Still trying to be 100% clear with profiles and colors (here using CMYK)…

[laurent32]

I made a strip of grays (10% K to 100% K) in Designer using those profile :

I placed that strip in Publisher using same profile :

I get what I want ; for example 50% K is 50% K only :

Now I export to PDF using PDF/X-1a:2003 and no change in profile (using document's profile) :

I place that PDF in the same Publisher document and look at my same 50% K, it turned c45 m38 y36 n1 =>no good, and why ???

If I launch another export of the file :

We can clearly see the pure grays are not grays anymore… Why ?

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[laurent32]

Thanks for sharing @lacerto.

Each time I read your posts, I learn a lot, and try to add your knowledge to mine.

But the more I read, the more I feel I've got to learn more !

Things are getting more and more complex and finally I'm wondering if there is a clear solution to what I'm looking for ?

Too many interacting cases…

Maybe I should look at my target (what I want to achieve) differently…

In fact, what am i looking for ?

Before answering that question, I must say I work for the web and for the press.

Concerning the press aspect, I'm editing a newspaper (rotary printing) that has texts and adds.

Adds are often provided by my clients (so they are created many different ways by my clients themselves).

So what am I looking for ? 

A new workflow with Affinity products that include a process to control all the documents (adds) I get from external sources.

Why ? 

To get optimum results with my rotary printer that asks me to send him PDF/X-1a:2003 files.

I need blacks that are real blacks… I need overprinting control… I need nice transparencies… I need my advertisers to be happy !

So… what could be that "process to control all the documents (adds) I get from external sources" ?

I feel unsafe including my client's PDF file directly into my document.

I feel passthrough and interpret methods are too risky ones. Too much "if, then, else" aspects…

I think I would feel better rasterizing all those external PDF documents in .afphoto with the right DPI values…

Even if i know it is a shame to loose all those pretty vectors…

But then, with all those jpegs, pngs, tiffs, etc… what should be the colour format ? And what should be the colour profile ?

By the way, what are the differences between the two ?

Is the first one RGB or CMYK ? And the second one dedicated to peripherals ?

Should I click "assign" or "convert" ? I'm sure there is a big difference between the two…

Using PDF/X-1a:2003 for the export, can I place any rasterized document without taking care of their color formats and color profiles ?

Do you think it's OK if I send my printer PDF/X-3:2003 or PDF/X-4 files ? And is it better for my case ?

You see, either way, I have so many questions… The more I think the more I feel I'm drowning !!

Are you aware of any freeware, or affordable software, or technique, the would help me diagnose a PDF file, in order to better know :

- if some texts are using rich blacks ?

- if there are overprint areas ?

- if the PDF file includes specific functions left behind by my conversions ?

- color profile ?

- list of the fonts used ?

- list of the images used ?

- etc…

Maybe I'm asking too many questions… ?

Would be great if all could be summarized to a rather small list of actions… I don't know ?

Anyway, thanks again for reading !

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[laurent32]

Thanks again @lacerto, it's a real pleasure to read your posts.

Things are really getting clear, and I might not be drowning that much… <= good news !

Let me have a dream… Let me jump to the ultimate process simplification…

What if I turn it all : Color space = RGB and Profile = sRGB ?

And then export selecting the most "up to date" PDF format option : PDF (press ready [PDF 1.7 (Acrobat 8)]) ?

Affinity says :

• PDF (press ready)—Exports to PDF 1.7 (Acrobat 8) at 300 DPI, downsample images of >450 dpi, overprint black on, include bleed, embed all fonts, uses CMYK color space, allow advanced features.

and :

• PDF/X options are pro-print PDF presets that create PDF files that output to CMYK color space and can embed all fonts.
  • PDF (PDF/X-1a:2003)—based on PDF 1.4, flattens transparency, no color management
  • PDF (PDF/X-3:2003)—As for PDF/X-1a:2003, but supports spot colors and allows color management. RGB or CMYK images with attached color profiles are supported.
  • PDF (PDF/X-4)—As for PDF/X-3:2003, based on PDF 1.6, supports transparency

I might also test PDF/X-4 with my printer…

Also (from your experience) :

Knowing i'm used to always take a good look at my final PDF files…

Would you say that if the final PDF files look good on screen, we've got more than 85% chance print will be fine ?

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[lacerto]

Obsolete.