PDF Print Preview looks different on screen than when Printed

Report · Mar 01, 2017

My boss doesn't like it when we export from Auto CAD to Adobe PDF and the ON-Screen version looks different (more "saturated") than when we print out the document on our Canon plotter ("weaker/less saturation").

Questions:

1) Where should I change the settings so that The PDF viewer shows more of what it will look like when printed?

2) Could this be a CMYK/RGB settings issue? We care more about print quality than screen viewing documents.

Report · Mar 19, 2017

sarahk40560771 wrote
2) Could this be a CMYK/RGB settings issue? We care more about print quality than screen viewing documents.

Yes, what you are experiencing is Auto CAD working in RGB, viewing RGB and printing in CMYK.

sarahk40560771 wrote
My boss doesn't like it when we export from Auto CAD to Adobe PDF and the ON-Screen version looks different (more "saturated") than when we print out the document on our Canon plotter ("weaker/less saturation").
Questions:
1) Where should I change the settings so that The PDF viewer shows more of what it will look like when printed?

In your Auto CAD export settings look for settings to change the Output Intent. Acrobat will than use that setting for viewing. (This could be set as your default eliminating further intervention.)

If you are Printing to Adobe Acrobat Printer rather than exporting you can enable this in the Printer settings.

Alternately, within Acrobat (with document open), change your (Output Preview) Simulation Profile to a cmyk space. Acrobat will more closely display as will be printed.

Report · May 31, 2017

Thank you for your answer, Daniel it was very helpful and it seemed to work (The second option)!

I have two additional questions for you:

1. Is there a way to change my overall settings in Acrobat so that every document I open displays in CMYK Space?

2. Is the option Coated FOGRA27 (ISO 1264-2:2004) Just computer lingo for "CMYK space"? Why are there so many options? how do I know which one is the closest to what we will see printed?

Report · Jun 03, 2017

I am way out of my league in regards to this, but I'll provide what I can. I've set defaults (long ago) to most closely match the way I work - a print environment.

"1. Is there a way to change my overall settings in Acrobat so that every document I open displays in CMYK Space?"

In Acrobat - Preferences > (General >) Color Management > Working Spaces - You can (seem to) set the default opening state (for viewing). Years ago I set this to SWOP, the traditional standard in America. FOGRA and GRACOL are different standards more closely matched to other ink, machine, and mechanical standards.

If there is a listing for your Cannon printer, consider that.

I'm thinking that there should be an option to open in the state (rgb vs cmyk) set by the document...the working space as defined by a document. But the nature of pdf allows for both rgb and cmyk elements (and gray). There may be and I may be overlooking it. Overprint Preview (may) invoke or over-ride this...

In Acrobat - Preferences > (General >) Page Display > Use Overprint Preview - I have set to Always. Automatic (it seems) does not invoke how a document will print, or more specifically, rgb elements. This may be the most impactful change you make.

All the above are Acrobat v9 listings.

"2. Is the option Coated FOGRA27 (ISO 1264-2:2004) Just computer lingo for "CMYK space"? Why are there so many options? how do I know which one is the closest to what we will see printed?"

There are variations on how color is managed, ink conditions, workflows. FOGRA is a cmyk color space. The options allow commercial print a set of standards to hold to for consistency and reach a wider or more defined color space.

Some of the above is bound to be less than absolutely correct.