Flattening text & spot colors

[ishfaque.b]

My document has 2 spot colors which I must use.

I created a flattener preset (everything ticked and at maximum)

I used PDF x-1a 2001, which lets me use the preset.

After exporting, there are white lines on the pages.

My questions:

1. What is the best preset for print? (If no preset provided)

2. Best preset to get transparency effect when printed?

3. What do I do? All spots to process? Is that OK?

4. Do I outline my fonts or send them to the printer?

[rob day]

The white lines are stitching artifacts and would not print on a high resolution device, but you can use the PDF/X-4 preset and keep the transparency live. Your fonts will get embedded in the PDF (unless the font license doesn't allow embedding), so you should not outline fonts.

Also there's no color management for spot color tints in InDesign, so the screen preview may be less accurate than with color managed process colors. When using spot tints you'll want to avoid designs that depend on fussy color matching.

[rob day]

3. What do I do? All spots to process? Is that OK?

Is the job printing as process color? If that's the case you shouldn't be using spot colors. If you want to use the Pantone library with a process color job use the +Color Bridge CMYK libraries.

[BobLevine]

Why are you flattening this? X/1-a is an archaic file format and there's really very little reason to be using today.

Have you asked the printer these questions?

[ishfaque.b]

Thanks for input, but you have not answer my questions. Thanks.

[BobLevine]

You didn't answer mine, either.

Once I have an idea of WHY you're doing this, I'll have a better idea of what you need to know.

[ishfaque.b]

Well, i needed a general response from you, like the others. What's archaic..I'm a beginner.

[BobLevine]

The PDF X/1-a standard is from 16 years ago and based on some very old workflows.

There are still some Luddite printers floating around that require it, but modern workflows would use the X/4 standard which keeps transparency live (hence no flattener settings) and supports RGB images.

[Derek Cross]

FYI: archaic - definition of archaic in English | Oxford Dictionaries

[ishfaque.b]

Thanks for sharing, looks like you also needed the dictionary. Thanks

[Jeffrey_Smith]

1. What is the best preset for print? (If no preset provided)

This question is asked implying that you do not know the printer and their capabilities. In which case, there is nothing wrong with using PDFx1a to export PDF.

2. Best preset to get transparency effect when printed?

Transparency will be flattened when exporting to Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) or less. Presets and PDF compatibility are independent of each other. The preset "Press Quality" by default uses Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4) compatibility, and would preserve transparency. But, this preset can export to PDF 1.3 which would flatten transparency.

3. What do I do? All spots to process? Is that OK?

If the project will print on a device that uses spot inks, then you need to preserve the spot color in export. An alternative method when dealing with spot colors is to remap a specific spot ink to one process color. Example: PMS 185 would remap to 100% magenta. This alternative method needs to be discussed with printer before preparing final PDF.

4. Do I outline my fonts or send them to the printer?

No, if you are exporting a PDF, this will embed the font** without the need to provide font or outline. **Fonts can have embedding restrictions.

[BobLevine]

Jeffrey_Smith  wrote

4. Do I outline my fonts or send them to the printer?

No, if you are exporting a PDF, this will embed the font** without the need to provide font or outline. **Fonts can have embedding restrictions.

In which case, outlining would probably violate the font license.

[rob day · Accepted solution]

1. What is the best preset for print? (If no preset provided)

2. Best preset to get transparency effect when printed?

PDF/X-4

4. Do I outline my fonts or send them to the printer?

Neither. Just check that the font license allows embedding and the PDF/X-4 preset will embed the fonts along with the PDF.

3. What do I do? All spots to process? Is that OK?

You have to clarify whether the job is printing on 2 plates using solid ink spot colors, or if the output will be 4-color process CMYK. If it is the latter you should not be choosing spot color swatches. For process color jobs spec'ing spot colors unnecessarily complicates color management.