Why I go to .PS instead of exporting to PDF

[Gregg]

I recently posted a thread about some overprint issues I was having when creating a .PS and then Distilling a PDF. A lot of the responses were on the lines of "don't create a .PS, just export". I wanted to stay on topic for my issue, so I ignored those replies, temporarily. Now, I would like to address that topic. There are a couple of reasons why I have always created PDFs by first printing a .PS then distilling a PDF - the exception being if I wanted a layered PDF.

Here are the reasons:
• Often times we need to supply a Black plate separation only
• The ability to create a PDF that includes all pages (including blanks) of a multi-page document
• Avoid getting CID fonts in the PDF (see attached PDF) which often result in "Passed With Warnings" returns from vendors using automated preflight systems
•*Ability to flatten transparency, when using a non-PDFx job option

It's worth noting that we have just recently upgraded to CS4, we were running CS2 for many years. So, it appears that the CID font issue is no longer an issue (i just discovered that as I was typing this post).

Are there ways to export PDFs that would handle the bullet-points I mention? It may be that I have just been using an outdated version of ID/Acrobat for far too long.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DCurry]

• The ability to create a PDF that includes all pages (including blanks) of a multi-page document

You'll still get your blank pages when direct exporting.

•*Ability to flatten transparency, when using a non-PDFx job option

Simply change the compatibility to Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) to flatten during export.

Your other 2 points are valid.

 

[Colorblind]

See also http://printplanet.com/forums/adobe/23352-id-export-pdfx1a-different-ps-pdfx1a

 

[prepressguru]

We still write PS files as our intermediate files before bringing them into the prepress workflow. Heck we are still using the CPSI rip. Everything works. But we have a few exceptions Illustrator which we export to PDF most times as it saves some time/steps. Quark 8 is another. Also I think CS5 might have an impact on this. But not yet, only a few customers are using it.

Do what works. But I am sure you know that already.

p

 

[Gregg]

You'll still get your blank pages when direct exporting.

Right! I realize I was saying the opposite of what I meant. I was not wanting blanks. When we send off files for ePub conversions we don't want to include blank pages.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Gregg]

So there's no way around .ps when you need separations, correct?

 

[Stephen Marsh]

So there's no way around .ps when you need separations, correct?

Gregg, the answer is....no and yes! It can depend on the complexity of the job and the colour builds.

One can dupe the PDF and then using the ink manager map/alias the spot colour to the black plate.

This does not handle CMYK elements. I would like Acrobat to be able to alias/remap CMYK plates like it does for spot colours.

I have "blank" PDF pages that contain a spot colour white...I can then insert this PDF into a dupe of the original PDF and map other spot colours to the white separation to make them "invisible" (and then delete the blank inserted page). I can then make the spot white colour four colour process if needed. I then map the required spot colour to the black plate. This has to be repeated for each spot colour in the file, using duped docs.

Yes, it is a lot of work to avoid Distilling. 99% of the time I just print to seps using Acrobat Pro and Distill separated PDF files.


Stephen Marsh

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

Interesting reading. Thank you for the explanation.
We can re-map colours in our workflow (Agfa apogee), but that is the advantage of having control of the whole flow. Phantasm CS lets you remap in Illustrator, I think pitstop will let you do that in PDF, haven't seen enough of Neo, or other PDF swiss-army knives.

 

[leonardr]

Right! I realize I was saying the opposite of what I meant. I was not wanting blanks. When we send off files for ePub conversions we don't want to include blank pages.

InDesign does not (AFAIK) have an option to skip over blank pages when exporting (or printing). The dropping of the blank pages is due to a setting in Distiller when producing the PDF - if you were to print the Postscript, you'd get blank pages out the printer.

So what you can do on the PDF side is then remove the blank pages with Acrobat and a Preflight "Quick Fix" or via Pitstop or Callas pdfToolbox. (or various other tools).

 

[Slammer]

I still like the .ps for a lot of reasons, but mostly when printing out of Illustrator I just dump the .ai file on the Harlequin and pick up the .tif's at the other end.

