AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

mikec

New member
Wondering what image format eg dcs2, psd, tiff, photoshop pdf etc, people are using with AICS3 files.
about 95% of our images have spot channels. We have both Artpro 8.6 r6 & package 7, which are used
for all trapping, & as our final file format for supply to the printers.

Up until AICS3, we worked with linked dcs2 files in illustrator.

For artpro jobs, we would save a eps file for import to artpro.
All dcs2 files would be re-linked to tiff files on import to artpro.

i had made a droplet in photoshop that would make copies of the dcs2 files to tiff
to re-link on importing to artpro.

For package jobs, we would export an epf from illustrator.
package would create its own ct files.

This workflow had worked very well for us for many years up until AICS3.

We were having a lot of issues with the linked dcs files not displaying properly in AICS3.
(dcs2 - tiff preview, single file with color composite 72dpi, binary)
Most were displayed as black boxes, when AICS3 overprint preview was switched on.
For some reason, some smaller dcs2 files would display ok.

We have now started to trial a new workflow with psd or tiff files linked to the AICS3 file.
We then save a pdf out of AICS3 to import into artpro or Package.
It is working quite well, but has a few small issues for us.

One being that we loose the ability to re-link to tiff files via opi in artpro.
instead artpro generates its own tiff files on import.

when the AICS3 file has a linked psd, artpro generates 2 files for the one image.
The first with cmyk channels, & the 2nd with the spot channels as alpha's.
The image in artpro then has a multiply command on it with another image with the spot separations underneath it.

when the AICS3 file has a linked tif file, it only generates 1 image with the cmyk & alpha channels combined.

I also tried photoshop pdf as a linked file in AICS3, but when we import these into artpro, it makes 1 file for cmyk, & single alpha channel files for each spot channel.

didn't really like the way it generated so many tiff files.

Would love to hear what image formats others are using, & if every one is importing pdf's into artpro & package these days.
Also be interested in any pdf settings people are using for import to artpro & package.

We have been using illustrator default & press quality, but found that illustrator default seems to give a better result.
press quality often caused a 1-2% scab dot to appear on certain seps when importing into artpro, if the AICS3 file was using linked psd's.
This was a problem with flexo jobs, but was quickly flagged in artpro by the neat breakouts feature in artopro that would highlight any areas with dots below 2%.
this dose not happen if using pdf illustrator default setting or have a AICS3 file with linked tiff files.

cheers
Mike
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

You are not alone. We have the exact same issues here. Have tried all of the methods you list above but not found one to be the best working procedure.

I spoke to AWS and they tried to sell us their InPDF plugin for illustrator. There are several benefits to using it but the most handy one for us is that all placed picture types show up in the opi list on import into ArtPro so you can replace them with your own saved TIF's. This would have saved us a lot of time messing around when importing spot channel work but we couldn't warrant the price tag of the InPDF module.

Sorry I couldn't offer much of a solution.
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Hi Mike,

What settings where you using to get ArtPro to OPI swap a DCS2 to TIFF, I have always struggled to get this to work? Also what format Illustrator EPS where you using? 8.0 EPS, 9.0 EPS, etc?
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Thanks for the replys.
i will investigate this inpdf plugin for illustrator.
opi would be a nice feature with pdf import, but i imagine like most aws, esko stuff, it aint going to be cheap.
dont know how keen the boss will be to fork out the $$, as we just recently bought the esko flexo tools plugins for photoshop.

for opi swap dcs2 to tiff import,
we save a illustrator 8 eps.
I check opi in the "use link & place all" option
In the links tab in the artpro import, i check the place ( pl ) option
& manually redirect the links to the folder with the tiff files to replace on import.

we have been using this method of import since artpro 4.7, illustrator 6, & it has worked very well.

[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v464/mike95/Picture1.jpg]

Edited by: mike on Mar 27, 2008 5:00 PM
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Hi Mike,

What OPI system are you using.

We have been using Fullpress opi for years with Artpro and have always been able to swap our low res files automatically on import to the high res so Artpro never writes images back out. We were using tiff files as our high res data but we moved across to PSD about a year ago. Our normal route into Artpro would be to place our low res images from Fullpress into AI then save down the AI with PDF compatibility turned on and then import into Artpro with OPI functionality turned on, bingo one Artpro file linked to high res data without any images being saved out of Artpro. We also trialled inPDF but thats another story.
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Hi Mike,

Right now I am really confused, I tried using the same settings in screen shot you posted:
Illustrator CS2 .ai file with linked Photoshop DCS2 files>
Save Illustrator 8.eps
Import using your settings

Result:
ArtPro file with mapped DCS2 EPS images, I was always led to believe that only TIFFS & JPEGs could be mapped in ArtPro!?
In fact it states this in the ArtPro 8.0 manual I have. If what I am seeing really is working & I am not imagining it then this removes the need for having a low res / hi res image.

