I am trying to produce a local road map using black and two spot colors. I can't get InDesign to make 3 color plates. In separations window, I get part of my map (done in Illustrator) in CMYK, then about four other spot colors, including the two I need. Can anybody tell me how to do this? I'd like to proof color separations on my laser printer before sending to print shop.
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Color separations InDesign CS4 1
- Thread starter brmckelvy
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1
- #2
...your choices are to either reopen the illustrator file and fix the colors there, or you can use the indesign ink manager to map (or alias) spot colors to other spot colors...
...please view this other thread I replied to with a similar situation:
...do note the separations preview palette will always have CMYK plates even if they aren't used, you just have to be sure that they aren't used in the artwork for spot color work...
...for onscreen proofing your choices are to either use the indesign separations preview palette, or make a PDF and use Acrobat Pro "output preview" dialog (under the advanced menu)...
...when printing to a desktop device you have to select "separations" in the output section of the print dialog...
andrew
...please view this other thread I replied to with a similar situation:
...do note the separations preview palette will always have CMYK plates even if they aren't used, you just have to be sure that they aren't used in the artwork for spot color work...
...for onscreen proofing your choices are to either use the indesign separations preview palette, or make a PDF and use Acrobat Pro "output preview" dialog (under the advanced menu)...
...when printing to a desktop device you have to select "separations" in the output section of the print dialog...
andrew
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks, apepp.
I've tried this and apparently I have something that's not working or not installed. When I go to ink manager, choice of alias is dimmed and cannot be selected. Same thing happens in output window of print dialog box. Under color menu, I have only 2 choices: composite RGB and composite gray. Separations and other choices are dimmed. Any idea where I'm missing this?
I've tried this and apparently I have something that's not working or not installed. When I go to ink manager, choice of alias is dimmed and cannot be selected. Same thing happens in output window of print dialog box. Under color menu, I have only 2 choices: composite RGB and composite gray. Separations and other choices are dimmed. Any idea where I'm missing this?
...if you can't select separations in your print settings, then your printer driver doesn't support host based separations, so you will have to use a work around...
...with regards to aliasing colors, you can't map process colors to spot colors, it has to be spot to spot or spot to process, otherwise the alias function will not be available...
...without seeing your artwork and what links are causing the problem it can be difficult to problem solve, but from experience aliasing colors in indesign can work, but not always. In reality it is safer to fix the source artwork in many cases and in the long run...
...as for printing separations, your next best option is to either simply proof onscreen using indesign (or from a composite PDF in acrobat pro and view separations)...
..to physically print separations without a driver that supports host based separations, you can use the "postscript file" option under "printer" in the print dialog and using a PPD that supports custom page sizes and host based separations...
...then in the output options you can use separations > click save > locate the postscript file created > distill with acrobat distiller (or open the postscript file directly in acrobat, the PDF creation settings are control in Acrobat Pro's preferences, under "Convert to PDF"), then print from acrobat all the pages (which will all be in black)...
...you can also use the Adobe PDF printer driver to create a PDF with separations, which is installed along with Acrobat Pro, this allows direct printing through Distiller and creating a PDF on the fly (although with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, this has now changed and can't be done without saving to postscript file first, then distilling)...
...if you don't have a PPD that supports separations, then you can download mine from below, used for an Agfa Apogee X system we used to have. What PPD you use is not overly important, it just has to allow separations and custom page sizes essentially, to allow you to get a postscript file:
andrew
...with regards to aliasing colors, you can't map process colors to spot colors, it has to be spot to spot or spot to process, otherwise the alias function will not be available...
...without seeing your artwork and what links are causing the problem it can be difficult to problem solve, but from experience aliasing colors in indesign can work, but not always. In reality it is safer to fix the source artwork in many cases and in the long run...
...as for printing separations, your next best option is to either simply proof onscreen using indesign (or from a composite PDF in acrobat pro and view separations)...
..to physically print separations without a driver that supports host based separations, you can use the "postscript file" option under "printer" in the print dialog and using a PPD that supports custom page sizes and host based separations...
...then in the output options you can use separations > click save > locate the postscript file created > distill with acrobat distiller (or open the postscript file directly in acrobat, the PDF creation settings are control in Acrobat Pro's preferences, under "Convert to PDF"), then print from acrobat all the pages (which will all be in black)...
...you can also use the Adobe PDF printer driver to create a PDF with separations, which is installed along with Acrobat Pro, this allows direct printing through Distiller and creating a PDF on the fly (although with Mac OS X Snow Leopard, this has now changed and can't be done without saving to postscript file first, then distilling)...
...if you don't have a PPD that supports separations, then you can download mine from below, used for an Agfa Apogee X system we used to have. What PPD you use is not overly important, it just has to allow separations and custom page sizes essentially, to allow you to get a postscript file:
andrew
- Thread starter
- #5
Andrew,
Thanks a million for your help. It sounds like I have several options. I'm going to try to save the work I have already done, but I am also going to go back and work on the original Illustrator files. Sounds like that might be the best solution, if I have time. Thanks again for your help.
brmckelvy
Thanks a million for your help. It sounds like I have several options. I'm going to try to save the work I have already done, but I am also going to go back and work on the original Illustrator files. Sounds like that might be the best solution, if I have time. Thanks again for your help.
brmckelvy
- Thread starter
- #6
apepp,
Thanks for the help. You are exactly right! I downloaded a trial version of Adobe PDF Pro and it will allow me to print color separations. I guess my old B/W laser printer knew it wasn't able to do the job. I'm on my way now!
brmckelvy
Thanks for the help. You are exactly right! I downloaded a trial version of Adobe PDF Pro and it will allow me to print color separations. I guess my old B/W laser printer knew it wasn't able to do the job. I'm on my way now!
brmckelvy
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