Why does RGB .psd image in IDCS1 sometimes change to CMYK?

[Nikki_Polani@adobeforums.com]

Working in CS1 on OS 10.3.9. and using Photoshop 8 images.

Have created a report using placed .psd RGB images (graphs). Now have received new data to modify images. I open the .psd file, save as, make the modification (adding a new bar) save the layered file—still as RGB.

Now when I place the file, either with a loaded cursor or by using the File> Place command, the image comes in as CMYK and shows a transparent checkered background on the page pallet. However, if I drag the image from Photoshop directly onto the ID page the file remains RGB and the colors remain in tact. Also, the pages pallet is not changed from the standard white background.

I have not applied any transparency or changed the color mode from RGB to CMYK. I have added a layer to the .psd file but that is all.

Any ideas on why I am getting the CMYK file and the changed background?

Many thanks for your help.

[Buko@adobeforums.com]

The checkerboard means there is transparency on the page.

It does not indicate the file is CMYK.

the reason you don't see the checkerboard when you drag the image from photoshop is that all you have dragged over is the low res screen representation of the file which does not support transparency.

[Gerald_Singelmann@adobeforums.com]

I have added a layer to the .psd file but that is all.




If you have turned off "maximise compatibility" in Photoshop, this means that your PSD is in fact a transparant object. Or rather: contains one transparent object wiz: the added layer. Without maximal compatibility InDesign has to flatten the PSD

Any ideas on why I am getting the CMYK file




You have set your transparency flattener space (-> edit menu) to CMYK instead of RGB.
If you work and print in RGB, use RGB for flattening.

It does not indicate the file is CMYK




Given, that these are charts, Nikki probably notices different colours from when they were RGB.

Gerald

[Nikki_Polani@adobeforums.com]

Gerald,
Thanks very much. I changed the Transparency Blend Space to RGB. This allows me to place the .psd file and retain the RGB mode.

The thing I still don't understand is why I could place the original psd file that had 5 layers in it and get an RGB image (even though the Transparency Blend Space was set to Document CMYK) and maintain a white page pallet (no transparency) but when I place essentially the same file with one additional layer I get a transparency checkerboard in the pages pallet. Any ideas?

Buko,
Thanks for your response. I do understand the CMYK and transparency are separate issues—just couldn't figure out why they were both happening. I see now that the dragged psd file into ID is a low res representation of the image—but thankfully it prints a hi res RGB. Thanks.

[Gerald_Singelmann@adobeforums.com]

but when I place essentially the same file




This can of course not be the case: There must be an essential difference.
Two things come to mind:

- you accidentally deleted a tiny bit from the background layer. That means your PSD is transparent. This is quite hard to do accidentally, but it has happened.
- your first version of the PSD was saved with maximum compatibillity. This is a setting in Photoshop which means that Photoshop includes a flattened version of the image in the PSD. No transparency. If you save without max.comp. Photoshop will not include a flattened version of the image , which means InDesign has to do the job, which means you have *internal* transparency in the PSD.
You possibly have the setting set to "ask" in Photoshop and once clicked the option and the second time turned it off.

[Nikki_Polani@adobeforums.com]

Thanks very much Gerald.