Creating IngramSpark compatible PDF/X with Acrobat Pro

[alexs89062512]

Hello,

I am supposed to create an IngramSpark compatible PDF/X.  IngramSpark documentation states:

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 book 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.

They also mention to use Distiller and InDesign:

Acrobat Distiller, Export from InDesign

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

But I don't have InDesign, or Distiller, I only have Acrobat.  My book has no color, mostly black text and some gray lines, but of course I want my black text to be 100% black when printed.    I found the discussion here Generate PDF without ICC embedded‌ very similar to my question, but it does not appear to apply to Acrobat.  I am assuming PDF/X-1a is the best option for me, since it does not include ICC?

To summarize, using Acrobat Pro,  my questions are:

1. Which conversion profiles (FOGRA39, SWOP, etc.) I need to select?
2. Which  Printing Condition (COATED FOGRA39, SWOP, etc.) I need to select?

Thanks,

Alex Soto

[Test Screen Name]

You have Distiller. It is part of Acrobat. Also, you can convert to PDF/X in Acrobat/

To answer your questions:

> Which conversion profiles (FOGRA39, SWOP, etc.) I need to select?

> Which  Printing Condition (COATED FOGRA39, SWOP, etc.) I need to select?

the only answer is "the right ones" chosen by IngramSpark. We can't guess, you can't guess. There isn't a generic default to use when you don't know.

ALL PDF/X files include a profile (or reference to one) without exception, so their advice needs interpretation. What they mean is that you should not apply ICC profiles to elements in the file, only to the output intent. That's the conversion profile. It's possible they are just ignoring the conversion profile, but that would be pretty weird, in fact wrong...

[Test Screen Name]

Ok, I've looked at https://ingramspark.com/MarketingContent/Resource/Global/IngramSpark%20File%20Creation%20Guide.pdf and it's clear they do not name the output profile. But they also show using the Distiller settings, and presumably picking up whatever Adobe chose for a default. This is basically wrong, I think, but valid. You can run Distiller and check the output intent profile, then apply it with Preflight - or use Distiller. If not InDesign, what is your design app? And Mac or Windows?

[alexs89062512]

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I am new to this, so when they mention Distiller, I thought they were talking about something else, the product I am renting from Adobe is called "Acrobat Pro DC".  How do I run Distiller?

Anyway, I sent a question to IngramSpark, it seems to me that saying "use the defaults of this or that product" is very ambiguous and error prone, since the defaults may change.

I use Latex on a Mac, I am only using Acrobat to convert it to PDF/X (rented it for a month).

Thanks again

[Test Screen Name]

How do you convert the LaTeX document to PDF on your Mac? I'm assuming this is a dvi2pdf method of some kind not involving Distiller. This is a case probably far outside the experience of IngramSpark.

You can start Distiller from the Applications folder to inspect its settings though.

[alexs89062512]

Latex uses pdftex or Ghostscript.

I found Distiller now,  I had not seen this before.

Looks like Distiller default for PDF/X-1a are:

1. Output Intent Profile:  U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2.
2. Output Condition Identifier:  CGATS TR 001 

Now, when trying to convert my PDF using Acrobat's PDF Standards tool, I can select SWOP, but the CGATS TR 001 does not show up.

[Kals]

IngramSpark's own documentation is vague and contradictory on this topic. Their File Creation Guide advises PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-3:2002, but doesn't specify a destination colour profile, even though these standards require one! I found a FAQ page on their website which (after saying not to use ICC profiles) adds as an afterthought, 'If one needs to be applied, we recommend the U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2.'

So that is the answer to Alex's original question, from IngramSpark themselves (albeit, their reluctant answer).

But after submitting print-ready artwork (for a client), prepared according to IngramSpark's specs using the PDF/X-1a:2001 standard (since they don't like doing the colour conversions themselves), my client received the 'PDF CONTAINS ICC COLOR PROFILES' error anyway. To make the job print, my client had to tick the following declaration:

'I hereby authorize IngramSpark to proceed with processing my submitted content despite the warnings given. I am aware of and assume responsibility for any quality issues that may appear in my printed book or eProof as a result of the warnings associated with any of the items mentioned above.'

Perhaps this is just their standard response, as a way of putting preemptive blame on the customer—insurance against the colours outputting poorly? The whole thing seems very evasive, as if by not giving clear instructions on how to convert colours (which is what ICC profiles do!) they can't be held responsible in any way.

This answer given by Dov Isaacs to the discussion Alex linked to, expresses my exact thoughts on this. As Dov so eloquently puts it, 'You might want to consider a different printer given their fairly obsolete, blame-the-customer workflows and practices'.

[carold28743720]

I agree with Kals that the warning is standard procedure for IngramSpark.  After fixing several errors, multiple times, I keep getting that warning from IngramSpark.  I am going to click the, "they can probably fix most of my errors" button right now.  I'll let you know how it goes.  Wish me luck.