A 1: How applications co-operate with Print Preview
A 1.1 Printing composite/separations
Note that for preview generation, Print Preview must rely on the data that come from the application you have used for printing. Sometimes, if you print e.g. separations, it may happen that the application sends correct data for the separation plates, but insufficient information for the calculation of a composite impression; the composite preview in the preview file may be corrupt then. The other way round - in case you print composite - some applications send insufficient data for the calculation of separation plates, meaning that the separations in the preview files will not be identical to the separations you would have got if you had printed separations. Two examples are shown below.
Abb. A-1: Example of a file with a corrupt composite preview
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In the first example (figure
A-1), we have printed separations from FreeHand 8 on Macintosh. The separation plates in the preview file (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) are correct, but a composite preview is missing. Instead, the file contains four "Composite" pages which are identical to the separations, but tinted cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
Abb. A-2: Example of a preview file with corrupt separations
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In the second example (figure
A-2), we have printed composite from FrameMaker 5.5 on Macintosh. The composite preview is correct, but the separations are not. Some paragraphs of the black text appear on the Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow separation plates. Some paragraphs appear on the Black plate only - which is correct.
Tables
A-1 and
A-2 list all applications we have tested. They show the results of a standard Print Preview compatibility test. The "no" indicates that the respective application produces one of the problems explained above.
Adobe Acrobat with PDF Handshake on Macintosh
PDF Handshake perfectly co-operates with Print Preview. So, printing a PDF file using our Acrobat print plug-in (or pdfprint under UNIX) will always produce reliable results on a preview queue.
Table
A-1 lists the DTP applications we have tested and shows whether they co-operate with Print Preview.
Table A-1: How DTP applications co-operate with Print Preview
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Preview of separation plates
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Preview of separation plates
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QuarkXPress 3.32 on Macintosh
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QuarkXPress 4.xx on Macintosh
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QuarkXPress on Windows 95
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FrameMaker 5.1 on Macintosh
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FrameMaker 5.5 on Macintosh
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PageMaker 6.5 on Macintosh
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PageMaker 6.5 on Windows 98
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Image processing and graphic applications
Table
A-2 lists the image processing and graphic applications we have tested and shows whether they co-operate with Print Preview.
Table A-2: How graphic applications co-operate with Print Preview
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Preview of separation plates
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Preview of separation plates
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Photoshop 2.x - 5.x on Macintosh
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Illustrator 7 on Macintosh
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A 1.2 Printing files with spot colors
Most applications - even non-graphic programs such as FrameMaker or QuarkXPress - allow to define colors and apply them to text elements or borders. In case you define spot colors, e.g. HKS, TRUMATCH, or Pantone colors, this may cause incomplete previews. Note that the problem will not occur if you place EPSF files with spot colors.
Abb. A-3: Solving the problem of missing spot colors on a composite preview
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When printing separations, some applications do not send any process color information for the spot colors that are contained in the document. Thus, Print Preview cannot calculate the composite impression of the print jobs. The separation plates in the preview files will be correct, but the spot colors will be missing on the "Composite" pages. An example is given in file "test1.fm5" in figure
A-3.
Of course, the composite preview will always be complete if you print composite from your application.
First of all, we should say that among all applications we have tested, the problem only occurred with QuarkXPress and FrameMaker. Nevertheless, the workaround can be used for any other application as well.
The solution is: Rename the spot colors you have defined. We have implemented in Print Preview additional color tables that can be used for the creation of a composite preview. They are activated when the applications do not send sufficient information - and, whenever the spot color names comply with Print Preview's naming conventions.
Now, spot colors that are named according to these conventions will always be included in the composite preview. An example is given in file "test2.fm5" in figure
A-3 where the color names PANTONE 142 CVC and PANTONE 640 CVC have been replaced by PANTONE 142 C and PANTONE 640 C. The composite preview of the file is complete.
Print Preview's naming conventions are shown in table
A-3. To guarantee correct composite previews, make sure that your spot color names correspond to the notations listed in the left column of the table.
Table A-3: Print Preview naming conventions for spot colors
Supported names (examples)
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Non-supported names (examples)
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any other notation for DIC colors
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any other notation for FOCOLTONE colors
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any other notation for HKS colors
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Pantone Solid to Process:
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any other notation for TOYO colors
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any other notation for TRUMATCH colors
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