Maintaining Custom Colors from FrameMaker to the PDF

[Guest]

I tried posting this question under the "Color Management" forum, but got a lot of questions asking what printer, paper, and other settings I'm using...not really what I'm looking for...

Here is my original post:

I am having problems with my company's custom logo colors appearing in the PDF correctly. I created two color definitions in FrameMaker 10 (using colors Pantone 485 CVC and Pantone 281 CVC). These colors are mostly used for diagram callouts. Instead of printing these colors that I added, the default red and blue colors appear in the PDF.

I recently upgraded to Distiller X and Acrobat Professional X, thinking that maybe the older versions just didn't support those colors, and I am still getting the same result. FrameMaker is using the CMYK model.

I have a feeling that I just need to adjust some settings, but I don't know whether to adjust Distiller, Acrobat, or FrameMaker. Anyone else have issues when trying to use their company's colors? Any ideas on what might work? I don't think the problem is  my screen settings because when I compare the Frame file with the PDF, the difference is obvious.

Thanks in advance,

Smitty

[Bob_Niland]

Search on "color management" and/or "pantone" in this forum.

Here's some recent hits:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4133158#4133158

http://forums.adobe.com/message/3518645#3518645

What is your CMYK color space (e.g. some SWOP)?

How are you creating the PDF?

Save-as, print-to, or Distill from .ps

Distill has a separate issue.

What is the delivery flow?

Do you need color-matching at a print shop,

or just in the PDF?

How are the logo colors coming in?

If they are from CMYK EPS, for example, they should survive the Windows GDI experience.

If any of your custom colors are text (not graphics), that's a more involved problem.

The fundamental problems you're facing are:

1. Frame has no color management; never will.

2. Windows had no CMYK for years, and now has a destructive fake CMYK.

There are usually work-arounds, 3rd party in extreme cases.

[Arnis Gubins]

Smitty,

Make certain that you have at least the 10.0.2 patch for FM. The colour handling was wonky prior to that.

Next, in order to preserve your spot colours, you must use the Save As PDF route. Also ensure that (in the PDF Setup > Settings tab) the "Convert CMYK colors to RGB" option is NOT checked.

If you print to .ps and distill, then you will end up going through the Windows GDI transformations to RGB.

Finally, the Distiller joboptions file specified may also affect how some colours are handled.

[Guest]

Thanks for the responses - sorry it took me a while to get back here and check!

I ended up using the Save As PDF print option because I was also having transparency issues with EPS files.

I unchecked the option Arnis mentions, and my colors are maintained. Thanks for the help!

Smitty