Rip from Adobe suite or the CTP rip?

[Gappress]

Some discussion I'm having with someone about StuidioRip. It was set for NO TRAPPING, which means all the trapping is done with indesign.

Isn't it better to let StudioRip do the trapping? I thought so, but get a differing opinion from someone outside the company.

Thanks for the opinions and glad to be here.

 

[Martin Mueller]

Hi Gappress,

StudioRip has an integrated Adobe-compatible In-Rip-Trapping option. This option works automatically and very comfortable during the ripping process of every Job. If you don't want to touch every job with Indesign for trapping, StudioRip is a good choice.

 

[michaelejahn]

Like screening, many folks like automatic trapping.

I can think of very few instances where I would choose Adobe InDesign as my trapping engine, unless - for some workflow reason, you really needed to output some trapped PDF to then show and get customer sign-off.

When I worked at AGFA, I recall creating a set of images that explained a few things that Adobes IRT ( In Rip Trapping) did.

attached. ( LOL - I created these images using Quark Xpress ! )

 

[Dov Isaacs]

If you create PDF from InDesign using the standard method of PDF creation File=>Export => Adobe PDF (print) as opposed to creating PostScript and distilling that into PDF, there is no way of automatically creating traps in InDesign. Trapping from InDesign is a legacy PostScript workflow feature of InDesign. PostScript print workflows with any version of InDesign (or for that matter, Illustrator as well) from the last 15 years or so are really to be avoided. Modern PDF print publishing workflow normally relies on in-RIP trapping performed during the RIP process of the PDF (preferably in combination with late-stage color conversion and transparency blending such as you would have with PDF/X-4).

- Dov

 

[Gappress]

Thank you all for your insights. The workflow here has been to export a pdf from Indesign and that is the only trapping being used. If I leave indesign as it is (doing whatever the default export is for trapping) and turn on StudioRip trapping will I get a better trap result? This is what I am hearing, especially from Dov.

Thank you again.

 

[DCurry]

If you are exporting a PDF from InDesign, there is no trapping being applied.

 

[Gappress]

The weird thinig is, we look at the pdf in acrobat and it shows a trap (or is that just a previewing thing in Acrobat?)

 

[Macmann]

Perhaps you're seeing overprints in Acrobat? We ALWAYS exported out of Indesign with no trapping applied and let the RIP do it. Worst case scenario would be trapping a trap-that gets messy.

 

[Dov Isaacs]

To repeat, there is no trapping feature in InDesign for exported PDF. If you are seeing something that “looks like” trapping, it is the result of manual overprinting applied in the design itself.

- Dov

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

To repeat, there is no trapping feature in InDesign for exported PDF. If you are seeing something that “looks like” trapping, it is the result of manual overprinting applied in the design itself.

- Dov

Printing to postscript and distilling the file?

 

[michaelejahn]

PricelineNegotiator - yes, you can create several things ( that might look like traps ) by printing to PostScript and Distilling. ALSO - there are tools that can import PDF files and then export trapped PDF files. Of course, you better know what your print service provider wants if you plan on pre-trapping. Like Screening, I generally think this is a bad workflow, but hey, to each their own.

here is a linked to a trapped PDF ( I used Lucid dreams software )

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13898JENwqpj_IuyRoFyrHztsu2j6ETcK/view?usp=sharing

( it is too big to attach at 19MBs )

And if you want to see something from "The Land Of Bad Ideas" - here is link to a screened and trapped PDF file...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X4smBpxj772gY40ezgH8omd-KA7aOZWe/view?usp=sharing

 

[Dov Isaacs]

Printing to postscript and distilling the file?

Creating PDF from InDesign via creation of PostScript and distilling into PDF is anything but best practice given that the resultant PDF files (1) are not color managed and (2) have all transparency flattened which is fairly device-dependent and can not only leave flattening artifacts but also result in a PDF file that cannot be properly searched and touched-up in Acrobat

Generally speaking, it is best to leave trapping to the final RIP process. You should also be aware that some if not many digital print engines actually do some internal trapping to avoid any gaps or discontinuities between adjacent items. Manual traps may be messed up by such engine operations.

- Dov

 

[Gappress]

Thank you all again.

I believe I understand. It was just confusing me that when I looked at the exported PDF I was seeing what I thought was a trap, but was apparently overlapping, which is still confusing in that why overlap if it isn't to trap?

 

[Joe]

Thank you all again.

I believe I understand. It was just confusing me that when I looked at the exported PDF I was seeing what I thought was a trap, but was apparently overlapping, which is still confusing in that why overlap if it isn't to trap?

Can you post an example of what you are seeing?

 

[Gappress]

This is what I see in Acrobat with "Output Preview" tool open.

 

[Joe]

Are you sure there isn't a stroke applied because the colors do not match up for what a trap would be? It would be easier to verify if you could post an actual PDF instead of a screenshot.