Why can't each file have its own ICC Profile?

[Anon999]

I use the default "North America General Purpose 2" setting for most of my projects. But I'm using "GRACoL 2013 C1" for a new print vendor at the moment, and I've saved those files with "Embed ICC Profile" checked. But when I open my other design files with the former setting, suddenly the program is set to GRACoL even for those files. And if I change it back to NAGP2, and then open up the GRACoL-requiring files, it's set back to NAGP2. I hope that makes sense. Basically, I expected each AI file to remember its unique ICC Profile, but it seems I can only use one ICC Profile at a time? I've Googled this all day but haven't found a solution. Could someone explain this to me please? Thank you in advance!

[Ton Frederiks]

How are your Color Settings setup? Do you have the profile warnings checked? 

[Ton Frederiks]

To expand a little, of course, every file can have a different profile. New files take the profile that is set in the color settings, but you can change that by assigning another one. When you open files, the Color Settings options determine (or give you the choice) what must be done with conflicting/missing profiles.

[Anon999]

First of all, thank you for taking the time to respond!

I see that choice window pop up when I open a file that uses a different ICC profile, and then after I choose "Leave as is (don't color manage)" it still chooses the last ICC profile I used with a different file, rather than choosing what was originally assigned for this particular file. And even when I choose the desired ICC profile from the dropdown menu on that choice window, it STILL uses the ICC profile of the other file I opened just prior. I wonder why this app doesn't just allow ICC profiles to be a unique part of each design file, but rather seems to be a universal setting... I'm probably doing a bad job explaining it, too. Just so frustrating 😞

[Ton Frederiks]

I am still curious to see your color settings. The behaviour you describe is hard to reproduce. Especially when you see a file with a different profile (which proves that files can have different profiles) and discard the profile (why?). I get an untagged file.

Check the document color profile at the bottom of your window:

[Anon999]

I didn't realize there was an option to show the document's color profile at the bottom. Your tip + the other person's tip helped solve my problem. I didn't realize I could just use "Assign Profile" instead of "Color Settings" for each document. These two things I learned will help me make sure each document has the color profile I want. Thank you!

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

You would benefit by assigning your specific profile to a document; do so under Edit > Assign Profile, if you haven't done so.

And you can do this without changing your main Color Settings.

For instance, my usual Color Settings use GRACOL, but I can assign Sheetfed Coated to a document.

 

Also: check that your Color Settings > Management Policies are not set to ignore embedded profiles, in which case, if you open a file with a different Space, it could very likely change it to the one currenlty set in your Settings.

[Anon999]

I didn't know I could just use "Assign Profile" instead of "Color Settings" for each document! This helps clear it up for me. I just tried out Assign Profile and it does what I wanted, which is to give the document the color profile I want regardless of the Color Settings which seems like the universal setting in the program. I have a lot to learn... Thank you!

[Ton Frederiks]

Good to hear your problem is solved.