Set .PSD file to overprint in attributes - InDesign

[Emperor Overhito]

Hi All,

Is there any way to overprint a placed .PSD file on InDesign? or am I at a loss here.

I am trying to place a raster image (.PSD) into InDesign to utilise Clear Toner.

The issue I have, is that overprint fill is automatically blocked out for the raster image, in the attributes window, and the underlying image gets printed over (leaving a white space with clear ink)

I need the clear ink to overprint the image. Not block it out.

Is there any way to overprint a placed .PSD file on InDesign? It is too complex to re-create.

I might add, I would prefer this in one print.
Having to re-print the clear over the top "washes" out the silver underlay. 

Cheers for any info.

[Test Screen Name]

This is not specific to PSD files or to InDesign. Overprinting of raster data doesn't exist as a concept, RIPs won’t do it, so naturally it is greyed out. There might be a solution involving DeviceN, however you don’t need that. You should be able to use transparency, to get any effect done with overprint. 

[Gusgsm]

"Is there any way to overprint a placed .PSD file on InDesign?" (...) "I need the clear ink to overprint the image. Not block it out."

Beg your pardon, as I have not used that kind of ink and I am not sure about the precise composition of your design, but for what I see... You are using it as if it where some kind of spot varnish, aren't you?

If so, yo might prepare the InDesign file with all the elements together but the spot ink in its own layer ("Spot-layer") and the rest in another ("CMYK-elements-layer"). Then, when you prepare the final PDF/X, you make two as follows:

1. A PDF/X with the cmyk elements hiding the ("Spot-layer")  so that it does not appear in the file. It will be a 4-inks PDF.

2. A PDF/X with the spot elements hiding the ("CMYK-elements-layer")  so that it does not appear in the file. It will be a 1-ink PDF.

Thus spot and CMYK elements do not interact between them.

[BobLevine]

Setting the blend mode to multiply is about as close as you're going to get.

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Could you clarify what kind of device you are printing from? Is it something like the Oki C941, which is a CMYK + Spot printer with clear or white toners? If that’s the case the PSD will have to be a flatten grayscale with the clear spot color assigned to it in InDesign. A flattened grayscale image can be set to overprint:

[Emperor Overhito]

Wowee, thank you!! Solved!

Xeorox 1000i colour press. 5th toner station w/ clear

 I had been setting the spot colour on Photoshop in duotone mode. which was working for the clear ink, but would not allow me to overprint the image on indesign.

Just tested the flattened grayscale and applying the spot colour on indesign.

Printed & worked as I had originally wanted.

Many thanks.