Color separated PDF

[Macmann]

Does anyone have a workaround to create a separated PDF that prints the separations in the color that is called out? I can generate a separated PDF, but the individual colors are in black and white. I would like for the separations to be in the color they will ultimately print with. A Pantone 185 separation would be red and a PMS 130 would be yellow and so on. Ideally, this would result in a multi-page PDF that has a page for each color. This would be used in much the same way viewing layers is. I'm stumped.

 

[jwheeler]

Is this just for viewing a representation on screen? A quick trick would be to open the separated PDF pages in Photoshop, apply a "Color Overlay" of the PMS color, then change the blend mode to "Linear Dodge".

 

[Macmann]

For viewing/proof approval and for printing to clear overlays (think colorkey). Some clients only have Acrobat Reader or lack the skill/will to view the layers. A separate color on each page would be ideal. Then they could scroll through the pages to view the seps.

 

[michaelejahn]

Creo - back in the day - made an Adobe Acrobat plug-in - that could take separated PDF and "re-combine" them into a composite PDF - this ( of course ) required a way to assign a separation plate a color ( like Pantone 151 or Cyan ) - i recall using that when we wanted to recombine separated PDF files to trap them using Adobe IRT. That was a long time agao ( I still had hair then ! ) but have no idea of Kodak still makes that available.

Plug-ins for Adobe Acrobat and other tools - Prinergy Client Guides 8.1 - Kodak Workflow Documentation

workflowhelp.kodak.com

 

[Magnus59]

Does anyone have a workaround to create a separated PDF that prints the separations in the color that is called out? I can generate a separated PDF, but the individual colors are in black and white. I would like for the separations to be in the color they will ultimately print with. A Pantone 185 separation would be red and a PMS 130 would be yellow and so on. Ideally, this would result in a multi-page PDF that has a page for each color. This would be used in much the same way viewing layers is. I'm stumped.

Depends on your workflow, Prinergy has the option to output "Separated Colorized"

 

[Macmann]

Yeah I can do it in Esko too-I'm trying to dumb it down for clients who just have Acrobat Reader. I thought I could use the Adobe PDF printer option or InDesign but I'm whiffing on all attempts.

 

[jwheeler]

@Macmann , the method I originally described with result with a PDF as your describing. After you produce the PDF with separations that appear b/w, open the PDF in Photoshop and follow the steps above. Then save back to a PDF and send to your client.

 

[Macmann]

I get that your method works but the thought of saving a file with a dozen separations, many with custom color names, into separate files, colorizing them in Photoshop, saving them and then re-combining back into a single multi-page PDF seems like a PIA. Additionally, the rasterization process creates cumbersome files that lack the crispness of vector-based files. Thanks jwheeler but this is not a workflow I can embrace. I'm lazy and need something simple

 

[chriscozi]

Have thought and researched a little bit but can't come up with a file type that does what you want explicitly.
Sigh.
That's where I would start. Build it by file type then convert to pdf.
Seems simple.
Maybe Lemke at GraphicConverter?? would have an idea or two?
He is an absolutely unbelievable expert at graphic files and conversions.

 

[Tom Peire]

This can be done but perhaps not exactly in the way that is needed (depending on what this is needed for) with callas pdfToolbox.

pdfToolbox has a feature called the Visualizer that creates images for certain aspects of the file, such as separations, ink coverage and more). The images can be created at any resolution (so they could be used for output given a high enough resolution is set) and when creating images for individual separations, they can be created either in black/white or in the color of the separation.

We use this in custom preflight reports to see a preview image of a specific separations such as a varnish, or cut contour.

 

[trvds]

Для аналогичной задачи я использую действие Enfocus PitStop. Возможно, это будет решением и для вас. Особенность: много Pantone = много линий в действиях.