Color Output Problems

Wed Sep 26 13:15:33 PDT 2007

Hello Howard,

FrameMaker is tricky when it comes to color output for offset printing.
There are two challenges: 1. Defining the spot color. 2. Printing only the black plate and the spot-color plate.
Here is how I would do it, with no additional software.

To define the spot color:
1. Go to View > Color > Definitions... to get the Color Definitions box.
2. For Print As: choose Spot; for Model: choose CMYK.
3. Click the Color Libraries button and choose your library (probably one of the Pantones), choose your specific color, then click the Done button.
4. In the Color Definitions box, click the Add button.
    At this point, your spot color appears in FrameMaker's color palette, character designer, etc.

To produce a PDF that prints only the black plate and spot-color plate:
1. Go to File > Print.
2. Click the Printer Setup button.
    Choose the PostScript printer that your print shop specifies -- or -- the Adobe PDF driver which most Framers prefer.
3. Click the Separations Setup button.
4. Under Plate Assignments, move all colors to the "Don't Print" window except...
    Keep Black under "Print as Process" and your spot color under "Print as Spot."
5. Click the Halftone Screens button then click the Set button.
    (Halftone screens are critical for photos but not for a single spot color.)
6. In the Set Print Separations box, click the Set button.
7. Check the Print to File box and specify the PS file name.
8. Click the Print button to print the PS file.
9. Distill the PS file into a PDF.
    When you open the PDF, it will have two pages, one for black, one for the spot color.
    Typically, the print shop can make film negs or set up a digital press from your PDF.

I hope this helps. Wishing you success!

Daniel Doornbos
Technical Writer
Promise Technology, Inc.
408 228-1437
danield at promise.com

-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces+danield=promise.com at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces+danield=promise.com at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Howard Rauch
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 8:52 AM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Color Output Problems

Windows XP Professional
FrameMaker 7.0
Adobe Acrobat 8.0 Professional

For the past 10 years I have been working with a firm that manufactures steel decking for the construction industry. Our major output has been two catalogs plus two updates (4 catalogs total),  ranging from 60 to 150 pages. Approximately 15-20 pages is text with supporting illustrations. The remaining pages are tables that have a header with an illustration of the deck profile and the circumstance for its use. The tables, mostly on facing pages, are typically 12 columns x 48 rows (plus or minus). Some tables also have footnotes. Since our client has requested that each profile is its owwn discrete file, we combine as many as 50 files into a FrameMaker book. Except for the covers, the catalogs have been printed in black + 1 spot color. (The covers are prepared by others using Quark -- no problem.)

That one spot color is the problem. Commercial printers seem to dislike FrameMaker output for offset printing because, in the printers' view at least, Frame does a lousy job of handling color output. For the four catalogs, we have used three printers, and each one has had trouble with Frame's color output despite our setting up FrameMaker separations and Distiller to the printers' specifications. They claim that Frame outputs a lot of RGB color or mixes RGB and CMYK color. The printer also wants output to an 11x17 page, but Frame says the output will overlap facing pages because we use right and left master pages with more space on the binding edge.

Basically our client is looking for answers two questions: 

1. Is FrameMaker still the best software choice? If not, what software or plug-ins would you recommend?

2. Assuming we continue with FrameMaker, how can we avoid the color issues we’ve had with commercial printers?

I would think that many of you have encountered the same problems, and I am most interested in hearing how you solved them.

Howard Rauch

Technology Transfer, Inc.
"Linking Creators and Users of Technology"
933 North 18th Street
Manitowoc WI 54220
Office: 920-682-1528
Cell: 920-629-0080 _______________________________________________

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