Color Output From Frame

[Jacob Schäffer]

Framers,

Framemaker 8 still rely on the Windows GDI or GDI+ kernel as most Windows applications do. This approach has a fantastic benefit: Speed. Especially speed in regard to application performance.

Windows GDI or GDI+ are RGB or sRGB devices. This mean that Windows in general will work in 3 component subtractive color spaces such as RGB instead of 4 component additive color spaces such as CMYK. Although it's possible to configure color management in Windows you will NOT be able to define a CMYK color in Framemaker that will preserve its CMYK values  as you defined them downstream. Even more impossible it would be to preserve SPOT colors as you define them.

I have developed a solution that works fantastic in regard to precise *repair* conversion. It's called Grafikhuset Publi PDF with optimizer plug-in (http://www.grafikhuset.net/publipdf/tech_components_optimizer_plugin.html).

However, I wouldn't dream of selling it to users that are satisfied with the Distiller built-in 'Convert All Colors to CMYK', since such users are simply not demanding enough in regard to color fidelity to qualify as Publi PDF Optimizer users. Such users automatically accept that a CMYK definition in Framemaker will be totally molestrated by conversion processes they don't control. Fine with me, but bear in mind that automatic CMYK -> RGB -> CMYK conversions are quite lossy, especially with colors that originally contained a Black component. In practise this K component will often end on the Y plate, but what the heck, it's CMYK :-) 

If you can live with that feel free to do so! 

The thing is, that CMYK or SPOT colors defined in Framemaker will print as RGB and the Distiller built-in 'Convert All Colors to CMYK' will POTENTIALLY not bring back the *correct* CMYK values and DEFINITELY not the SPOT color values -- not even their CMYK counterparts.

Grafikhuset Publi PDF is a quite expensive, but extremely reliable and fast solution to this specific color problem. With Grafikhuset Publi PDF you can setup color maps that *precisely* converts the Framemaker/GDI generated RGB to CMYK or SPOT as you originally defined in Framemaker and/or any imported EPS art (be careful with imported PDF art -- you may loose SPOT colors on-the-go).

To understand the problem better, please see my article on the subject »Difficult PDF documents in prepress«: http://www.grafikhuset.net/publipdf/whitepaper_difficult_pdf_documents.html

To download a fully functioning 30-day live trial: http://www.grafikhuset.net/publipdf/download.htm.

Quite a few Publi PDF users already monitor the FrameUsers e-mail list. Feel free to speak up with your track record/experience with Grafikhuset Publi PDF.
 

Best regards
Jacob Schäffer  |  Chief Developer
Grafikhuset (House of Graphics)
Paradis Allé 22, Ramløse
DK-3200 Helsinge, Denmark
Phone: +45 4439 4400
Email: js at grafikhuset.dk
Web: www.grafikhuset.net/publipdf



> -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
> Fra: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com 
> [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] På vegne af Mike Wickham
> Sendt: 28. februar 2008 18:32
> Til: Scott White; Frame Users
> Emne: Re: Color Output From Frame
> 
> 
> > Has Framemaker 8 made any advances in color output for Framemaker 
> > pages?
> 
> Sadly, no.
> 
> > Second, has anyone discovered any new ways to create color 
> output from
> > Framemaker
> > without having the printer giving you the, "these colors 
> are rgb, ......"
> 
> Is it graphics you are having problems with? If so, save them 
> as .EPS files. 
> When FrameMaker creates PostScript for distillation it passes 
> everything 
> through the Windows GDI. This converts graphics back to RGB. 
> The exception 
> is for .EPS files, which are passed around the GDI as is. 
> CMYK will stay as 
> CMYK. So I recommend that you use only .EPS format for graphics files.
> 
> Also, in maker.ini, try this setting: GetLibraryColorRGBFromCMYK=None
> 
> You may also have an improper color management setting in Distiller. 
> (Distiller also offers a "Convert All Colors to CMYK" 
> option.) I seem to 
> recall that having "Tag Everything for Color Management" 
> caused plain black 
> text to go multi-ink!)
> 
> The preflight capability of Acrobat Pro can help you find RGB 
> problems.
> 
> Mike Wickham
> 
> 
> 
> 
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