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rickg76305781
Inspiring
August 22, 2018
Question

Photoshop Generated PDF vs. Acrobat - Process Black

  • August 22, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 1340 views

I create a graphic in PS CC 2018. The black in the image is 100% Black ( 0% cyan, 0% yellow, 0% magenta, 100% black)

I save the file with "Color:  Embedded Color Profile: SWOP (Coated), 20%..." checked "on" in the save screen.

I use PDF Preset [PDF/X-1a:2001] without modification and safe.

Open this same PDF in Acrobat. Open Print Production>Output Preview - Simulation Profile: U.S. Coated (SWOP) v2 >Preview "Separations"

If I unclick "Process Black" the resulting image appears to have Black (k) in the remaining channels?? why?

Looking at the PDF in PS the Black is correct ( 0% cyan, 0% yellow, 0% magenta, 100% black)

if i uncheck the default SWOP on save PDF and use the same PDF preset as above and look at the file in PDF in acrobat (same method as above) the file appears to separated correctly - no black in the other channels? (i can achieve the same result in "Output" on the "Save Adobe PDF" in PS with "Color>ColorConversion>No Conversion)

what difference does it make to acrobat whether SWOP is checked at PS PDF save? does it make a difference?

is it actually process black on am seeing in acrobat regardless of what i created or see in PS

it confusing. please explain

thank you in advance

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    4 replies

    R
    rickg76305781Author
    Inspiring
    August 22, 2018

    So if i understand correctly, simply put, the PDF settings in PS need to be correct (updated)  for Acrobat to read the PDF. Essentially they have to match.

    It doesn't mean my PS generated PDF suddenly has process black - only that Acrobat and PS are in conflict and Acrobat its reading the file incorrectly.

    Is that correct??

    (Don't mean to dumb it down. All information given thus far is excellent! And I do understand and will practice or apply the suggestions given above)

    T
    Test Screen Name
    Legend
    August 22, 2018

    No, every app is working correctly and doing as you ask. If you use two different CMYK profiles you are asking (insisting) that colours be converted, and black will go over all channels. Use only one CMYK profile, at every point (design, export, preview). 

    R
    rickg76305781Author
    Inspiring
    August 22, 2018

    Ok I think I got it. I assigned the legacy profile to my PS PDF doc. Acrobat takes the PDF doc. and assigns the color information based on Acrobat simulation choice - which produces the color shift.

    My confusion is was my output didn't match what i was seeing in Acrobat.. In other words, despite what I was seeing in Acrobat - when I printed  the Pdf doc in InDesign or PS separated correctly and yet Acrobat showed process black.

    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 22, 2018

    One thing to note is Bridge Syncing changes your Photoshop Color Settings, which are applied to future documents.

    Existing documents can have an assigned profile that is different. To change how an existing document is color managed you have to use Edit>Assign Profile, or Edit Convert to Profile. In your case it has to be Assign profile because you want to protect the 100% black.

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 22, 2018

    Yes this is very tricky, the interface could be better, such as letting you know the embedded profile of the file you are viewing.

    To start off right I would go to  bridge edit >> Color settings, and make sure you are synchonized.

    My file has photoshops default foreground color on left, and 100k on right. Note my assigned color profile shows on bottom left.

    Next I save as .pdf and change the color profile to match what I will be using for simulation profile in Acrobat. (matched  closest I had to yours). I had to modify PDF/X 1a  destination profile to US Web Coated SWOP 2.

    Then in Acrobat the profile you saved with is what acrobat should choose by default. My cursor is over right side square (screencap on mac does not capture cursor) so you can see I got 100k.

    If anything is not perfect then you will get  values you describe. So I took alot of screenshots and hope this helps as my guess is your destination profile is not matching your simulation profile.

    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 22, 2018

    save the file with "Color:  Embedded Color Profile: SWOP (Coated), 20%..." checked "on" in the save screen.

    Open this same PDF in Acrobat. Open Print Production>Output Preview - Simulation Profile: U.S. Coated (SWOP) v2 >Preview "Separations"

    SWOP (Coated), 20%... and U.S. Coated (SWOP) v2 are different profiles.

    SWOP (Coated), 20%... is a legacy Custom CMYK profile so that would explain the 4-color black in Acrobat's Output Preview where the simulation profile, U.S. Coated (SWOP) v2, is conflicting with the embedded profile.

    Do you really intend to use the legacy profile? If not, assign U.S. Coated (SWOP) v2 (Edit>Assign profiles...).

    Also, the PDF/X-1a standard dosn't allow embedded profiles, the assumption is the conversion has been made into the final print space and no further color managed conversions are needed. The standard does include an Output Intent, but that's not the same as an embedded profile.

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