PMS-colored .ai-file becomes process

I have two separate InDesign CS5-documents that have the same Illustrator CS5 .ai-file placed in them. One of the documents honors the PMS color but the other one turns it to process color. I´ve heard there might be trouble with .ai-files so I saved it to eps but with the same result. I guess it´s got to have something to do with InDesign basic color presets but I can´t see that they are different in the two documents. Where´s the catch?

Do you have an identically named process color in your InDesign file? If so, delete it or rename it.
Bob

Similar Messages

  • 2 files with exact the same PMS color look different

    I was working on a print project for my company and all files are created in Illustrator CC. Here is the confusing part, in this logo color file I found from the company inside files, the PMS color code actually matches the CMYK color code, and they look exactly the same on screen:
    But on all the files I'm working on, the PMS color looks washed, when using the convert button to convert PMS to CMYK, the code looks different too:
    Is there a file color setting I need to change? Besides illustrator, the PMS color in Photoshop cc and InDesign cc all look wash out.

    The Color Mode of the swatch only impacts how the the color appears on your monitor. The important thing is that the Color Type always be "Spot Color" regardless of the Color Mode when you're dealing with files for print. If it's set to Spot Color, then exporting the file to film will have a single color pass. If it's set to Process Color you'll get 1-4 color passes when exporting depending on your CMYK values.
    For the company's branding guide, you have both color options depending on how the logo will be printed. If you had something that included a photo, then you would want to use the CMYK version of the logo because you're already going to have CMYK values from the photo. Using an additional spot color just for the logo then makes it a 5-color job, thus increasing the cost. If you were printing something that only used black for text and also included the logo, then you would use the PMS version as this makes it a 2-color print job.
    In some circumstances you don't have an option of a CMYK break of a PMS color, such as metallics and fluorescents. Some companies only print their logo in a spot color despite having it as part of a 4-color print just due to how a CMYK version of their logo appears. Not every PMS color has a 100% accurate CMYK break. Most frequently the CMYK version is dull compared to the PMS color simply because the gamut for CMYK is not as diverse as the full range of PMS colors are.

  • How do I save PMS colors in a PDF file?

    I am trying to save my illustrator file as a PDF. I am using PMS colors in the file, and when I save it as a pdf those colors turn gray. However, when I export it to a jpg the colors show up fine. Does anyone know how to fix this or what is causing it?

    What destination and document colorspace are you using?

  • PMS color changes to CMYK when file is closed and reopened

    I got a .psb-document with a adjustmentlayer>solid color as a background. The color is a Pantone 354-C. When I save my document (CMYK), and then reopen it, I no longer get the Pantone color library but the default color picker box. I see no visible change in color though so I'm not sure if the color changes. If I click the color library button in my adjustment layer, it automatically pics the PMS color beneth the 354-C (that is 355 C) and I see a change in color. So I have to repick 354-C again.
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    Spot Colors have no real connection to individual Layers in Photoshop (as of CS6).
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  • PMS Colors in AI/PDF files and Mac OS X 10.8 Preview

    As you might know, either Adobe or Pantone changed the default definitions or color built of Pantone Coated library to LAB in CS6 instead of CYMK. This change did not break anything on Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion), but it did break how PMS colors previews in Mac OS X 10.8 (Mountaion Lion). All PMS Colors looks black in Mac OS X 10.8. Does anyone knows if there is going to be a fix for this?

    This is because as of CS6, Adobe is now saving Lab alternatives to PMS colors, rather than CMYK builds.  This is the right thing to do because Lab colors match more accurately, while Pantone colors can be out of the CMYK spectrum.  Apple just needs to support Lab colors in Preview and QuickLook.
    Complain here:  https://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

  • Why does a 170 Kb file becomes a 3.5 Mb when I save it as theme?

    I realized that when I save a file (170 Kb) as theme, its size increases dramatically (3.5Mb) (tried in keynote 09 ad 08 under OSX 10.6.7 or 10.5.8)
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    Therefore, I suspect that the "save theme" does by default select this "Save theme image into document" option, hence the 3.5 Mb file size.
    I tried this on several Macs and got the same result. However, all Macs are Macs I used at some points or where people installed my files / themes.
    As a result, all files created from the theme I created are big fat babies of 3.5 Mb, which defeat the purpose of a theme to make it clean and lean.
    Please advise if you have the same issue.
    Saved custom themes can be found at [Home]/Library/Application Support/iWork/Keynote/Themes.
    Suggestions welcome on what caused this oversized theme file size and how to reduce it?
    Thanks in advance

    OK, problem solved. I was having this same issue & every presentation that I made from the new template was over 3.5MB, even if it contained only text. I now have it down to 229kB.
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  • How do you switch out PMS colors in CS5

    I am trying to swap out PMS colors in a complicated Illustrator file--my client just changed all the colors. I remember being able to double click the color swatch and the list of Pantone colors would come up--and you could just select a new one--maybe I'm wrong and confusing it with InDesign? But when I double-click on the PMS swatch--the PMS name/spot color is greyed out--and I get a choice of "Book Color", but no listing of colors. I read that I can hold down option and move the new swatch over the one I want it to replace...It works, but changes the color to process, which I don't want.
    Thank you for your help!

