Coloured bitmap tiff images shows only in black

[tomasb41665653]

I just upgraded to the latest version of InDesign (2015.4) and when I opened a document I created minutes before the tiff files I had coloured blue and white are black. When I export the file as a PDF the tiffs look fine. I haven't done any changes on the programs preferences, just opened up the file.

I am using InDesign on a late 2013, 27" Imac with OSX 10.10.5

Screen grab from InDesign:

When exported as PDF:

Would really appreciate help on the annoying matter.

/Tomas

[e_u]

Seems to work for me too — I defined a rich black swatch with tint as well as [black] swatch to the frame... Also tried with duplicate black swatch (shows slight difference from original swatch, weirdly, but still works). Below is [black] with 25%tint. IND CC.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this seems to work well, and being new to the approach am pleased to see this.

Again, good tip.

[rob day]

Below is [black] with 25%tint. IND CC.

Which version? My captures are from CC2014 and CS6 (where there is no problem)

[e_u]

Sorry — CC2015. Up to date. Looks like if CC is upgraded to the current version the grayscale PSD will take swatches, BUT you'll lose the ability to preview same effects with bitmaps. So which is the better solution. Learning about the grayscale approach, I'm likely to stop using bitmaps when I want to apply a swatch anyway...

[JThoeming]

Complementing for those who never made it work with PSD:

The coloring of a grayscale PSD (the image itself) works like a Tiff only as a flattened image (without one or more layers) - as a layer PSD its not possible to give the image itself a color or tint ...

The right image (PSD as layer) has the same color given as the left PSD flattend ... just will be ignored ...

Best regards

Joerg

[Laubender]

Hi Joerg,

yes, and if someone is postprocessing the grayscale PSDs with layer to PSDs with the "Background" layer and updates the images in the InDesign document, the updated images will show the applied color.

So we should be very careful to convert and save a grayscale PSD with a "normal" layer to a PSD with the Background Layer. InDesign documents using the PSDs could change drastically.

Uwe

[JThoeming]

Absolutely correct, Uwe!

Thats one reason why I managed my workflow the way that PSD is with layer(s) and Tiff definitely flattened on background (color or grayscale). So I ever ever know how to handle those kind of images ...

Joerg

[Danny Whitehead.]

JThoeming wrote:

The coloring of a grayscale PSD (the image itself) works like a Tiff only as a flattened image (without one or more layers)

Ah, that explains it. Almost all my images have at least one layer. In most cases a smart object containing the original image (full resolution before resizing and sharpening for print) + adjustment layers.

[rob day]

I just checked again with Overprint on and off and it appears that with overprint off the preview is with the tint and with OP on the preview is no tint, and the output values read as no tint. So this seems nastier because the output values are not what they appear to be with OP off.

With OP on and a [Black] tint

Overprint off

[e_u]

You're right. OP doesn't render the applied [black] swatch....

All other swatches render correctly.

[rob day]

To make matters worse if I export the [Black] tinted image to PDF/X-4 the image exports tinted and my 50% patch correctly reads as 10%. InDesign's Sep Preview reads the 50% patch as 50% so in this case the output numbers in ID are not correct. I wonder if this is why the fix is delayed—there seem to be two bugs colliding?

PDF/X-4

[e_u]

That's crazy. Maybe Adobe will pay for our extra proofing time to be sure of what's actually going on if we can't reliably preflight...

That could be three bugs then including the bitmap preview issue...

[Laubender]

e_u wrote:

… if we can't reliably preflight...

I'd say: Always preflight the PDF with Acrobat Pro and/or specialized plug-ins and software. And by sight.

Uwe

[rob day]

Maybe Adobe will pay for our extra proofing time to be sure of what's actually going on if we can't reliably preflight...

Look to me like a tinted [Black] image exports and prints correctly.

[Joey_Brom]

Hi there,

Has anyone heard of another update yet? I have been using the fix around but not ideal.... Thanks

[Steve Werner]

It probably will come with the next regular update. I have no way of knowing, but it's probably a couple months off.

[RaviKiran]

Steve Werner wrote:

but it's probably a couple months off.

Not that far.  Before the end of this month (if all goes well).

[Steve Werner]

Thanks, Ravi, that's good news!

[Laubender]

[Ravi Kiran] wrote:

… Not that far. Before the end of this month (if all goes well).

Hi Ravi,

thank you for fixing this bug so soon.

Will also the other bug fixed that Rob detected?
As described in this thread and can be seen in post #57 here:

Re: Coloured bitmap tiff images shows only in black

Uwe

[Sandilou]

The AdobeMAX conference is in November, so I'm guessing there will be another update prior to then.

[harvey0123456789]

I get the same issue on my Mac and on another. I reinstalled previous update and that works fine. Please could you let us know when this is resolved so i can update again.

Cheers Harvey

[viploved96623190]

Hi Harvey

As Ravi has already mentioned we are working on a Fix , will update you accordingly .

Colorization of these images is shown correctly in OverPrint Preview mode . Printing to PDF works correctly as well. So please continue to use these workarounds till the time . Appreciate your Patience !!!

[Oliver Bennett]

I can confirm I've got the same problem all bitmap files are viewing black even when viewing on high res. Exports fine but displays in Indesign as black when coloured differently.

[darkmatta]

Hi Everyone, I thought i'd post this as it took me a while to work around this, here's is a temporary solution:

add effect to your tiff, i.e bevel then set the bevel colour to 0 so it doesn't bevel the artwork, this will then display the tiff in the colour you have selected. I've tried this with bitmap tiff not Greyscale so not sure if it will work with this also.

[100pk]

Anyone tried to activate menu > view > proof colors because that helped me!