Jacob:

I stand corrected (although please note that I had nothing against your
utility -- just wanted to defend FrameMaker which, God knows!, gets enough
trashing from the Word crowd).

I'm used to Macintosh and UNIX where PostScript life is much simpler ...
well, simpler! To stretch a crude analogy, Windows GDI = QuickDraw 'virtual printer' whose output must be translated to whatever the real
printer requires, such as PCL, PostScript, or whatever. So your lucid
explanation is that all the trouble occurs upstream of the PS driver and
downstream of the application, i.e. FrameMaker.

Just a tiny plea: please give credit to MS Windows (and Bill) for this
fantastic feature and not to the applications that have to use GDI to get
their work done! Thanks very much for being patient with me.

--
Regards,
Hedley Finger, Technical Writer

Ericsson Australia Pty Ltd, StarHUB NMOSS Project
Level 34.66, Melbourne Central Tower
360 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tel. +61 3 9301 6214, Cell. +61 412 461 558, Fax. +61 3 9301 6199
Email. hedley.finger@ericsson.com.au

Hand Holding Projects Pty Ltd
Tel. +61 3 9809 1229, Cell. +61 412 461 558, Fax. +61 3 9809 1326
Email. hfinger@handholding.com.au


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jacob SchŠffer [SMTP:Jacob@grafikhuset.dk]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 6:43 PM
> To: 'acrobat@blueworld.com'
> Cc: 'Hedley Finger (EPA)'
> Subject: RE: New utility for Acrobat on Windows enables true PDF
> Workflow printing with CMYK or SPOT colours from RGB-only applications,
> e.g. Fram e Maker, MS Office etc.
>
>
> Jacob:
>
> Hedley,
>
> Still doubting? I hope the info below puts things into perspective.
>
> I'm running a **PC-only** prepress service center offering imaging
> (among other services) and have been doing so since 1986. We implemented
> a composite PDF Workflow OR composite PostScript workflow during the
> years 1994-97 because our customers began to require:
>
> 1) Trapped separations. Most applications cannot apply proper trapping
> to their output, not even on MacIntosh (OK, some external utilities may
> do so anyway, but the applications themselves usually cannot). Some
> applications like QuarkXpress can add trapping to
> its own elements, but NOT to placed EPS art. Thus, proper trapping had
> to be treated as a general issue to solve.
>
> 2) Plate ready signatures. In our environment (producing both simple
> books and complex magazines) we needed the option of combining output
> from CorelDraw!, Ventura, PageMaker, FrameMaker, QuarkXpress, Word/Excel
> etc. on the same signature sheets, since some jobs were combo's. No tool
> could do that leaving acceptable workflows for the production people at
> the same time. Thus, imposing pages also had to treated as an issue to
> solve.
>
> As a whole, we seemed to need a production tool, that handled both
> issues AND were capable of controlling our imagesetters properly. Hence
> we wrote one, that we internally called PreFlight97. PreFlight97 could
> do the tricks needed if the jobs were prepared according to a fairly
> simple set of rules.
>
> While developing PreFlight97 we ran into the Windows GDI/RGB hell, which
> someway HAD TO BE SOLVED to get reliable output. Think of the costs, if
> hundreds of pages were imposed, separated and trapped wrong. It would be
> a disaster. Trust me, during that period we became experts regarding
> this issue.
>
> The technical explanation for it is as follows:
>
> Adobe FrameMaker prints through the system printer driver. The quality
> of COMPOSITE PostScript output with regard to a PDF workflow is
> therefore platform dependent. Hence, the printing capabilities from
> Adobe FrameMaker is different on each supported platform. In other
> words: Adobe FrameMaker is NOT crossplatform compatible when i comes to
> COMPOSITE printing, since it doesn't write it's own PostScript.
>
> On Windows this is critical, because the printer drivers on Windows --
> PSCRIPT, that follows Windows, and ADOBEPS, which optionally may be
> installed instead (non-clone interpreters only, though) or LEXPS or
> QMSPS or ... other PostScript drivers, are closely connected with the so
