Why is the color theme tool (eyedropper) in InDesign so difficult to use?

[boaruey]

Why is the color theme tool (eyedropper) in InDesign so difficult to use... Can't it be as simple and intuitive as Illustrator?

[Eugene Tyson]

Hello

It's difficult to know how to help you - certainly have no issue with it - and it's relatively easy to use.

That being said I don't use it a lot. I actually dislike these shortcut tools to creating colours, as I work in print mainly and typically create my own specific colours/swatches that are required for production. 

I always just kinda looked at these tools for a microsecond and shrugged. Useful, maybe. 

[boaruey]

I understand your example. For instance, if there is a fill color in the artwork with values C80, M30, Y0, K0, and you want to sample this color to apply it to other elements like text, shapes, or lines. However, after sampling, the resulting color may always appear slightly different, even though it looks similar. The numerical values could be something like C83, M28, Y11, K5 instead of the exact C80, M30, Y0, K0. Is there a specific setting I might have missed?

[rob day]

if there is a fill color in the artwork...Is there a specific setting I might have missed?

Hi @boaruey ,  Are you sampling from a placed artwork? If that’s the case the file format affects the sampled colors. If the artwork is an image format, the eyedropper will accurately sample the image’s actual pixel colors. If the artwork is a vector object (.AI or PDF), the eydropper samples the vector art’s RGB preview proxy—the conversion to CMYK would depend on your document’s color profile assignments and would not come from the actual file values.

[Steve Werner]

In the headline of your query, you equate the Color Theme tool with the Eyedropper tool.

They are not the same. Look at the illustration below. I wanted to be clear about which tool you are referring to:

[boaruey]

Firstly, thank you for your response. I'll use an image to illustrate

How can I use the eyedropper tool here to change the grass green color to the same deep green color as on the right?

I've been trying for a while, but I just can't figure it out. If I'm mistaken, please correct me. Thank you!

[boaruey]

[Steve Werner]

(1) If the color is an InDesign color (rather than sampling placed art), it may have been created with the Color panel (sampling the spectrum). If so, you could Add to Swatches from the panel menu and apply the swatch to the new frame (or text).

(2) If you acquired some InDesign art you wanted to copy, you could use the Eyedropper. When you move the Eyedropper over the source, it is looks like the Eyedropper tool in the picture I showed you (bottom of tool at lower left and empty). After clicking it to sample, the tool looks filled and bottom of tool is lower right). Move the tool over the destination and click.

The color values of source and destination are now exactly the same for me.

[boaruey]

Correction... is to make it the same color as the one on the left.

[Steve Werner]

The method is the same whichever of those colors you wanted to copy.

[Steve Werner]

I don't use the Eyedropper much in Illustrator but I just tested and it is different:

In Illustrator, the Eyedropper when empty looks the same, and you sample the same which adds the color to the Fill color on the Tools panel.

But in Illustrator, in order to apply the color, you move over the destination and hold down Option (Mac)/Alt (Win) to apply it to a source. Only when you hold down the modifier key do you see the eyedropper icon icon change to look filled and change direction of the icon.

[boaruey]

Thanks, I'll try it

[rob day]

Are both rectangles drawn in InDesign with the source rectangle filled with a CMYK color? Make sure the source is the expected CMYK in the Color panel—InDesign lets you mix color spaces on the same page

If that’s the case select the rectangle you want to change, and with the Eyedropper selected and its icon pointing left and empty, click on the source fill (85|40|75|35 in this example):

[boaruey]

Thank you all for your responses. I have recorded a video demonstrating the steps I took. Please take a look and see where the issue might be. I suspect it could be a problem with my computer, as no matter how I use the Eyedropper tool to sample other colors, the original color disappears.

[boaruey]

"Hey there, friends! I think I've found the solution. It turns out that it's within the settings of the dropper tool itself. There's an 'Transform option' → Make sure not to check this to enable. I had it enabled initially, and after I unchecked it, everything returned to normal! That's all, thanks!"

[boaruey]

So now it's become intuitive and easy to use! Haha, I take back what I said earlier, I misunderstood it...

[Steve Werner]

Great! I'm glad you got it figured out!