Multiple linescreens in InDesign.

[Suz_S_]

How do I set multiple objects in my file to different line-screens? The all need to be in the same PMS color, but at different tints.

[Derek Cross]

Do you mean tints of 100% of the colour in the Swatch panel?

Line screen normally refers to the LPI of a half-tone screen

Are you printing a spot Pantone colour?

[Suz_S_]

Yes, I'm makeing both vector objects tints of Pantone 372 in the swatch panel. One needs to print at a a line-screen of 85, and one needs to print at a line-screen of 120.

[Steve Werner]

My understanding is that these days line screen is usually set by the printer's RIP (raster image processor). In the very early days of desktop publishing, early RIPs allowed you to store a line screen in an EPS file (as I recall)  but I think these days RIPs usually override that. I haven't heard of people doing that very ancient technique for decades.

[Suz_S_]

Not so old school. I still need to do this type of thing on a pretty regular basis.

I'm Just trying to re-create what we could do before in older applications that were discontinued, but still need to happen.

If exporting this information to an .eps in Illustrator or even InDesign will work, Great! But how do I make that happen when making an .eps of my file?

Yes, I can override the line-screen at the rip, but I need to find a way to set it in the file.

[Steve Werner]

You're specifying two different line screens. How is your project being printed? Have you talked to the printer about what they want?

[Suz_S_]

Sorry, I am the art department for the printer.

[Derek Cross]

Are you printing spot PMS 372 or a made up nearest equivalent in CMYK?

[Suz_S_]

Needs be a spot color, not process.

[Laubender]

Hi Suz_S,

to make that happen and to test it successfully you need to:

[1] direct access to the image setter or output device.

[2] do PostScript programming to create the EPS files or change the programming code of EPS files Steve mentioned.

[3] print your page to PostScript ( perhaps with a special PPD that allows several line screens for your output device )

And of course a PostScript raster image processor (RIP) that can understand the PostScript you did.

Hm. I have no idea if this is a workflow that can put together in 2020.

( I can remember features like that with very early versions of FreeHand and PostScript 1 or 2 RIPs around 1990 )

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Steve Werner]

Uwe is correct, That's 1990s technology - not 2020!

If you had a PPD for a particular PostScript printer, it would have sets of screen settings for that particular device.

Steve

[Suz_S_]

Yes, I am still doing this in Freehand, but know that sooner than later my Freehand will stop working. That is why I am trying to find another way to creat these files, and I am not the only one trying to do this. Just the only one who seems willing to find a work-a-round.

In answer to your notes above.

[1] Yes I have direct access to our RIP device.

[2] No, I don't have actual program training, just 25+ years of finding work-a-rounds to issues like this for our workflow. I guess I just like a challenge.

[3] Yes, I print my files to a PostScript, using a special PPD for our direct-to-plate, that allows multiple line-screens. Which it can do, if the line-screens and angles are already set-up in my file when creating the Postscript file. I have found I can can change the line-screens by colors in my print menu. Having more than one line-screen in my final postscript. But there is no way to do this by object, like in Freehand.

Yes, there is a very long work-a-round in PhotoShop. Where you creating halftone images in various screens% for every object in a file. Then colorizing the various bitmap files of objects, to different PMS colors. This can take upwards of 10 images to recreate each layout I have. At last count I have several hundred. So I was hoping I could find a way in one of the Adobe Products to streamline this process. So I guess it's back to Freehand for now, and the drawing board. Thanks for your advice though. I was hoping I had overlooked something in one of the programs, to make it possible.

[Progressive Graphics VB]

Are you using more than one color in the job or is it just a single PMS color only?

[Suz_S_]

One single spot PMS.

[Progressive Graphics VB]

Then your best work around is to not use a PMS color at all, do everything in black unless you have to make multiple colors.

Is this for screen printing? I am assuming this because of the LPIs mentioned above.

Are you using a film output device or imagesetter?

[Suz_S_]

This goes to an imagesetter RIP. Where we then create a color proof, and a plate. The proofs need to show the ink color(s) being printed. So at this time black & white is not an option, but thanks for the suggestion.

[Progressive Graphics VB]

Ah, so you do use a system similar to the one I do. Is it possibly the Dynastrip RIP system? Might be a good idea if you give the community the specs of the workflow, what computers you are using and the RIP software, the color proofing unit and the platesetter type.

We had to formulate a similar plan when we had a hardware problem with our workflow. It was something that we just couldn't get a replacement because of its age and upgrading was not possible.

[Progressive Graphics VB]

Does this system use the same image/file to create both plate and color proof?

Is that file a PDF?

Do you possibly have a copy of the Enfocus extension of Acrobat, "Pitstop Pro"?

[Suz_S_]

It can be either a PDF or a Postscript file. Ususally a Postscript file.  We use the same file to create the plate, Digital Proof, and a PDF proof if needed.

Yes I use PitstopPro. I don't see anything in the software to assign/change lpi to individual art. Is there a way I missed?

[Jeffrey_Smith]

You can create halftone images with various line screens in Photoshop. Rasterize the vector graphic in grayscale at the resolution of output device. Then convert to bitmap > halftone screen > desired frequency. Below image produced with method with 2 different lpi

[Suz_S_]

Yes, this is one of my current work-a-rounds. I just have to do it to many multiple items in each file. It can take hours in complex files. Thanks for your input though.

[rob day]

The conversion to a 1-bit halftone and assignment of the pantone color could be scripted. With AppleScript it’s relatively easy to move between InDesign and Photoshop, so if you are on OSX it might not be that difficult.

[Laubender]

Hi Jeffrey,

that's a very good idea. One could do that with PhotoShop and save the files to TIFF.

The resolution should be the printing device's output resolution. Depending on the model perhaps 1200 ppi.

However if you want a spot color one has to color the placed 1-Bit TIFF image with that spot color in InDesign.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Derek Cross]

What printing process is being used for this workflow?

[Suz_S_]

Workflow is Postscript file to a Screen EWF Rip, and to digital StarProof. Mostly to the Screen RIP for Direct-to-Plate. 

The Screen RIP only allows us to use one line-Screen per plate, but can be overroad if we assign the line-screen in the art file, as with Freehand.