the application they originated in. Re-update links in InDesign.

almaink · July 27, 2009, 12:00:57 PM

So you converted the spots how by exporting to PDF as CMYK or did you click the spots in the swatches pallet and convert there, or dod you just use ink manager?

ninjaPB_43 · July 27, 2009, 12:26:00 PM

ok, here's the gist of it guys(i just got off the phone with Steve, my replacement at old shop)..

pretty crazy here what is going on.. Steve receives PDF instead of the native file. He preflights in Acrobat with Pitstop. Then does layout in Indesign, converts the spot by double clicking the spot in swatches pallet and then exports a "imposed" pdf to send to TF. He is seeing NO SPOT when double checking the "imposed" PDF before sending to TF. He then also sees NO SPOT on softproof that TF creates. However when released to plate, the object that had been spot VANISHES from the plate.

His workaround for now is to convert the spot to process while preflighting in Pitstop, this gave good results, but he needs to be able to count on changing it in Indesign.

The object that vanishes is not white or set to overprint, in case that gets asked.

I'm pretty sure the issue is within TF, not Indesign... but maybe someone here will have some other thoughts.

edit: my typing skills are RUSTY!! :embarrassed:

DigitalCrapShoveler · July 27, 2009, 12:38:12 PM

What happens if he converts the color in Acrobat BEFORE importing into InDesign?

ninjaPB_43 · July 27, 2009, 12:41:44 PM

Quote from: DigitalCrapShoveler on July 27, 2009, 12:38:12 PMWhat happens if he converts the color in Acrobat BEFORE importing into InDesign?

QuoteHis workaround for now is to convert the spot to process while preflighting in Pitstop, this gave good results, but he needs to be able to count on changing it in Indesign.

Ear · July 27, 2009, 12:59:02 PM

Well, if he has replaced Brandon, the first thing he needs to do is delete all the Boy-Pron off the X drive. :tongue:

LoganBlade · July 27, 2009, 01:00:13 PM

I am lost.
He want spot colors?
He doesnt want spot colors?

If he wants CMYK then inport to layout. output new pdf select output open ink manager selct convert all spot to cymk. out put CYMK file

If he wants spot colors import to layout out put new pdf and do nothing with the inmanager.

Am i slow and really missing something?

ninjaPB_43 · July 27, 2009, 01:01:01 PM

Quote from: Earendil on July 27, 2009, 12:59:02 PMWell, if he has replaced Brandon, the first thing he needs to do is delete all the Boy-Pron off the X drive. :tongue:

ha. :police:

ninjaPB_43 · July 27, 2009, 01:04:17 PM

Quote from: LoganBlade on July 27, 2009, 01:00:13 PMI am lost.
He want spot colors?
He doesnt want spot colors?

If he wants CMYK then inport to layout. output new pdf select output open ink manager selct convert all spot to cymk. out put CYMK file

If he wants spot colors import to layout out put new pdf and do nothing with the inmanager.

Am i slow and really missing something?

re read.

pretty crazy here what is going on.. Steve receives PDF instead of the native file. He preflights in Acrobat with Pitstop. Then does layout in Indesign, converts the spot by double clicking the spot in swatches pallet and then exports a "imposed" pdf to send to TF. He is seeing NO SPOT when double checking the "imposed" PDF before sending to TF. He then also sees NO SPOT on softproof that TF creates. However when released to plate, the object that had been spot VANISHES from the plate.

he doesn't want the spot to print, so he converts it, and checks pdf, coversion successful, runs through TrueFlow, softproof appears right, releases to plate and then objects vanish. the objects he converted. just missing. goodbye. see you when I see you. thanks for wasting the plates, have a nice day... he has a workaround, but ultimately wants to be able to depend on the conversion of the spot in Indesign...

almaink · July 27, 2009, 01:18:04 PM

Where did the PDF he was sent come from as in what application made it? I've seen some pretty freaky stuff happen with PDF's, most were made on Windows boxes using subpar applications. I never do conversions in InDesign or Acrobat if I can help it, preferring to let my rip convert from spots to CMYK for consistency. If you do it in Acrobat or InDesign or Quack your results will vary as each program uses a different lookup table to convert. That being said I've never seen or heard of this one happening before.

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Spot colors not printing on plate