RE: [PDF] More on RGB photos

[Kathy Tadlock]

Title: Message

Hmmm. I did use the Adobe Distiller print driver (5.05) and the Distiller PPD(version 2017.801) to create the PDF I sent you. I'm sure the PPD was in the right location. I created the postscript first, then processed it through Distiller. I did have to process each page separately in order to make the PDF, then I inserted the pages together into the single file I passed on to you. Maybe that's why it appeared to be redistilled?

 

I did select "Print colors to black" on the Pagemaker print window and I also set the Distiller print driver to black and white as the default setting before making the file. Neither one was overriding the RGB photo information when the PDF went through the imagesetter RIP. The person also used Microsoft Photo Editor to work with the photos and we think that might have caused problems too. We did make a composite grayscale film but some of the images started picking up slight background shading when the composite was made.

 

The Pagemaker file itself was huge - about 16 MB and clued me in I was going to have problems right away. The Postscript file was coming out at 62 MB so I thought the 15 MB PDF looked good. We didn't have time to stop and rebuild the file that way it should have been done and change all the photos to grayscale and re-insert them. The person creating the file uses Pagemaker three times a year just to create this file so I'm sure there were many other problems with the file. We were in crisis mode and just trying to get something that would print.

 

The two suggestions were:

 

Create an action in Pitstop to change images to grayscale.

 

Create a Job Options profile for Pagemaker in Distiller that uses the Press setting with all DSC comments turned off.

 

I've created a file using both methods and am waiting for the pre-press area to check the files.

 

Thanks very much to both Dov and Rich for taking the time to look at the file. I appreciate the time and the suggestions.

 

And yes - Bellingham is beautiful for about 7 months of the year but right now we're in the gray, soggy season that drives people mad. I long for sun  - we might get lucky today.

Kathy Tadlock
Support Services, Publishing Services
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA   98225-9058
Phone (360)650-3545
Fax (360)650-7436
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Sprague [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 8:05 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [PDF] More on RGB photos

This is a summary of yesterday's discussion regarding a Pagemaker 6.52-made PDF which the poster was trying to convert from color to grayscale.

 

The black and white conversion file (redistilled) was made available to both myself and Dov Isaacs from Adobe. 

 

The quick fix (print to Adobe PDF) I suggested was acceptable, albeit not the best method, nor did it fix the major problem: The fact that the PDF was made incorrectly to begin with, and the b/w version was huge (15 MB for 7-11 x 17 pages). While I have no proof, I doubt if the Acrobat Distiller printer and/or PPD was used in its creation. Also, if the DSC comments are turned on in Distiller (specifically the OPI selection), the PDF will include X Objects, which means that the images are not selectable in Acrobat for Photoshop touch-up.

 

In this case, there were some 50 images, they were RGB, and the resolution of each image was far greater than necessary. Dov was able to use Pitstop Professional to get inside the X Objects. My older version of Pitstop (2-3 years ago) couldn't do this.

 

The problem facing most of us in the printing industry is time, or lack thereof. Does the production coordinator for an in-house print shop have time to teach dozens, if not hundreds of people who are likely using older versions of software how to make PDF files? In this case, the person had Pitstop but was unfamiliar with its capabilities. Having been in her shoes, I suggested the quick fix.

 

The morale to the story is the same old tale: education is paramount. There will always be tens of thousands of people using outdated software, and who don't know the difference. After all if it looks like a PDF, it must be a PDF. Right? I know people who are, heaven forbid, still using AB3 or 4.

 

We need to do our best to educate people on the benefits of keeping their principal software up-to-date. If they can't, or won't do this, then we need to make it easy for people to submit half-baked files. When all else fails, there are quick fixes and professional tools to make things better.

 

That's all for now.

 

Rich