Duotone Trouble

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

In InDesign I have a few Duotone figures. On top of some of the Duotone pictures I have a circle with a 2 pt outline and no fill and a dropshadow added to the circle. Now when I go to make a PDF, where the dropshadow lands on the Duotone picture it changes the color of the Duotone picture. Any help would be appricated.

Thanks,
Nick M

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

What version of ID? What format file format is the duotone saved in?
What's the blend mode of the dropshadow? What exactly happens to the
color of the duotone?

Bob

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

Im using IDCS and the duotone is saved as a PSD file. The dropshadow mode is set at Multiply. And the coloring turns to a grayish color in the PDF. It's like where the drop shadow lands it turns that part of the picture to grayscale. But in InDesign CS the picture looks fine.

Thanks,
Nick M

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

How are you creating the PDF?

Bob

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

I'm creating the PDF by creating a postscript file and then distilling the file to create the PDF. I'm trying not to use the Export to PDF setting.

By the way is there a way to attach the PDF I created to my messages here on the forum?

Thanks,
Nick M

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

> I'm trying not to use the Export to PDF setting.

Why? Simply using export with Acrobat 5 compatibility would give you the
best shot at a good output.

Otherwise you need to be very careful about flattening.

Bob

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

Robert,

We do not use Export to PDF because the workflow we are working has certain settings and standards that were set for us to use and go by. Then we have to put these PDF's we make through a preflight check in Pitstop. And one of the many things that the preflight checks, is to see if there is any transparency in the PDF. So we are trying not to use the Export to PDF setting because it preserves the transparency.

Thanks,
Nick M

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

Another problem I've run into is when placing these Duotone pictures into the text flow it turns the Duotone pictures in the PDF into a grayscale image. Now in the tests I was running earlier I just had the pictures on page by them selves, not with any text.

I don't know what is going on with this program. Nothing seems to working properly.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Nick M

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

Are the problems just on screen? Have you checked the separations
preview palette to see if the ink information is okay? If you have
Acrobat 6 Professional have you checked the separations preview there?

Bob

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

Everything looks OK in the separations preview. It's the on screen display of the PDF that looks crappy. The weird thing is when i go and select Separations Preview from the menu the pictures go back to looking like the Duotone color, but I haven't changed anything in the separations preview dialog window. All of the colors are selected. Then when I close the separations preview dialog then pictures go back to looking like a grayscale image.

Is there a setting in Acrobat Professional 6 that I need to changed so that when these files open up they look fine.

Thanks,
Nick M

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

Check the color management settings there. You might also try turning on
overprint preview in ID to see if that clears things up a bit.

Bob

[Boyan_Mladenov@adobeforums.com]

Nick,

Is there a difference when you change Display Performance to High Quality Display? Overprint Preview also helps, as Bob wrote. In addition, turn on Simulate Overprint when you print to Distiller.

HTH
Boyan

[Robert_Levine@adobeforums.com]

Fine for on screen proofing with PDF 1.3 but NEVER use simulate
overprint for files going to press.

Bob

[Nick_Miller@adobeforums.com]

Thanks for your help guys. The company we are doing the book for decided to go and use Grayscale images instead of Duotone images. I'm happy with that. Thanks for all of your help.

Thanks again,
Nick M