Repro_is_still_alive
Are the hi res PSD you using to swap in flattened or contain layers?
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

In ArtPro 8.5 they added the ability to map DCS files. It is in the Release notes.


1.10. Images
1.10.1. Photoshop DCS

Besides Photoshop files (PSD), ArtPro now also supports Pho-toshop DCS files, in exact the same way as PSD files are sup-ported. Both Single file and Multi file DCS files are supported.This means that you can place and remap Photoshop DCSfiles, as you can do with Tiff, Jpeg and PSD files

Edited by: Kristian on Mar 28, 2008 9:57 AM
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Hi Mike!

Importing eps will create you lots of tiff-link files, which will automatically create the same file name.
Then you need to rename it afterwards, a normal scenario for an artpro user.
To avoid these tiff links, I export AICS3 files to tiff (CT and background) and save all LW in eps format.
I do all basic needs in photoshop, tiff files like alpha channel, trapping.
After fixing the photos (CT), place your tiff file in artpro and map it.
Assign all the pantone you need in all alpha channel.....import eps (LW) and join them together (LW & CT).
You have only one link in this method or if you're not satisfied, make separate links for other images.
Placing tiff file will not create another file...mapping only.
To edit you can open the file again.
Through this method, you can avoid problems in AICS3 with psd & eps links.
For me tiff is the best image format for artpro.

Artpro and photoshop are the perfect combination for packaging job.... I do this method since artpro 2.5

Hope this help.
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

OK, thats great so now I can use the same DCS in my Illustrator file than in ArtPro file, does this also work with PSD files? I have tried but when saving the Illustrator EPS file with PSD's in the PSD links don't show in the ArtPro import palette to tell it to place it?.
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Chief_1975

Normally we use flattened PSD's but we have used layered PSD files without to many problems
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

Hi all,

I would recommend to use unlayered multi-channel tiff files, so you just have to enable the spot option when you save the tiff in photoshop. When you save a PDF compatible AI file or export a PDF, the highres image will be embedded, when you then import into Artpro, it will extract the image. This will create a new tiff but it should be the same as the original if you did not use jpeg compression of course.
But you will not have an OPI link to the tiff unless you use inPDF.

PSD images should also work fine since Artpro 8.5 I think but there are some limitations.


Hope this helps.
 
AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

HI,
I dont know if this is any help, but I use a lot of illustrator files from designers, so when we get DCS files which are linked in illustrator, we would resave the
DCS files as PSD files and embedd them in the illustrator, and also Photoshop eps files we would resave as Tiffs and embedd these,
this also stops the files sliceing
in Artpro when you import.....
JQ
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

EPS and DSC image files tend to cause problems in Artpro. So far no one from EskoArtwork has given me a conclusive answer to that. As far as i know we have always resaved DCS and EPS files to PSD, relink/embed them in Illustrator and import them into artpro. Since you can just drop a PSD into artpro, we often use this to replace images after a Nexus PDF / AI import if we see slicing has happend.
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

You mentioned you have PackEdge software suite 7. Do you also have Deskpack? We "Launch Task" from illustrator into a workflow on Backstage that creates a "normalized" pdf file for Packedge. A DCS placed in CS3 or .psd file works in either case. CS3 seems to be pretty unstable in our experience. There are occasions where the ct may look incorrect with overprint preview in Illustrator, but we usually ignore, as the pdf looks fine. We have chosen to write out .ct files for images in PackEdge just because we are stubborn diehards that are used to doing it that way in case we need to switch out later and feel comfortable. Our trainer suggested we keep embedded images which makes sense for a compact pdf workflow. You must have Backstage, just place your dcs or psd files with extra channels in your CS3 document and import to a normalized pdf. It always has worked great for us. We have seats of Artpro here, but with SS7 see no reason to mess with it unless we have to. The native pdf format is far more attractive than an artpro file as a final format.
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

in cs3 link tiff ,then relink eps for save as eps 8
 
Re: AICS3 into artpro & package - what format image files?

I think you'll find this slicing that occurs is something to do with Adobe's PDF creation and occurs on JPEG compressed images. Only images that are uncompressed, embedded into Illustrator or compressed with JPEG2000 seem to remain as whole image data. PSDs seem to be compressed with JPEG or something that causes the slicing.

As far as answering the original question, if I was wanting a smooth workflow, have control over image format and wanted to retain same linked file in Illustrator and Artpro - I'd use TIFF and an TIFF FPO for Illustrator if you have ability to generate one with spot channels intact. We have quite an old version of FullPress OPI which works OK but doesn't give spot channels on TIFF FPOs. I'm sure newer versions do.
 
Can ne one help me with this

Can ne one help me with this

Please my dear friedns help me with this

problem attached
 

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