Lab Color

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    • #33998
      rondaroodle
      Member

      I am now using InDesign CS6 and with the default LAB color I’m having issues with ripping files. Our RIP is Rampage 10.2 and we rip eps files. The problem is when I export an eps file and rip it the color shows in the swatch pallet but the color is blank and it is absent from the monitor proof as well as the pdf proof. On rare occasions it rips fine, but that is not the norm. There seems to be no way to change the swatch in InDesign. This happens with any file we place in InDesign, usually pdf or eps. The swatch can’t be changed or deleted. Is there any way to change this? I know our RIP is old and we still rip eps files and that is not going to change anytime soon. The only work around I have found is to place the file so it brings in the swatch, delete the file, change the swatch and replace the file. There has to be an easier way. I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO USE QUARK.

    • #33999
      David Blatner
      Keymaster

      I’m not sure what you mean by “the default LAB color.” Lab is not the default for colors in InDesign. Are you referring to color swatches defined with Lab (pretty rare!) or exporting EPS files from InDesign using Lab color?

    • #34000
      rondaroodle
      Member

      Color swatches with LAB color mode. When I place a file, in the swatch pallet it has the LAB icon instead of the CMYK icon. I have to export as eps file in order to rip it. We still use film. Our system is pretty outdated. Most of the time when I rip a file that has this kind of swatch icon, Rampage doesn’t seem to know what to do with it. Can I send screenshots?

    • #34004
      David Blatner
      Keymaster

      What happens if you edit the color swatch (in InDesign’s swatches panel) and change the mode to CMYK instead of Lab?
      I know it’s not a great solution, but it would be interesting to know if it works.

      Also, check your eps export dialog box settings. For example, perhaps ASCII data works better than binary? And try Leave Unchanged for Color?

    • #34007
      rondaroodle
      Member

      The only way I can edit the swatch is if there is nothing placed on the page. If the file is placed the only edit I can do is to process. I did try using the ASC11 setting like you suggested and it did not work and I always leave it on Leave Unchanged. I had two similar jobs, one contained PMS 1935 and the other PMS 660, the one with 1935 red would not rip properly, the red was missing, the other one with 660 blue was fine. This is certainly perplexing. Now if I process through Illustrator or Acrobat it’s not a problem, but that is not always possible. Basically what I’ve been doing is placing the art, deleting the art, editing the swatch to CMYK mode and replacing the art. I’m pretty sure it’s a rip problem but it would be nice to have the ability in InDesign to edit the swatch to what ever mode is needed. This has only been a problem with CS6.

    • #34008
      David Blatner
      Keymaster

      Wait a minute… I think perhaps you are talking about spot colors (not Lab colors)! You are saying that these spot colors do not print!

      Do you want them to print as spot colors (on their own spot color plate)? Or do you want them to print as CMYK colors? If you want to make them CMYK, then choose Ink Manager* and specify spot-to-process there. Or you can alias the spot color to a different spot color there.

      *Ink Manager appears in many places in InDesign, including the Swatches panel and the EPS Export dialog box (inside the Advanced tab).

    • #34009
      rondaroodle
      Member

      I’m sorry I didn’t clarify things from the start, I’m totally having issues with spot colors. The LAB mode spot colors will not produce a plate. When I go into swatch options, it gives the swatch name (PMS 1935 U, color type (spot) and color mode is LAB. The other job piece I’m doing for this customer with the blue pms color will totally let me edit the color which makes me think it was produced in a prior version of InDesign, some of the artwork we receive can be revisions of older work. In ink manager, I do not have “Use standard LAB values for spot” checked. You did give me an idea, I added a coated version of the pms color, changed the color mode to cmyk, and used the ink manager to alias to that swatch and ripped it and that worked. For the type of stuff we do I just need to be able to make a plate, it doesn’t matter if it’s C or U. For some reason the LAB color mode in InDesign seems to be an issue for my rip.

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