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Paste without duplicate color swatches transferring over in InDesign

Community Beginner ,
Oct 08, 2018 Oct 08, 2018

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I am looking for a solution for when you paste content from other documents, to allow the duplicate color swatches to not transfer over creating a messy swatch panel. It seems that even though I have the color in the document, it will add a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. version of the same color. I would like to just paste information without having all of the duplicate colors copying over. Is this possible?

Thanks!

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Oct 25, 2018 Oct 25, 2018

jmcaleese  wrote

… I always leave my values as numbers. I just don't understand how pasting from one document can create that many versions...

Hi jmcaleese ,

in case the color definitions are no integers and the values for names are rounded you will see additional swatches if the not rounded numbers are not exactly the same. So check for the exact values, not only exact names.

Example source document with a swatch named automatically C=0 M=100 Y=100 K=0:

DupSwatchNames-SourceDoc-1.PNG

If the selected rectangle would be copied and

...

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Adobe Employee ,
Oct 09, 2018 Oct 09, 2018

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Hi Jim,

Sorry to hear about this. I tried the same thing at my end but I was unable to replicate this issue. Would you mind sharing the exact workflow?

In addition to this, I would also suggest you to reset preferences for InDesign: Set preferences in Adobe InDesign

Regards,

Srishti

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 10, 2018 Oct 10, 2018

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Well, I am copying from someone else's document, so I really don't know why this is happening. It's hard to tell and it's probably from their funky file.  I tried to recreate this from a document from scratch and it doesn't happen.  I don't know if it's something they have going on in their settings or what. #Frustrating

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Community Expert ,
Oct 10, 2018 Oct 10, 2018

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Have you checked the swatch color definitions?

Here the doc on the right has a swatch named Red that is defined as CMYK 0|100|100|0

Screen Shot 2.png

The doc on the left also has a swatch named Red, but it is defined as CMYK 0|100|60|0

Screen Shot 3.png

If I copy the Red frame from the right doc to the left doc, a new swatch Red 2 is made because of the definition mismatch:

Screen Shot 4.png

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Community Beginner ,
Oct 10, 2018 Oct 10, 2018

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I'm not able to recreate it now.  I know what you're saying with the color definitions. I always leave my values as numbers. I just don't understand how pasting from one document can create that many versions... I would have version 1- 18 at times. Mind you, I am working with people who aren't designers so when the get into this program their files are a mess anyway.

I'm going to have to look into this when it happens again with another project.

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Community Expert ,
Oct 10, 2018 Oct 10, 2018

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I would have version 1- 18 at times.

If the color modes don't match that would happen. Are these Pantone Colors?

Screen Shot 6.png

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Community Expert ,
Oct 25, 2018 Oct 25, 2018

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jmcaleese  wrote

… I always leave my values as numbers. I just don't understand how pasting from one document can create that many versions...

Hi jmcaleese ,

in case the color definitions are no integers and the values for names are rounded you will see additional swatches if the not rounded numbers are not exactly the same. So check for the exact values, not only exact names.

Example source document with a swatch named automatically C=0 M=100 Y=100 K=0:

DupSwatchNames-SourceDoc-1.PNG

If the selected rectangle would be copied and pasted to the following target document where a swatch with the same automatic name, but a slightly different definition exists:

DupSwatchNames-TargetDoc-2.PNG

You'll get the result below:

AfterCopyPaste-SourceToTarget-3.PNG

Regards,
Uwe

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Community Expert ,
Oct 09, 2018 Oct 09, 2018

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Are the colors you're using PANTONE colors taken from the same color libraries? Are the color settings used for each document the same (Edit>Color Settings...)? If the colors are ones that you've created have you checked to see if their CMYK or RGB breakdowns are identical?

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Community Expert ,
Oct 09, 2018 Oct 09, 2018

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As Bill suggests if colors in two different docs are named the same, but have different color definitions the color gets duplicated with an appended name when you paste.

If you are using OSX this AppleScript will paste and prevent the duplication. The incoming color is defined with the destination document's color:

(*

Rob Day 2015-2018

When pasting an object with a conflicting color swatch changes the incoming swatch to match the document swatch

*)

tell application "Adobe InDesign CC 2018"

   

    --get the list of document swatches before the paste

    set currentColors to name of every swatch of active document

    paste

   

    tell active document

        --get a new list which would include duplicates

        set newColors to name of every swatch

       

        --find the duplicates and merge with the original

        repeat with i from 1 to number of items in newColors

            set c to item i of newColors

            --the duplicate has a space + 2 added to its name so get its name minus 2 characters

            if c is not in currentColors then

                set mergename to characters 1 thru ((count of characters of c) - 2) of c as string

                --merge with the original swatch

                try

                    merge swatch mergename with swatch c

                end try

            end if

        end repeat

    end tell

end tell

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Explorer ,
Feb 04, 2021 Feb 04, 2021

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I'm having this same issue. At the company I work at, we use templates for proposals but recently changed the value of two of our brand colors and frequently we copy/paste from old documents and the old color (with the same name but different values) come in as separate swatches. See attached file. Is there any way to bring colors in and have them automatically default to the colors in the main file without adding all of the separate swatches? I'm on a PC by the way. Thanks in advance for any help!

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New Here ,
Jan 23, 2024 Jan 23, 2024

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LATEST

If you want a copy and pasted object with an applied swatch from a different file to inherit the characteristics of the swatch in the new document, make sure both new and old swatches have the exact same case-sensitive name and are BOTH set to SPOT colors.

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Contributor ,
Jun 30, 2019 Jun 30, 2019

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I seem to recall this is a setting that you decide on when you first install indesign.

I can't find where to change this setting after the fact tho.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 30, 2019 Jun 30, 2019

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Hi,

don't think there is a setting for this.

Whereas I'd like to know what you exactly mean by "this".

Regards,
Uwe

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Engaged ,
Mar 29, 2023 Mar 29, 2023

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I have this exact same problem. I am copying objects with assigned colours, e.g., "Grey_Light" from a client's brand guidelines and adding them to a new artwork project I have created and each time I am doing so the numbering is increasing, i.e., "Grey_Light 1", "Grey_Light 2", "Grey_Light 3", etc. All objects and text are process colours, not spot.

 

Additionally, I'm finding that some black tints (30%, 60%, 90%, etc.) with the naming convention are converting to full CMYK breakdown, not just Black.

 

If it isn't custom named and has a CMYK colour value, it isn't a problem.

 

 

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