Comments on: Preventing 4-color Blacks in PDFs

By: Christy

Christy — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:23:13 +0000

I need to output an ad created in InDesign CS4 to PDF. Spec say “DMAX: 280% max Density”
I have areas that are exceeding 320%
Is there a way to control max density right from InDesign when exporting? I don’t have a Job Options preset file from the publication. If not from InDesign, is there a way to knock down high densities right in Acrobat Pro?
Thanks!

By: David Blatner

David Blatner — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:00:57 +0000

I believe those kinds of PDF edits are possible in Acrobat Pro, or in a program like Enfocus Pitstop Pro.

By: Gloria

Gloria — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:23:17 +0000

We receive pdf files for offset printing. If they have been saved in smallest file size, is there any way to change from RGB to spot color?
Anyone?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:08:40 +0000

Garth, I’m in the same boat! Have some heinously rich black text from linked PDFs that I want converted to 100% black — otherwise I’m afraid it will be a mess on press.

Anyone?

By: Garth Koppen

Garth Koppen — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:07:10 +0000

I have a question for you all that kind of relates to this discussion. Do any of you now of an Adobe Acrobat preflight check up that converts 4/c text to black text only?

By: Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:17:09 +0000

Thank you Randy, great words of advice from someone on the front lines.

By: Randy Hobart

Randy Hobart — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:39:58 +0000

This post may be alittle late to help Jacque and his 40k print job, but here is my take on it. If I where the print buyer(you Jacque), I would pay for the job to be re-plated and nothing more. This job should of been caught when plating by the pre-press and for sure by the pressman.
While one cannot see all problems on the proof , one can clearly see it on the plates before it goes to press. Even then the pressman should have called the Production Manager.This I can say for certain – someone saw it and made the decision to let it go. This I know for a fact – any pressman would have a fit running it.

I cannot even count the number of times I have called the CSR’s and told them that this job can’t go to press. It is common knowledge ,as well as common sense that customers don’t want cmyk for their type - unless it is big type and undercolor is used. After the customer is notified; it is the customers descision whether to fix it – re-plate it or take it off the press. We had a sign hanging in our room – It said this –

The customer is right, even when he’s wrong. Any questions see me.(owner)

My advice to graphic designer’s as well as print buyers is to invest in a postscript printer – and separate it. If you can’t do this, at least use Adobe Professional Acrobat and view it in the separated view. Do this on all files to be printed before sending(on PDF do not compress or optimize). Best way – package the Indesgn file and zip it.

Last advice – Find a printer in which everyone is on the same page(mindset) with you. 2nd – do not let price alone determine which printer to choose. Hope this helps and is not too long. While I am not a professional designer, I do know printing.

By: David Blatner

David Blatner — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:50:30 +0000

@Jacqui: The printer “forgot” to flightcheck? That’s not good. Well, did they print what you sent them? If you sent them a PDF with 4-color black, then it seems like you have a pretty big responsibility in it. If you sent them good files and they messed them up somehow, then they should fix it.

CS4’s live Preflight feature could really save us from a lot of problems, but unfortunately, it can’t save anyone from a poorly-made PDF.

By: Jacqui

Jacqui — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:42:46 +0000

I’ve just had the same problem. What I thought was a high res set of pdf’s managed to get printed with 4 colour blacks by St Ives and I now find myself in a dispute with them over a 40k reprint. We signed off high res digitals and it didn’t show on that. They say they forgot to flight check it yet want us to contribute to the reprint. Noone knows where the error crept in..

Anyone any thoughts on this?

By: Eugene

Eugene — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:25:22 +0000

@ Mellisa:

You can map colours using the ink manager.

Tools>Print Production>Ink Manager

Then select what inks you want to change, and select the colour you want it to be.

I always do a Save As after I’ve done that.

Don’t remember why I do it, old habit maybe?