    I may have answered my own question...selecting the color you want and the shift-selecting the other color, choosing merge. Seems like a round-about way, so I'm open if I'm missing something easier. Thanks

  • How do I mix 2 pms colors to achieve a 3rd color?

    I'm running Illustrator CS6 on a Win 64 bit PC. Seems there was a time, in earlier versions when I could pick a pms blue and a pms yellow and achieve a rudimentary green by mixing 20% pms blue and 60% pms yellow, as an example.
    I'm having a whale of a time figuring out to do this in the current version. I've been futzing around in edit/edit colors using the two pms colors I've chosen and although I can get tints of each color I can't seem to figure out how to get blends of the tints of each color.
    Can anyone help out there? Please?

    No reason to expand the spot color gradient they separate fine.
    The explanation about overprint and it being an older persons tool is that many younger professionals are not taught production, the idea of overprint is totally foreign to them amongst other production wise work flow.
    There are users in their forties that have production experience. That does not mean all young people are ignorant of their craft but it is less of an issue for them as other people take up the slack.
    We see it all the time on the forum, unusual things like users not converting RGB image files to cmyk in photoshop before placing them into an Illustrator file nd wondering why the color is off.
    They often confuse dpi for ppi. the do not know the difference between spot colors and process color equivalent, don't know the difference between vector and raster! the list goes on.
    They don't understand why you can't overprint to cmyk process colors.
    There aree really an interesting lack of apprentiship in the filed these days.
    However even the less eexperience do know heir trade as it is today and oftebn surprise us with interesting techniques and knowledge of software and hardware issues.
    They say you are as young as you feel and i don't feel a day over 67 which is amazing since i am 67. I guess all that expercise has paid off. I am really tired.

  • CS3 PMS Colors Inaccurate...

    i originally created some artwork in CMYK, the printer suggested i make it a 2 color job to get better color (some of my cmyk colors were out of their press' gamut).
    Since i don't have a Pantone's Tints Book, i had to rely on photoshop for matching the CMYK version to pantone equivalents.
    For some reason, photoshop isn't displaying PMS colors as accurate as Illustrator.
    In photoshop, the Spot Channel version matches pretty close to the CMYK version, but once it is placed in illustrator it's obvious that it doesn't match the CMYK version at all. Which is weird because when i place CMYK photoshop files into illustrator they match perfectly.
    I am using the same color settings across CS3 (set in bridge).
    Sample of Files:
    http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5010/duotonezp1.jpg
    Sample of Random PMS colors:
    http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/4328/spotcomparesb2.jpg

    Silence,
    Some notes, which I hope are helpful here...
    >(some of my cmyk colors were out of their press' gamut)
    If the are CMYK, they are, by their very definition, within press gamuts. If your colors are out of gamut, they've been defined in some other color space, such as RGB, which has a considerably larger gamut.
    > i don't have a Pantone's Tints Book
    You need to purchase a current Pantone spot color to process swatch book. If you are doing work for print reproduction, it is as important as a calibrated monitor. If nothing else, it will quickly show you which colors will and which colors will not be accurately translated to standard four-color process colors.
    >For some reason, photoshop isn't displaying PMS colors as accurate as Illustrator.
    You do not have your color spaces synchronized across your CS3 apps. If you are using the same-level versions (particularly CS3), this is easy to accomplish in your app's preferences. Or you are using different color spaces for your different images.
    Neil

  • Deleting unused PMS color

    I  can't seem to get rid of a PMS color. I've tried exporting the document to IDML and opening it, selecting all Unused colors and deleting, going through all of the styles to make sure it's not in there, checking all imported graphics to make sure it's not in there— nothing gets rid of the PMS color.

    Hi,
    could you inform us, on which version of InDesign you are using?
    With which version was this document created initially?
    I ask, because I remember an issue, but very long ago, which did not allow to delete spot colors, even if the document was empty. But this should not be an issue with versions later than CS3.
    If the spot color was imported by some kind of EPS or PDF files, you are not able to delete it in the document, nor to do so in the EPS or PDF file unless you have Illustrator and these files were created in Illustrator. (Or you have Freehand and these files were created in Freehand, same with other drawing applications.) Opening these kind in a different editor might cause damage.
    In these circumstances you could use the ink manager (you find it in the Swatch Panel Menu) and target the spot colors, all or some selected, to process color or to a different spot color.