> called GDI - a RGB-only device in the orerating system, that more or
> less controls BOTH display AND printing -- always prints in RGB colour
> space without regard TO THE TYPE of colour device printing is set-up
> for.
>
> Composite CMYK colours or spot colours names and associated CMYK values
> are completely unknown to the printer driver. Thus, some such colour
> information cannot be passed through to either a composite PostScript
> job or a PDF file unless the application itself takes care of these
> things.
>
> Adobe FrameMaker doesn't take care of things when printing composite. It
> does, however, pass EPS graphics through as is -- unchanged. The
> consequences as a whole are:
>
> 1) Spot colours added to a FrameMaker document by placed EPS graphics
> will appear different on EPS elements than on elements drawn in
> FrameMaker, where the same colour is applied.
>
> 2) CMYK TIFF images are printed exactly as they are displayed -- too
> saturated, because the CMY values are converted directly to their RGB
> counterparts and the K component is added according to some weird rule,
> that -- I must admit -- am not sure about.
>
> 3) Grey TIFF images are printed as indexed 8-bit RGB images, which
> explains why they often print on all CMYK plates when separated in a
> post processing stage (e.g. by a PostScript Level 2/3 RIP supporting
> In-Rip separations).
>
> 4) Vector graphics and text is usually printed in RGB colour space,
> which explains why e.g. Process Black elements often prints on all CMYK
> plates when separated in a post processing stage (e.g. by a PostScript
> Level 2/3 RIP supporting In-Rip separations).
>
> That's why it's impossible to implement a true, composite PDF workflow
> with Adobe FrameMaker on Windows without a tool, that makes it possible
> to manipulate all colours back to the colour space they actually came
> from before the printer driver "handled" them.
>
> The tool is PreFlight2000 Colour Chameleon. It handles all the above
> issues except the issue regarding CMYK TIFF images. These can't be
> rescued at all, because the printer driver already has spoiled them. The
> only reasonable solution is to save CMYK images in EPS format, replace
> the TIFF's and then print again.
>
> Note: This problem is definitely not unique to Adobe FrameMaker.
> Microsoft Word, Lotus WordPro, Corel WordPerfect and several other
> competing applications acts exactly the same way.
>
> Please see http://www.grafikhuset.dk/ColourChameleon.htm and click "An
> Example: FrameMaker" to understand more about this issue. A downloadable
> 30-day live trial of the trouble solving PreFlight2000 Colour Chameleon
> tool is available from this link too.
>
> PreFlight2000 Colour Chameleon is a small extract from the original
> PreFlight97 application mentioned above. The major differences in
> functionality are, that it now supports multiple languages (currently UK
> English, Danish and French - German, Spanish and Italian support is on
> its way), and the interface is changed to be wizard like for easy
> understanding and usage.
>
> The remaining parts of PreFlight97 is currently being rewritten too, and
> are split into 3 stand-alone applications, namely PreFlight2000 Imaging
> Control Center, PreFlight2000 Super Imposer and PreFlight2000 Colour
> Separator.
>
> PreFlight97 is quite widely sold to Danish imagesetting centers and
> printing houses, and a few customized versions are implemented too.
>
> Best regards
> Jacob SchŠffer,
> Program author
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Hedley Finger (EPA) [SMTP:Hedley.Finger@ericsson.com.au]
> > Sent: 4. august 1999 00:37
> > To: 'Acrobat Talk'; Jacob SchŠffer
> > Subject: RE: New utility for Acrobat on Windows enables true PDF
> > Workflow printing with CMYK or SPOT colours from RGB-only
> > applications, e.g. Frame Maker, MS Office etc.
> > Importance: High
> >
> >
> > Jacob (and others who are interested):
> >
> > I believe you can get high-quality composite-colour PostScript on
> > **Windows** IF you install the AdobePS 4.3 (or later) driver and set
> > up a
> > virtual printer using a PPD for Distiller or another colour output
> > device
