v16.0 Problems with exporting black plates

[StudioPensom]

I'm having a problem exporting black with v16.0 of InDesign. This is a test document using Black text. 

Usually, if I was preparing a PDF for print which included images, I would export the job to the correct profile, and choose Convert To Destination [preserve numbers], to ensure my text wasn't converted to a rich, multi-plate black, like this.

However, when I tried this today, the result was a 287% rich black text, like this:

And this was the same even if I set the black in InDesign to 0/0/0/100 rather than [Black]:

Does anybody know why this is suddenly happening? I read that the Appearance Of Black preference may be affecting it, but I've set this to Output Blacks Accurately, and the document blend space is CMYK. I send artwork to print regularly, so really need to find a solution to this as soon as possible. Exporting without any conversion works, but is obviously not a realistic option for good colour management.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Frans v.d. Geest · Accepted solution]

Use PDF X/4.

[StudioPensom]

Thanks very much Frans. That does indeed seem to work. Could you tell me why it does? Is that a recent change? 

[Frans v.d. Geest]

No, but that doesn't colour manage (well it does, sort off) and I saw in your screenshot that you flattened the file because of an older pdf 1.4 setting. So it could be transparency, it could be a profile mismatch (I even see Generic CMYK) etc. The newer PDF X/4 exports 'as is' (so RGB images will be kept RGB, and it is up to the printer to convert).

[rob day]

Could you tell me why it does? Is that a recent change? 

In your capture of the Export>Output tab you have chosen Generic CMYK Profile as the Destination profile, and you have included the profile.

The capture of the Acrobat Output panel is showing US Web Coated SWOP as the Simulation profile, so the CMYK values shown are a simulation of the color conversion from the embedded Generic CMYK to US Web Coated SWOP. If you set the Simulation profile to Generic CMYK the Separation values should be 100% black.

A feature of PDF/X is the extra Ouput Intent profile, which is always the same as the Destination profile. By default Acrobat Pro sets the Simulation profile to the Output Intent, so document CMYK values show as unchanged.

[Laubender]

Hi StudioPensom,

check your color management settings!

Destination: "Generic CMYK Profile" is a bit strange.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[StudioPensom]

Thanks all for the help everyone. Uwe, I've just used 'Generic CMYK' for the example. In practice I would be using whatever profile is specified for the job, such as Fogra 39 etc.

[rob day]

Also, you are protecting the document CMYK colors, but are including the destination profile, which is causing the simulated conversion. An alternative would be not to include the document profile, which is the [Press Quality] preset’s default: