Pitstop server - Ink Coverage

[macsupport]

I am testing setup on a Pitstop server (v4.04) running on OSX Server (v10.4.11)

I have a profile set up to error on ink coverage >300; the problem I've come across is that some images are flagged as over the limit, and others are not, even though using the eyedropper tool in Pitstop Professional (v7.52) the images are clearly over the limit.

One thing I have noticed is the images not flagged as over the limit have very small areas that exceed the limit.

Here is my question: is there a minimum area used to sample the image for ink density? If so, is there a way to increase the area? I have spent a great deal of time looking for a setting, hoping someone out there can point me in the right direction.

 

[JohnHemsley]

Re: Pitstop server - Ink Coverage

You can indeed specify the size of the area you wish to check. Look on the "Process Colour" tab of the profile editor, just after the "include images" checkbox there is a box where you can enter the threshold, or size of the area you wish to check.

 

[Hopkins Printing]

Re: Pitstop server - Ink Coverage

It's great that Pitstop can detect the total area coverage of images and fail them accordingly. As I don't have Pitstop 8 yet, can 8 now also fix these offending images??? I would think it would be as easy as applying a UCR ICC profile to the offending image.

I put this in as a feature request a couple of years ago and haven't seen this implemented yet as far as I know.

Matt?

Kind regards,
Jon Morgan
Hopkins Printing

 

[Daneil]

Re: Pitstop server - Ink Coverage

Hello Jon

can you help me?, i want to restrict the under color to example 280 or 240 %, how do i do that, must i have a special icc or where do i do it i the progres, have pitstop 7

Thanks

 

[Hopkins Printing]

Re: Pitstop server - Ink Coverage

> {quote:title=Daneil wrote:}{quote}
> Hello Jon
>
> can you help me?, i want to restrict the under color to example 280 or 240 %, how do i do that, must i have a special icc or where do i do it i the progres, have pitstop 7
>
> Thanks

Hi Daneil,

You would first need to have an UCR ICC profile. You can create one with Photoshop:

In the 'Color Settings' dialog box, pull down the 'CMYK' popup under the 'Working Spaces' section. Scroll to the top and choose 'Custom CMYK...'. In the box that appears, select the 'UCR' radio button under the 'Separation Options' section and set your ink limit while leaving the Black Ink Limit set to 100%. Give the profile a name at the top and click 'OK'. Now click again on the 'CMYK' popup and choose 'Save CMYK...' and give the profile a name and save it to Photoshop's default location. Now you have a UCR profile.

I believe Pitstop would then be able to see the newly created profile however to my knowledge Pitstop does not (yet?) have a way to apply an ICC profile only to images with over the limit ink coverage.

Someone correct me if I am wrong!

Does this help?
Jon Morgan
Hopkins Printing

 

[JohnHemsley]

Re: Pitstop server - Ink Coverage

From version 7 onwards, you can write an action list to select objects with high ink coverage, this can also be extended to select images (with or without the threshold setting). You can then manipulate your selection so you only have images selected, then either tag them for conversion and/or convert them in the rest of your action list, depending on your situation.

 

[the_brain]

From version 7 onwards, you can write an action list to select objects with high ink coverage, this can also be extended to select images (with or without the threshold setting). You can then manipulate your selection so you only have images selected, then either tag them for conversion and/or convert them in the rest of your action list, depending on your situation.

Regards, John.
RR Donnelley

100% correct John!!
Because Action Lists are not the easiest thing in PitStop I've written down the actions you need:

Select All
Select Images (if you only want the images, otherwise you can leave this one out)
Select by Ink coverage (select your requirements)
AND
Tag object with ICC Profile (use Jon's comment for this).

Cheers,
Brain

 

[inky_emlyn]

Thanks for all your useful information. I have followed your instructions, setting up a profile in Photoshop which resticts the total ink limit (tried 300% then 200%) and then set up the action list which works and tags the image with the custom profile which I created. However the ink values of this newly tagged image remain exactly the same and total 348%. Is there a step that I am missing? Or should that have worked and limited the ink coverage? I am using Pitstop 7.5.

I'd really appreciate some pointers if anyone has any.

Thanks, Emlyn

 

[the_brain]

inky_emlyn,

What happens if you tag the ICC Profile manually using the Enfocus Inspector? How are the working spaces in Acrobat set up?

Which Acrobat version are you using?

"However the ink values of this newly tagged image remain exactly the same and total 348%."
How are you checking the ink values?

Cheers,
Brain

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

Tagging doesn't affect the values, it shouldn't! Isn't the process to tagg with whatever profile you seem most likely and then convert to a profile with less ink?
The biggest problem we have with CMYK images is when a customer taggs with our 280% or 240% profile (depending on paper) but the values of the image are much greater.

Tagging says where you are coming from not where you want to go to!

A tagged image will, if colour management is enabled be converted to the output intent it is in this process that ink is limted. The tagg moves the image from a device cmyk to a color managed cmyk.

 

[the_brain]

Lukas,

Would in that case changing the output intent help out? Or using a more specific target ICC Profile?

I'm still figuring out the great world of color management.

Cheers,
Brain

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

To convert colour you would need a too and from yes, and you must also check that you are converting CMYK (ie you don't have CMYK preserve values, because that would mean it would not manage CMYK)
Your output intent is the one that is normally converted too. In Acrobat 9 the colour conversion has many more options.
In some systems tagging is enough because the RIP will colour manage to the output intent. There are other discussons on ink limit and CMYK to CMYK conversions. A device link is often used to have better control and to avoid contaminating pure colours, but I don't think Acrobat supports device links? Does PitStop? There are several colour servers specialised in this function.

 

[the_brain]

Lukas,

Thanks for the info...

FYI
Version 08 of PitStop Professional is indeed able to work with DeviceLink profiles.


Cheers,
Brain

 

[leonardr]

There is NO WAY to disable color management in Acrobat/Reader.