Problem: Illus CS not embedding color profiles in ai files

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

I rely on Photoshop and Illustrator's color management system. I have Illustrator 10 set up to handle color profiles (e.g. Adobe RGB) automatically, and it works quite easily. However, I am finding that Illustrator CS is chronically forgetting a file's embedded profie.

I open a file, assign a profile, then save it as an .ai file. Then in the Illustrator Options dialog, I make sure to have check "embed profile". This file should be color-managed. However, when I re-open the file, Illustartor cannot find the profile, and asks me to assign a new one.

If I select the option "Create PDF Compatible File", I find that Illustrator can recognize the file's color profile. Unfortunately, this triples the file size for my files, so it is not a good workaround.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any work arounds? (By the way, I have tried trashing my preferences, without help. I am using OS 10.3.2).

Thanks,
Dan

[Dee Holmes]

Sorry I have no answer for you, but Thank You for reminding me of a question I need answered. I will post as another topic so as not to have yours unanswered.

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

Is there anyone else out there using color management in Illustrator? Could someone confirm if embedded profiles works for them (opening a color managed document retains its profile) -- this would at least tell me that the problem is local.

Thanks,
Dan

[Ian_Craig@adobeforums.com]

"Is there anyone else out there using color management in Illustrator?"

I'm having the same problem as Dan. Use same management setup. Also would prefer not to use "Create PDF Compatible File". Unless it's my imagination, this only started recently...

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

Good -- I'm *not* going crazy! I just loaded CS last week, so it's all new to me. I noticed that if you use the "Create PDF Compatible" option, the embedded profile is saved, but then your file size increases many fold. (My 1MB files become 40MB files, since I have linked PSD files in them.)

Is this just how the color management works? Or is something wrong?

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Color management works well with AI. One saving with Create PDF Compatible
will increase the size because it also allows you to preview the links with the document when open in Acrobat even if you don't have the linked files and even f you did not include the link file when you saved as an ai file.

With AI 10 this did not work. Embedding a profile will also increase the size and perhaps it embeds the profiles for the links as well.

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

The trouble I have is that "Embed Profile" option in the save dialog does not seem to be working. If I check this option to embed the profile into a file, then re-open, AI gives me the warning that the file has no profile attached.

The only time that Embed Profile works for me is if I *also* have Create PDF Compatible checked. But I do not need that feature, as it increases my files to an unmanageable size. The interface does not make it seem that Embed Profile is tied to Create PDF, but maybe it is.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Dan, something's wrong. You should be able to embed your profile without
also having to choose PDF compatibility. Have you Repaired Permissions
since installing AICS?

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

OK, so someone *does* have it working correctly, so it is fixable! Good news!

Yep. Repaired permissions, plus prebinding. I am running AI 10 concurrently -- is it possible that they share some preference files, or something, and that that is messing it up? Hmm.. maybe tomorrow AM I will try re-installing (then repair permissions) and see if that helps.

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

I just tried the following: delete all traces of Illus 10 and CS. Fresh install of CS. Repair permissions. I also did the same on a second computer

Then, I opened an AI10 file which has a profile embedded. No problem. Saved As a AI CS file, with Embed Profile selected. When I re-open this file, AI tells me that there is no profile. This happened for the installs on both computers So this is still happening for me: CS will not embed color profiles.

Again, I ask people out there: does any one else experience what I experience, or have CS handle profiles fine? I have only gotten two responses, one bad one good, but I'd like to hear from someone else. Please! Thanks.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

I do not see this problem?

Open an AI 10 file with embedded profile in AI CS save the converted AI CS file with embedded profile reopen and and there is no warning about profile.

Am I doing something wrong?

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

No Wade, it is working as it should. Odd that it works for you but not for me or Ian. Wish I could figure out why.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

That does in fact not happen here as well.

You must be on a network?

[Dan_Sroka@adobeforums.com]

I have a solution (thanks to Adobe tech support). This problem only occurs with RGB files, without PDF compatibility -- these files cannot save embedded profiles. But there is a workaround.

The reason this happens is that when you save a file without PDF compatibility, Illustrator adds to it a small PDF snippet to the file to give you that warning "this file is not PDF compatible" (you would see this in browser programs like iView). Illustrator also embedds the color profile within this snippet of PDF code.

This snippet comes from a file in your Plug-Ins folder, called "PDFMessage.ai". The problem is, this file is CMYK. So if you save a CMYK file without PDF compatibility, Illustrator adds this file, and embedded the profile in it. However, if you save an RGB file without PDF compatibility, Illustrator cannot add the PDFMessage file (since you can't have a file with both RGB and CMYK), and therefore, the profile does not get embedded.

The solution: open the PDFMessage.ai file, and change it to RGB. Now, you will have the ability to embed profiles in RGB images. Of course, this means you can't embed profiles in CMYK files at the same time (you can always change PDFMessage back to CMYK). A little clumsy, but it works. Adobe now knows about the bug, so let's hope a fix will come soon.

Dan

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Extremely useful, Dan. Thanks for reporting back. Since I'm (almost) never in RGB
mode, I've never had this problem. Now I know it's for the reasons you've brought
to us.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Well if you have Default Folder there maybe a slight relief in the work around as you can rename a file from the open or save dialogue so if you have two of these files residing in the proper location you can add that locations to the favorites then if you have the hidden one named PDFMessageCMYK.ai and the RGB named PDFMessage.ai then your rename PDFMessage.ai to PDFMessageRGB.ai and then rename PDFMessageCMYK.ai to PDFMessage.ai and I would think then hit save and you should be good to go.

If of course for some reason this file has to load at launch then it doesn't work.

Default Folder is handy for other things as well.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

I still find this strange as I have no problem saving an RGB file and reopening it in AI CS without PDF Compatibility checked and it opens fine without giving me the warning that I don't have a match.

? Puzzeld?

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Excuse me you're not referring to the message of a mismatch I get it now!

[Jeremy_Stoller@adobeforums.com]

Thank you so much! I've been having this exact same problem ever since I set up my new G5 and it's been driving me crazy. This is a truly annoying bug. I hope Adobe fixes it soon.

[gesdes_eduore@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Dan and everyone, I WAS having the same problem, now it fixed!

By the way, if I embedded a profile *Generic RGB*, will other computers (PC or MAC) sees my .ai file in different color tone?

What is the most common color profile used among computers?

Thanks in advance.