Can I access creative cloud libraries from FrameMaker?

[dj71885875]

I defined our corporate-approved colors in a library using Adobe Illustrator. Is there a way to use this library of colors in FrameMaker? I haven't had any luck bringing it in or in finding anything that says I can. I'm hoping that there's a hidden feature that I just haven't found yet in FM2017. I'm using Adobe Illustrator CC, if that makes a difference. Thanks!

[Bob_Niland]

If these are colors stored as .ase or .aco, FM probably has no filter to import them.

Even if it could, all that would be recognized are the local color name, primary values (e.g. RGB, CMYK), and maybe overprint settings (I don't recall if AI encodes that). Any source library name (e.g Pantone), color profile or transform would be discarded, as FM has not to date had color management.

When I had to manage this for safety colors.

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

While you can pass color libraries to and from CC applications, I don't know of a way to import colors ad hoc from a CC app into FrameMaker. But as you likely already know, once defined in your template, however, they easily import between docs.

However, most corporate approved colors are defined as Pantone swatches. Is this true with your company?

If so, you can quickly and easily add the colors using the proper Pantone library inside of Fm.

If your colors are instead defined as RGB or CMYK, then you likely have to define them individually using the Fm dialog. The good news is that if you are defining them manually, there's no question of the proper color model or value.

NOTE: While Pantone inks are formulated as solid colors (just like paint colors), there are many different "versions" of Pantone swatches. Solid Coated and Uncoated, and Process Simulation (ProSim) Coated and Uncoated are probably the four most popular libraries.

Make sure to use the appropriate color as approved by marcom for the best results.

-Matt

[Barb Binder]

Hi Donna:

CC Library support is integrated into current versions of Adobe Illustrator CC, Photoshop CC, InDesign CC, Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC, Dreamweaver CC, Muse CC, Animate CC and a variety of the free CC mobile apps. The CC Library assets are stored on Adobe's cloud servers so that if you edit a library item in one, it is updated in all the applications.

FrameMaker—which is not a CC application—has no way of accessing these libraries. You can't even go the long route of adding these color swatches to an Illustrator file and then exporting out in a swatch exchange format because as Bob mentioned, Fm doesn't recognize those files.

CC Libraries assets are game changers over in the CC world—I don't know how we lived without them all these years—but they aren't going to help you in the TCS apps.

~Barb