 

[pcmodem]

For 6 plus years I have wanted the ability to control which separations were exported from InDesign to a PDF.

But nothing has changed.

 

[PDL]

haven't seen enough of Neo, or other PDF swiss-army knives.

Here you are, take Neo for a spin. Neo: Free Trial version of the lastest Neo

 

[Lukas Engqvist]

@eskopdl Ty I know where to find it, just with a time limit I keep looking for the block of time I can focus on it. For me the interface is such that I feel a little lost, and must therefore have a full day or two to orient myself... and this is a luxury I don't have. (I just have small time pockets right now and use the forum as therapy to stay sane in the academic world of higher studies)

 

[Sherbert]

Neo: Free Trial version of the lastest Neo

Phone*: (no dashes) Invalid number

Weird, I guess its wired for US numbers or something.
I even tried our international phone number

 

[PDL]

Neo: Free Trial version of the lastest Neo

Phone*: (no dashes) Invalid number

Weird, I guess its wired for US numbers or something.
I even tried our international phone number

ah, Looks like the page is regionalized. You should go to www.esko.com, then choose Neo from the products list on the right, and then click on "try" to get to the trial download page. Sorry for the confusion, I do login to the site from N. America. Hope you'll try Neo. - peter

 

[leonardr]

For 6 plus years I have wanted the ability to control which separations were exported from InDesign to a PDF.

Why do you need this? What's your workflow that requires this?

 

[mattbeals]

Get a RIP and send out the seps that way.

 

[pcmodem]

Why do you need this? What's your workflow that requires this?

We need this so we can show the customer an accurate PDF of what is going to print.
Example 1: The job is CMYK plus a spot varnish. The spot varnish has been created in the .psd as a spot color with the color specified as 15% cyan. We would like to show the customer just the CMYK without the spot varnish. We could create a separate Photoshop document with just the varnish and have the varnish on a different layer. Then turn off the layer to create the CMYK PDF proof...such a pain!

Example 2: Customer supplies or we create a file which prints 2 color, Black and a PMS color. Instead of using the 2 color logo, the CMYK logo is used. We didn't happen to see the logo being CMYK when working on the job for output and send the customer a PDF proof. They sign off on the PDF proof which shows the logo being correct. When we print the job, the logo doesn't print correctly and the client rejects the job and we have to reprint.

Example 3: Job is printing on a digital device and there is a die rule in the file. We would like to create a PDF without the die rule. We could put the die rule on a different layer and turn off the layer from printing.

It all comes down to control. In a separated workflow there was control on which colors you wanted to print. Composite doesn't give that control, which I count as a flaw since all the other output functions work the same when comparing composite and separated.

 

[pcmodem]

Pushing the problem down steam doesn't work for for those who don't have a RIP such as a freelance designer or an Ad Agency.

 

[leonardr]

We need this so we can show the customer an accurate PDF of what is going to print.
Example 1: The job is CMYK plus a spot varnish. The spot varnish has been created in the .psd as a spot color with the color specified as 15% cyan. We would like to show the customer just the CMYK without the spot varnish. We could create a separate Photoshop document with just the varnish and have the varnish on a different layer. Then turn off the layer to create the CMYK PDF proof...such a pain!

Example 3: Job is printing on a digital device and there is a die rule in the file. We would like to create a PDF without the die rule. We could put the die rule on a different layer and turn off the layer from printing.

Using layers for both of these is the correct solution and indeed the industry direction especially as we also move to PDF/X-4 as the new choice of delivery formats. And in that case, the layer is live in the PDF and the user can proof & print either way.

Example 2: Customer supplies or we create a file which prints 2 color, Black and a PMS color. Instead of using the 2 color logo, the CMYK logo is used. We didn't happen to see the logo being CMYK when working on the job for output and send the customer a PDF proof. They sign off on the PDF proof which shows the logo being correct. When we print the job, the logo doesn't print correctly and the client rejects the job and we have to reprint.

Isn't this the type of thing that Preflight - either natively in InDesign or "after the fact" in PDF would catch?