Acrobat color to gray

[Mark]

Is there an easy way to convert a full color PDF into grayscale?
I tried the pitstop action "Convert color to Gray" but it ignored the gradient filled areas.
I couldn't use illustrator because there are missing fonts and its an ad from our customers customer.
(our customer is using pagemaker 6.5 to give an idea... )

Acrobat 7

Thanks

 

[tapdn]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

You could try Pitstop Inspector. Select all, choose color and click gray. Has worked well for me in the past.

Edited by: tapdn on Sep 12, 2007 4:31 PM

 

[disbellj]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

You could probably place PDF into InDesign and output as grayscale, but watch your 100% black elements to make sure they don't go to a screen of black.

Don

 

[David Watson]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

Why don't you just use Acrobat's convert colors feature?
I use that all the time. I use grayscale gamma 2.2 and I don't embed any profiles.
There is also a check box to keep black objects black.

 

[schulzi]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

In Acrobat 8 you can use one of the Fixups in the Preflight to convert all colours to grayscale.
Works very well for us.

 

[Mark]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

Luckily we also have Acrobat 8

<<In Acrobat 8 you can use one of the Fixups in the Preflight to convert all colours to grayscale.
Works very well for us.>>

This was the solution I was looking for since this ad will run again. I prefer to keep all of the "correct" files in the original document in case the customer wants our fixed file for next time. (like they'll actually use the damn thing)

Thanks everyone

 

[pspdfppd]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

It works in Acrobat 7 too... (I think David Watson mentioned this) you just go into - Tools - Print Production - convert colors - and choose which profile you want for cmyk rgb or spot (I chose the 2.2 gamma like David Watson said) check off the preserve black (All 100 percent black stays that way) and it's done. If you find the colors come up too light you could always fix that with pitstop.

 

[beermonster]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

or you could open the pdf in photoshop cs3 and use the black and white function and maybe enhance some of those faint areas that just arent strong enough...

then again - rasterize all that text...maybe not a good idea......




like i said - you COULD........

 

[disbellj]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

OK. I use Dot Gain 20% because that's what dot gain I have on my black (and what default SWOP profile has). I get my 100% black type going to 91% black. If I use the Gamma 2.2 profile you talk about using, how much dot gain (TVI) is it making the black for?

Don

 

[PrepressDog]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

I'm not at work...but I think if you use acrobat convert colors. Gray 2.2. (Do not embed profile)
Make sure you preserve "grays" and convert the rest. This should keep 100% K as 100% K.

 

[mattbeals]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

PDF Enhancer from Apago works well. Callas pdfColorConvert works very well.

If you'd like a demo let me know.

 

[disbellj]

Re: Acrobat color to gray

OK. I use Dot Gain 20% because that's what dot gain I have on my black (and what default SWOP profile has). I get my 100% black type going to 91% black. If I use the Gamma 2.2 profile you talk about using, how much dot gain (TVI) is it making the black for?

Don