> > BUT direct the output to a file. If you know what the target device
> > at your
> > bureau is, of course use its PPD.
> >
> > Can anyone at a bureau or in the graphic arts/printing industries
> > confirm my
> > assertion above? I don't want to see FrameMaker maligned unjustly as
> > it is
> > inherently fully compatible with CMYK PostScript but the peculiarities
> > of
> > Microsoft's (that word again!) printer drivers mean that colour
> > information
> > is lost if you use a real but B&W printer driver to create your
> > PostScript
> > file.
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > Hedley Finger, Technical Writer
> >
> > Ericsson Australia Pty Ltd, StarHUB NMOSS Project
> > Level 34.66, Melbourne Central Tower
> > 360 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
> > Tel. +61 3 9301 6214, Cell. +61 412 461 558, Fax. +61 3 9301 6199
> > Email. hedley.finger@ericsson.com.au
> >
> > Hand Holding Projects Pty Ltd
> > Tel. +61 3 9809 1229, Cell. +61 412 461 558, Fax. +61 3 9809 1326
> > Email. hfinger@handholding.com.au
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Jacob SchŠffer [SMTP:Jacob@grafikhuset.dk]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 6:28 PM
> > > To: 'Acrobat Talk'
> > > Subject: RE: New utility for Acrobat on Windows enables true PDF
> > > Workflow printing with CMYK or SPOT colours from RGB-only
> > applications,
> > > e.g. Frame Maker, MS Office etc.
> > >
> > > Good point, Hedley.
> > >
> > > On MacIntosh you can do things with FrameMaker, that is NOT possible
> > on
> > > Windows because of differences in the operating systems.
> > >
> > > On Windows the FrameMaker colour capabilities are quite limited, and
> > > this is where PreFlight2000 Colour Chameleon comes in. FrameMaker on
> > > Windows can't produce proper COMPOSITE PostScript. It sure can
> > produce
> > > separated PostScript, but this is of no use in a PDF Workflow, where
> > > composite data holding proper colour properties are required.
> > >
> > > Please see http://www.grafikhuset.dk/ColourChameleon.htm and click
> > "An
> > > Example: FrameMaker" to understand more about this issue.
> > >
> > > Best regards
> > > Jacob SchŠffer,
> > > Program author
> > >
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Hedley Finger (EPA) [SMTP:Hedley.Finger@ericsson.com.au]
> > > > Sent: 3. august 1999 09:37
> > > > To: 'Acrobat Talk'
> > > > Subject: RE: New utility for Acrobat on Windows enables true
> PDF
> > > > Workflow printing with CMYK or SPOT colours from RGB-only
> > > > applications, e.g. Frame Maker r, MS Office etc.
> > > > Importance: High
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Jacob:
> > > >
> > > > Just hang on a minute there -- what's this about '... with
> > RGB-only
> > > > applications like FrameMaker'? You have always been able to
> > produce
> > > > process
> > > > separations from FrameMaker or write out PostScript suitable for
> > > > 3rd-party
> > > > separating, and on Macintosh you can also do OPI, trapping and
> > other
> > > > cute
> > > > things.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Hedley Finger, Technical Writer
> > > >
> > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > From: Jacob SchŠffer [SMTP:Jacob@grafikhuset.dk]
> > > > >
> > > > > I've written a quite useful utility called PreFlight2000 Colour
> > > > > Chameleon, that makes it easy to enable a true PDF Workflow with
> > > > > RGB-only applications like FrameMaker, MS Office, Corel
> > WordPerfect,
> > > > > Lotus SmartSuite etc ...
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > [Hedley Finger]
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Ericsson Australia Pty Ltd, StarHUB NMOSS Project
> > > > Level 34.66, Melbourne Central Tower
> > > > 360 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
> > > > Tel. +61 3 9301 6214, Cell. +61 412 461 558, Fax. +61 3 9301 6199
> > > > Email. hedley.finger@ericsson.com.au
> > > >
> > > > Hand Holding Projects Pty Ltd
> > > > Tel. +61 3 9809 1229, Cell. +61 412 461 558, Fax. +61 3 9809 1326
> > > > Email. hfinger@handholding.com.au
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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