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Formatting a project for mixed color and black & white printing


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My question is whether it is possible, in a project having photographs on almost every page, to format it for mixed color and b&w printing, the main objective being to keep cost down. I learn, talking with a printer, that the b&w pages must have grey scale specified rather than full 4-color black specs embedded in the PDF. Otherwise, the machine being printed on will recognize the pages as full color even though the images are b&w. As long as each page is formatted either grey-scale or cmyk, the printer will recognize that & charge accordingly.

It appears, looking at "Document Setup" that the only option is to select either color or grey-scale for the entire document. Can someone tell me if there is a way I can select particular pages in a document for grey-scale instead of color?

Thanks, in advance, from a total newbie!

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Are you saying that you want to have some images in color and some in black-and-white, and have the b&w ones just use grays?

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25 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Are you saying that you want to have some images in color and some in black-and-white, and have the b&w ones just use grays?

That won't do the trick. For the printer (machine) to recognize selected pages within a mixed project as b&w, the whole page has to be grey-scale. But the way one sets a document up, as far as I can determine, the whole thing has to be specified either some form of color, or some form of grey-scale.

So, I'm asking if I'm missing something, that there is a way to format selected pages within a single doc as being either entirely color or b&w.

Thanks!

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I believe you will need to have separate publications that distinguish between K only and CMYK, create the PDFs and merge them. For most printers I have seen/used that charge for the color-click count, there can only be a K plate for the pages you want in gray.

I personally would find a different printer to do the work. Digital presses used in better establishments won't make a difference in cost.

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On 11/29/2018 at 8:10 PM, Jemez said:

I learn, talking with a printer, that the b&w pages must have grey scale specified rather than full 4-color black specs embedded in the PDF. Otherwise, the machine being printed on will recognize the pages as full color even though the images are b&w

The printer seems to have confused you and himself, one never ever assigns pages with anything.  As for making seperate pdf's - where does that idea come from Mike?  I have many documents with colour and B/W photography, and have sent both to Out-sourced printers and printed with laser and with 9 colour inkjet.  If you have edited your image as a greyscale (Dot gain 15 or 20%) which means you have only one channel in your edit, OR, if you have simply converted to black and white retaining all three channels Red green blue, makes no difference.  The RGB profile associated with the document will print Black and White as Black and white.  The three channels Red Green abd Blue that are associated with a B/W image simply display different levels of detail and contrast, EG, the blue channel is generally more contrasty which is why it is often used as a mask in B/W editing.  A greyscale image (B/W) with an RGB ICC profile will in no way be seen as a colour image because each channel now represents a different level of contrast and detail, that is all, the colour is gone.  I have sent mixed media images to pdf and had them printed with all images having the RGB ICC profile embedded.  This is never a problem. One pdf is all you need and whatever ICC profile is asked for.  As long as the image is edited as black and white it will stay as black and white.

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1 hour ago, Chris26 said:

As long as the image is edited as black and white it will stay as black and white.

I think you are confusing the appearance of black and white with the actual printing using a single color of ink.

Printers don't work in RGB so there will be additional conversion if you are using an RGB profile to begin with.  In this situation the amount of each printed ink may vary depending on the way the printer or RIP interprets the profile.

If multiple colors of ink are used then the speed of the printer will be the same as for a color print even if the final product appears to be a simple grayscale.

If only black ink is used (C=M=Y=0) then many types of printers will operate faster.

Evidently the printer that @Jemez is working with charges more for pages that print in color as they likely tie up the printer for a longer period of time.

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4 hours ago, Chris26 said:

The printer seems to have confused you and himself, one never ever assigns pages with anything.  As for making seperate pdf's - where does that idea come from Mike?

Even empty CMY plates incur a color charge. This is likely because this so-called printer is leasing a large office printer and he is charged for the color-clicks.

Like I mentioned, this is not an issue on any type of digital presses. 

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FDE and Mike, I seem then to have misunderstood the OP's question, more to do with costs, sorry.  I have never had an issue with this except to be asked if my project is B/W or colour, if mixed, then it is colour and I was always satisfied with that.

Microsoft - Like entering your home and opening the stainless steel kitchen door, with a Popup: 'Do you really want to open this door'? Then looking for the dishwasher and finding it stored in the living room where you have to download a water supply from the app store, then you have to buy microsoft compliant soap, remove the carpet only to be told that it is glued to the floor.. Don't forget to make multiple copies of your front door key and post them to all who demand access to all the doors inside your home including the windows and outside shed.

Apple - Like entering your home and opening the oak framed Kitchen door and finding the dishwasher right in front you ready to be switched on, soap supplied, and water that comes through a water softener.  Ah the front door key is yours and it only needs to open the front door.

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