  • Please guide me how PMS Colors can be done in DUOTONE?

    Hello,
    Good Day
    I have job having 7 Colors and I have been asked to done it in 5 Colors.
    (1) Pantone 485CVC (RED)
    (2) Pantone 356CVC (GREEN)
    (3) Pantone 116CVC (YELLOW)
    (4) Pantone 301CV (D-BLUE)
    (5) Pantone 279C (L-BLUE)
    (6) Pantone 732C (D-BROWN)
    (7) Pantone 730C (L-BROWN)
    I can use Red, Green and Yellow on separate screens where as remaining
    “FOUR COLORS” are Dark Blue, Light Blue, Dark Brown and Light Brown.
    Please guide me how I can finish the job in five colors as my boss advised
    me to do it in duotone. The job is on Illustrator CS2 and Colors are PMS.
    Please guide me how PMS Colors can be done in DUOTONE.
    I have been working in filled of screen print for many years but unaware
    about duotone in Illustrator.
    I would sincerely grateful for your reply and Guidance.
    With Best Regards
    Ahmed Ali
    [email protected]

    Since this is (evidently) being prepared for screen printing, your options will be affected by answers to these questions:
    Are halftone dots going to be allowed? Screen printing setups (especially in common T-shirt shops) often require solids only.
    If the screen printing setup can accommodate halftoning, at what halftone ruling? When a particular screen printing setup is limited to very course (ugly) halftone ruling--commonly 30 lpi or less--one often opts for textures or grain to achieve the effect of shading.
    Are the inks going to be opaque? Opaque inks are most common, but limit the possible results when overlapped. Translucent inks are only suitable for white or very light substrate colors. If the screen setup is sophisticated enough to support decent halftone ruling, and will be printed on a white substrate, then the colors you have listed could be accomplished simply building the file as ordinary four-color process, instead of with 5 colors. (None of the colors you've listed—red, green, yellow, two blues, two browns—suggest requiring a 5th spot ink.)
    Illustrator does not support multi-ink swatches. You can use multiple fills and/or strokes set to overprint to replicate it in output. But Illustrator cannot properly display overprinting of opaque inks in its interface. Overprint preview always assumes the translucent inks of offset printing.
    All the above is why it is common to build screen printing projects in Photoshop as multichannel documents, saved as DCS 2 EPS, or printed to Adobe PDF as separations. It's more intuitive because you have a Channel (not to be confused with Layers) for each ink, and the program is able to properly preview the printed results because you can simulate opacity, including the color of the substrate.
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    ...my boss advised me to do it in duotone...
    I suspect your boss doesn't know what a duotone is. Duotone (and tritone, quadtone) print multiple separations of the same grayscale channel. Duotone in Photoshop is the modern analog of the process darkroom technique of making two separation plates from the same image, using different screen angles and exposures. In Photoshop, you can do this for up to four inks, optionally applying different grayscale curves to each ink, not different channels (different artwork) to each ink. Traditionally, this was done to impart a bit of "color interest" to black-and-white photos being printed in a 2-ink job.
    Your boss is saying "duotone," but he's thinking of the functionality of a multichannel file using spot inks. Even Photoshop's quadtone would not give you five inks.
    JET

  • Figuring out the PMS colors

    I have a logo that I would like to have made into a sticker by a printing company and they are offering either to print it with their 36 stock ink colors at no additional charge or with custom PMS ink matching for $30.00 per color.
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    2. How do I figure out what the PMS colors are for the ones in my logo?
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    1.) Most of the "sticker" print vendors will have their inhouse spot color ( like the 36 you mentioned ). But, your standard logo has only 2-3 colors ( i.e., FedEx, UPS, Xerox, IBM, etc., etc. ). If however, your logo uses more than 3 and they are process color builds, then color matching may depend on their ability to match a specific Pantone Spot color ( which they are charging $30. for a custom ink mix ). If your logo is constructed using 4c process inks, they may be better off printing your logo using 4 process colors ( C-M-Y-K ).
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  • Flat File automation process - limitations

    Hello Everyone,
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  • PMS colors in Photoshop to be used in InDesign?

    Hi,
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  • Why are my PMS colors different in CS3 & CS6?

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    Thanks Monika, but, OMG, I feel a headache coming on! =(  So, is it better to stay with the new Pantone Plus colors, or convert to the older version? How will this effect reprinting of jobs, if the client makes changes and I resave the file in CS6? Will the color be different now, if saved in the Pantone Plus? Maybe I need to do more reading up on this!

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