Quote from: madbugger on August 09, 2023, 04:24:31 PMI have one client who occasionally sends in separated pdf's, apparently that is all he has access to. Major pain in ass to process to plate.

Anyone know of an easy way to recombine back to single composite pdf.

Only way I have been able to find to do it is to take into photoshop and do it there, but lose all vector and end with only raster file.

I can make a separated file from composite, there just seems no way to go back the other way that I can find in Acrobat or Pitstop.

Cheers.

It should be possible to create a PitStop Pro Action List to recombine.

Quote from: DigiCorn on April 09, 2023, 11:47:10 PMI might have asked this before, but it's late, and as usual, I'm drucking funk... Even if it displays as black in InDesign, does EFI still correct the color to the definition lookup table on proofs?

Any good DFE/RIP should do this as standard, whether it is a proofing RIP or the DFE driving digital press.

Quote from: born2print on March 23, 2023, 03:05:52 PMAnd joke all you want but I think I can fill a secret niche creating backyard kegger and missing cat flyers 

Haha, missing cat flyers!

https://27bslash6.com/missy.html

A bit has changed since 2022, updated info on this can be found in my blog:


https://prepression.blogspot.com/2022/12/photoshop-2022-pantone-color-book.html

If the spot colour is linked to a ACB that isn't installed, then the colour will be visualised as black. It will still separate correctly and be picked up by a spot colour replacement lookup table correctly in other software if the name matches... But in Adobe CC software such as InDesign, Illustrator it will be black! In Photoshop, if the linked spot colour is using one of the legacy colour book files that have been removed, the colour will be displayed correctly as it was defined in that historical point in time.

In all cases, all one needs to do is break the link the old library file by defining the spot colour values in Lab, RGB or CMYK values rather than using the linked color book values.

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2022/12/photoshop-2022-pantone-color-book.html

From their website front page:

"What will you design today?
Canva makes it easy to create professional designs and to share or print them."

Take a look at their templates, plenty of print templates, not just social media.

They have even partnered with a large print franchise chain:

https://www.snap.com.au/canva/design-for-print-with-canva.html

+1 on the live text/font vs. outlined text to paths.

Tracy, you would need to print from the Epson printer driver using comparable resolution settings for an "Apples to Apples" comparison. Also as the file would be RIPed, simply printing type/vectors from Acrobat Reader using the Epson driver wouldn't be enough.

I know that with CGS ORIS Color Tuner/Flex Pack – fat type is just "par for the course" with the APPE RIP, however, if using the ORIS RIP setting there are controls to counter this effect.

Rendering of type and thin lines (positive or negative) will always be a challenge when compared to the printed result from a plate setter, particularly at lower resolution commonly used in proofing production.

Quote from: DigiCorn on January 02, 2023, 06:32:10 PMLong time listener, first time poster (in this thread, anyways). Question: I've been away from the game, but curious - do legacy files import in to CC 2022/2023 with Pantone spot designations? Are you able to create a new personal library, but call out each spot with the same Pantone name (and essentially build the library with each color as you go along)? How does EFI/Fiery XF handle the change?

Photoshop updates released in August, September, and October 2022 rendered spot channels referencing unavailable Pantone Color Book files as black.

In the November 2022 update, Adobe changed how legacy spot channels that were referencing unavailable Pantone Color Book files were opened. The legacy colour preview of the existing spot colour is now honoured, despite the referenced .acb file no longer being installed/available.

Photoshop files that are opened in InDesign or Illustrator which use unavailable spot channels will render Gray/Black if colours from the parent colour books are no longer installed.

Changing the spot colour definition to use colour picker Lab colour values (or RGB or CMYK) breaks the "link" to the parent colour book. One can still use the same name it is just the composite preview colour which I am suggesting is redefined away from a colour book.

You can create your own colour swatches, colour books were never easily accessible and Adobe tried to encourage users to avoid creating them for personal use as they were "reserved" for the various ink companies.

I can't comment on EFI, however, generally, all proofing RIPs use a colour lookup table, where the spot colour name in the incoming file is replaced with the better colour build for the proofing queue's paper, ink etc. There should be no change for inkjet proofing or digital presses unless they don't have a lookup. Previously they would use the alternative colour values defined in the spot colour if there was no lookup table entry, the only issue is that now the alternative colour is black/gray.

Again, defining the spot colour values as Lab values would appear to be the best alternative... But what Lab values to use?

The simple answer is to break the long-standing practice/reliance on using colour book files altogether, and use device-independent Lab Color Picker values to define the spot colour!

More at my blog:

https://prepression.blogspot.com/2022/12/photoshop-2022-pantone-color-book.html

P.S. I am working on a Photoshop script to help automate this task in Photoshop, however, you need to create a spreadsheet file of the spot colour names and their Lab values.

As not all CMYK spaces are created equal, two things to consider:

1) Convert to a CMYK profile that is suitable for your intended printing condition

2) If there is a high GCR ratio profile available for your printing condition, then it may be a good idea to use it for B&W CMYK (less CMY and more K)

Also try cleaning the chip on the cart and the corresponding chip reader in the slot with a dry, lint-free cloth or swab.

If the RIP/DFE doesn't honour embedded profiles or you are sending through "mystery meat" RGB or CMYK, then you will live and die by the default assumed RGB and CMYK profiles.

sRGB is a good safe choice for the assumed RGB input.

For CMYK simulation, either some form of ISO Coated v2/Fogra39, GRACoL or SWOP (there are many variations) would seem appropriate depending on your region and market.

Use perceptual rendering unless you have an option for Black Point Compensation for the colorimetric rendering intends.

Sadly it's a known issue.

Usually green, possibly red, rarely blue...

Sometimes changing zoom levels or quitting/restarting may be a temporary solution.

First, try Preferences > Technology Previews then tick the "Deactivate Native Canvas" option.

Otherwise try turning off features under Performance > Graphics Processor Settings > Advances Settings, or as a fallback unticking "Use Graphics Processor".

Quit and restart after changing settings.

If there is an update for your graphics card driver, then this may also be an option.

Good luck!

One of our proofing media clients uses their PrintSpec software to validate that proof and press sheets are passing specification:

https://www.mellowcolour.co.uk/tools-for-printers