ColorSync in Mac OS X 10.4 & Automator
ColorSync in Mac OS X 10.4 & Automator
- Subject: ColorSync in Mac OS X 10.4 & Automator
- From: Dwane Hollands <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 10:57:41 +0930
Hi,
It's been a very long time since I was on the colorsync forum. I've
just been playing around with Colorsync on mac os x 10.4 & Automator,
trying to create a PDF colour management workflow which is (free for
one - I can't afford iQueue) and suitable for my printing company.
The idea is I use the Quartz filters to tag images, including the
graphics in the backgrounds, so that when I put PDF's which contain
images which have been converted to my profile initially they will be
tagged appropriately. Then the graphic content (tints etc) can be
colour managed aswell with a different rendering intent. (obviously so
can the text and shading also be independent)
OK, the reason I want to do this is because I run Indesign 2.0 and
there is no way to select a different rendering intent for my graphics
and my images, I have to chose either/or. So If I convert to my CMYK
profile in Adobe Photoshop, do all my editing etc, then place into
Indesign "DON'T colour manage" - print to postscript distill (without
colour mangement) and then run it through a queue to tag my images and
convert to profile on my graphics with indepedent rendering intents I
should be sweet - in theory.
I can then ask my clients to simply convert their images in photoshop
to the correct profile, (without tagging the images) and don't colour
manage the layout application which the images will be placed in. Then
they output PDF's without colourmanagement and I apply the tagging and
convert to profiles for the images and graphics respectively.
Basically I have a few questions:
1. Is colorsyncs conversion in PDF's any good at all or should I steer
clear? (incidently I have found that once the PDF's have been modified
by coloursync they are no longer editable in pitstop - that is to say
individual images appear to be grouped into one large page item)
2. Does that workflow that I just described sound practical - or am I
insane?
Currently we convert our images to profiles in photoshop (our custom
CMYK profiles) and then place in Indesign - don't colour manage and
output to the RIP PDF hotfolder. There are CMYK curves for 3
categories of paper (Coated Gloss, Coated matt, uncoated) which each
have a queue. If this job is going to be on uncoated - it goes through
the uncoated queue. The way we used to profile is we would run dotgain
test formes to compensate for dotgain and map the results to a standard
such as CGAT TR001 (that's if I can remember the standards name - 21%
dotgain for K, 18% for CMY is what I remember. It's been a while).
This is so that the three paper types had the same dot gain response.
We would then run out a set of films (4) for each of the 3 categories
of paper with their compensations applied of IT8/7.3 targets and
profiled the press. The reason for this is, the graphic content would
always be dotgain compensated without any colour management applied,
the images would take care of themselves since they would be converted
to the profile in Photoshop. It's also meant to be easy to update your
profile by running dotgain test formes again and simply updating your
RIP curves. No need to re-distribute profiles etc.
However - It's very lengthy process, and costly - since you have to run
out films for dotgain and 3 different lots of (4) films for each
category. Makeready etc. Waste paper on the dotgain test runs aswell
as the profiling test runs. It makes it a mammoth task and means that
it usually gets put off, instead of re-profiling.
I want to be able to use 1 set of 4 colour plates, whack em on the
press, profile the first paper type, adjust solid ink densities and
whammo, Stock category 1 done. Whack some different stock in there
adjust SID's and whammo stock category 2 done. Same for category 3.
So that's why I'm looking at the convoluted workflow - which could be
free and quite manageable using automator (which works pretty cool -
you can setup a workflow for this in 2 steps)
ahhh. . . hmmm. . . Colour management makes me crazy!
<thankyou for your time and patience. . . if you read this far>
regards,
Dwane Hollands
--------------------------------------------------------------
HOLLANDS PRINT SOLUTIONS PTY LTD
Phone (08) 89 327 400
Fax (08) 89 327 411
Email email@hidden
-------------------------------------------------------------
Street: 6 McCourt Rd, Yarrawonga
Palmerston, NT 0830
Postal: PO BOX 3775
(send mail) Palmerston, NT 0831
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