Transparency overlay issues

[big3b69]

I have a 4 spot color job that has a transparency overlay effect to make the job look like there are spot lights lighting up the logo. When I open the PDF in Reader, with over print on, I loose the effect. If I turn off overprint the the effect shows up. Of course when I run the job through Trueflow, nothing. I have the InDesign file to work with as well. It looks like the Transparency area is 0% of C, M, Y, K as far as I can tell. Any Ideas?
Matt B.

 

[big3b69]

One thing we have discovered is that if we convert the whole job to CMYK then the effect does show up, so maybe we will try and talk the customer in to a 4 color process job if we cannot figure anything else out.
Matt B.

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

What version of TF are you using?
I assume you are making the pdf as 1.5 or above - and running it through advanced in TF 5?
I am just learning appe myself so I do not want to sound like I have many answers.

 

[big3b69]

We are Trueflow 3.401.136

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

From my limited understanding, that means that the flattening is occurring as you come out of INDD.
Are you exporting out of Indd? As a 1.4 or 1.5?
Try exporting as a pdf 1.5 (pdf x4).
Then, open in Acrobat Professional.
See what you have pre-rip.
I have just in the past 45 days gone to TF 5. It has an advanced rip area to handle live transparency.
My headaches have all but completely gone away.

 

[Vee]

Your RIP will not render the PDF natively, it is going to convert that file to .ps at some point. So do it up front to see what happens. Instead of Exporting to a PDF 1.4 or above, print to a .ps file out of INDD - run through Acrobat Distiller to an X1a. Open in Acrobat and see what you've got. Be sure your INDD file is layered properly.

 

[kaiserwilhelm]

Your RIP will not render the PDF natively, it is going to convert that file to .ps at some point. So do it up front to see what happens. Instead of Exporting to a PDF 1.4 or above, print to a .ps file out of INDD - run through Acrobat Distiller to an X1a. Open in Acrobat and see what you've got. Be sure your INDD file is layered properly.

Agreed, but - if he will output a 1.5 he can then see what a live transparency would have given him through TF 5.

 

[big3b69]

I will give your suggestions a try and let you know tomorrow, thanks, Matt B.

 

[Vee]

Agreed, but - if he will output a 1.5 he can then see what a live transparency would have given him through TF 5.

Yea but.... that doesn't help. He doesn't have TF5, his output will be .ps to CtP/Film or Proof.

And big3b69, you will always want to leave Overprint Preview on.

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

Please clarify…*is it a 4 spot colour or a CMYK job?
If you have transparency you can't convert or remapp colours in the RIP.
If you print in spot, make it in spot. If you print in CMYK make it in CMYK.

If you remapp colours you must do so BEFORE flattening the job.
so if you are going .PS you will need to remap in the appliications print dialogue.
If you want to remap in RIP you must have a PDF containing and supporting live transparency.

 

[big3b69]

The job came in as a spot color job. I went into the InDesign file and changed the transparent areas to 0% of a spot color. I exported a new pdf, 1.6, and still nothing. That is all I have tried so far, I am going to try a few more things.

Matt B.

P.S. One thing I just noticed, and don't laugh, I just discovered there is a overprint preview in InDesign. When I click that on the transparent areas disappear and looks just like the pdf does.

 

[big3b69]

Alright, I think I have it. The effect that was used was 'overlay' and 75%. If I switch it to normal mode and 25% then the pdf outputs correctly. I also changed the color from CMYK to a Spot color used in the job. Thanks everyone for your help.

Matt B.

 

[beermonster]

i'd double check "white" isnt set to overprint - in preflights - just a hunch - prolly wrong