Wandering Grayscale in Publisher V2?

[Valliard]

Hello,

I’m trying to prepare a file on Publisher for Ingram Spark and something bizarre is happening with the color space.

I create a document in Grayscale (text colour set to Gray 0), yet when I try to export, the Preflight checker objects and says that the “document color profile is not suitable for PDF/X”.

Now, Ingram absolutely requires their book text in Grayscale, and exported as PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-3:2002 (apparently PDF/X-1a:2003 or PDF/X-3:2003 should also work), so I forge ahead and export it as a PDF/X anyway.

However, when I reopen the PDF as Grayscale in Affinity, the book text is now Gray 5. When I reopen it without specifying to open as Grayscale, it opens as CMYK, and the black of the body text is all over the shop! C72, M67,Y67, K86.

So what is going on?

Please note I’ve had to learn this software rather swiftly and haphazardly, with no prior knowledge of anything digital/graphics related. I work in ink and dip pen, usually, so pardon any obvious idiocy I’m committing here.

On Ingram’s very helpful File Creation Guide, they note:

“SPOT COLORS/ICC PROFILES: Please do not include Spot colors or ICC profiles in your file as these can produce unexpected results during processing. ICC profiles applied to 100% black text often convert to a shade or percentage of gray (less than 100% black). This will result in text in your proof that is not solid black. If text is intended to appear as solid black, including Spot colors or ICC profiles can cause delays in receiving a correct proof.”

So this could be the problem. But in the export settings, the option to set the colour space or ICC profile is blank, and the box for “Embed ICC profile” is already ticked and grayed out, so I can’t alter it. I bodged up a quick file to show as an example, here:

My text very much needs to be 100% solid black, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I've searched the forum for anything Ingram Spark related, and have found some very helpful threads, but nothing dealing with this issue, yet.

It might be a bug?

I also have a related question about this bit of their specifications:

“Resolution: 600 ppi for 1-bit black & white line art / 300 ppi for 8-bit grayscale continuous tone images”

Color Space: Grayscale

LPI (lines per inch): 175 visual (Where do I set this?)

Preferred file format: PDF (.pdf)

PDF producer: PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-3:2002”

I presume by ppi they mean DPI also, so for a book containing both text AND black ink drawings, do I set the document up at 600 DPI?? And then untick the “Downsample images” box during export?

Sorry for so much floundering!

Cheers for any help!

Valliard

[Old Bruce]

Greyscale colours are RGB colours. I would suggest you make your Ingram Spark documents in CMYK.

[Valliard]

Dear Old Bruce,

I wish I could! But Ingram has rather pedantic requirements for their POD service:

(found here in this helpful file creation guide)

https://www.ingramspark.com/hubfs/downloads/file-creation-guide.pdf

I just don’t understand why a document created in Grayscale, exported in PDF/X, and reopened in Grayscale should shift the black from Gray 0 to Gray 5.

Or why the Preflight says: “Document colour profile not suitable for PDF/X”—Is this because PDF/X is only for CMYK, and Grayscale is RGB, like you said?

It’s very confusing!

Further, why does Ingram specify NOT to use ICC profiles, then specifically request a PDF/X file?

Because I looked up PDF/X and found an article that said:

“Core principles of PDF/X. An Output Intent must be present that uses an ICC profile to specify the intended printing conditions (print device type, paper type) when colors (or shades of gray) are defined.”

So which is it?

All advice appreciated!

 

[Palatino]

There is colour for the screen (RGB) and there is colour for printing (cmyk).

There are greyscales for the screen (RGB: 100% is white) and there are greyscales for printing (K: 100% is black).

Affinity doesn't differentiate greyscale into screen and print, my old Photoshop does.

So much in the early morning.  😉  The topic is discussed here at least once every week. There is a lot to read and learn.

 

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

 

[walt.farrell]

4 hours ago, lacerto said:

1) Create a document using CMYK/8 color space. You can use the default U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 profile unless the printer recommends something else.Use 3mm bleed on outer edges (but set Inner bleed to 0). 

Can you say a bit more about setting the inner bleed to 0? I would expect that to cause problems when exporting "All Pages" for a Facing Page document.

[Valliard]

5 hours ago, lacerto said:

Hi Valliard, and welcome to the forums.

This is really quite confusing. I'll try to explain the reasoning behind IngramSpark instructions.

 

 

Dear lacerto,

This is astoundingly clear and helpful, thank you greatly!

It's late here in the antipodes, and I'm rather bleary-brained, so I shall re-read this in the morning most carefully and follow all instructions. Even at this dubious hour though, it makes perfect sense.

I may have further questions tomorrow, but after I've had a stab at implementing your suggestions in a clear and caffeinated light.

Appreciative regards,

V

[lacerto]

Obsolete.