PDF will not export because PNGs are in RGB

[landscape_snarkitect]

Hi, I got the "Version 4 ICC Profiles were converted to version 2 ICC Profiles during PDF Export" error. I checked the ICC profiles on all my images, and there are a few I cannot convert because they need to be transparent PNGs.

Can I override this?? It is holding my file hostage. It exported fine a while ago. I deleted some RGB swatches in the file because I wanted all the swatches to be CMYK but I'm wondering if I messed something up?

Thanks,

[Ben__P]

PNG's cannot be CMYK, I always convert to PSD's and convert in Photoshop to CMYK. 

This might be the problem as it cannot convert a PNG to CMYK and it needs a different file type that supports CMYK.

[Willi Adelberger]

It is true that PNGs cannot be in CMYK, but you should keep the images in RGB anyway and not convert them in Photoshop to CMYK. This should be done with PDF export. If you have the same setting you will get the same result in both way, but with the RGB workflow you will gain more flexiblity. In Photoshop you will have to turn on the CMYK proof vor RGB images to get a glimpse how it would look like if printed.

[Test Screen Name]

Export could convert to CMYK fine. But the message isn't about PNGs, as files, but about profiles 

1. It's a warning. You can ignore it.

2. Otherwise, check the profiles embedded in your PNG files. I think it may be a Mac monitor profile, which is asking for trouble...

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Have you been able to isolate that it is for sure one of the PNGs causing the issue? What profile do you have assigned to it? (What does your Links show as ICC profiles for the troublesome file(s).)

Typically, by default, PNGs are either sRGB or not managed at all, in which, in the latter case, InDesign will assign the document's default profile as set in your Color settings.

I know of a couple of well used profiles that are version 4 and tend to be problematic: Display P3 is one, which is a widely used Apple ICC profile. Still, if you were to open all your PNGs and reassign a different profile, you should be able to sail through (fyi: The RGB swatches aren't doing it.)

Also: I suggest you instead save those files as .PSD instead. In the end, you have better control of them.

In most cases, the v4 to v2 error message usually will not abort the export to PDF, so there may be something that didn't work in the conversion to v2

[rob day]

If you are on OSX you can check the version of any profile using ColorSync Utility—the problem could be your destination CMYK profile:

there are a few I cannot convert because they need to be transparent PNGs.

There shouldn’t be a problem using Photoshop’s Convert to Profile to make a conversion into any RGB space and keep the transparency

[rob day]

Hi @landscape_snarkitect , can you show a capture of your PDF Export>Output tab, or let us know what the Destination profile is set to?

I don’t think V4 RGB profiles will trigger the warning—I only get it when the conversion Destination profile is a version 4 CMYK profile (e.g. Coated GRACoL 2013). Also the warning shouldn’t stop the export, the CMYK profile in Acrobat will be listed as Modified.

If the export is failing it is likely for some other reason.