Is there an (easy) way of checking whether an image is CMYK, within InDesign?

[tamsint97516221]

Hi,

I'm wondering if there's a simple way of checking whether an image is CMYK from within InDesign?

Or even of checking whether all images on a page are in InDesign.

Our printing process requires us to set all images to CMYK before export.

Thanks in advance!

[Derek Cross · Accepted solution]

You can check the Color Mode in the Links panel.

You can set Flight check to check all images.

Why does your printing process require you to set all images to CMYK?

[tamsint97516221]

Thanks, how would I set up a preflight profile to check all images?

I'm not sure, our printers say that sometimes the automated conversion can skew image colours. Could this be picked up by looking at a PDF post-export?

[rob day]

I'm not sure, our printers say that sometimes the automated conversion can skew image colours.

That’s definitely not true.

In fact, if you don’t have much experience, there's a better chance of an error making manual conversions out of Photoshop. Is the correct destination profile, color intent, and black point compensation being consistently used for every image? Did you embed a CMYK profile that conflicts with the InDesign document’s CMYK profle, which might force additional (unwanted) CMYK conversions on export or output? Unfortunately printers don’t always understand how color management and conversions actually work.

The only case where a manual conversion is necessary, is when you need to make post CMYK conversion color corrections, and the cases where that is needed are rare.

[rob day]

Here's a demo showing the matching Color Management between ID and PS. Before creating the documents I synchronized the Color Settings via Bridge.

The top image is AdobeRGB RGB, the bottom image was converted to CMYK using the default US Web SWOP with Relative Colorimetric, the Export is to PDF/X-4 with the color conversion Destination set to Document CMYK:

The color in Acrobat matches visually and by the output numbers. Both images are listed as DeviceCMYK in Object Inspector:

Here are the files:

http://www.zenodesign.com/forum/ID-CMYK-EXPORT.zip

[Jeffrey_Smith]

- In the Links Panel, Link Info will show Colorspace of individual images

- A Preflight Profile can be defined to alert and list all images that are not CMYK

- Regardless of image colorspace before export, you can convert to a destination - CMYK, during export

[rob day]

Our printing process requires us to set all images to CMYK before export.

Your printer would have no way of knowing if you made the conversion on Export (Output>Convert to Destination>Choose a CMYK profile) or converted all objects before placing. It's easier and more efficient to use Convert to Destination on the InDesign export.

InDesign and Photoshop use the same color management for conversions, so there's no advantage in doing it from PS and trying to catch errors via ID’s Preflight.

[Artpetch2]

Most colour printers print in CMYK so when you look at and design an image in RGB it prints out different colours.

[BobLevine]

That is incorrect. Most desktop color printers are actually RGB devices. Postscript is required for CMYK.

[Artpetch2]

When you print with CMYK colour laser printers. The colour management of PS will show you what to expect in terms of colour rendition AND manage the printer according using the CMYK ICC file you supply.

Here is a list of what Amazon says are the best colour printers.

I think you will find they all require CMYK toner or inks.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bestcolorprinters&i=electronics&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu-WywdXa4wIVCZ6fCh32LQKoEAAYAyAAEgKcRPD_BwE&hvadid=208359959756&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000679&hvnetw=s&hvpos=1t3&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4228119118772318803&hvtargid=kwd-492986350232&hydadcr=1506_9454480&tag=googcana-20&ref=pd_sl_76clmok8bl_e

Arthur Petch

Ceramics

Alpine Clayworks,

1002 Alpine Avenue

Ottawa, ON

http://artpetch.com

artpetch@icloud.com

613-406-5536

[rob day]

Re: Copy pasting CMYK values in Indesign

[rob day]

Most colour printers print in CMYK so when you look at and design an image in RGB it prints out different colours.

You can soft proof the conversion of out-of-gamut RGB colors into the document’s CMYK space by turning on Overprint. The advantage of placing RGB color is you don't have to make the conversion to CMYK until you are sure of the final print destination—the conversion can happen on Export or Output.

The drivers for almost all composite color printers expect RGB color as the source color, and will make the conversion from profiled RGB directly into the printer's final space in the driver setup. You can print a document with CMYK colors, but the document CMYK values are color managed by the driver, and new CMYK values are output.

With a separated workflow for offset printing, there's no problem with placing RGB images and letting the conversion to the final CMYK space happen on Export to PDF via the Output>Color Conversion tab, or when printing separations via the Print>Color Management dialog.