Alpha Channels do not work with CMYK

[Minuteman]

Hello --

A client recently sent a Publisher 2003 file, set up with everything in RGB.
The normal course of action for us, since we can not print RGB files, is to
open all the images, save them as CMYK, change the Publisher colorspace to
CMYK, and presto! We're done.

This file, however, isn't that easy. Virtually every image has text wrap set
on it. Each image (TIF files) has an alpha channel embedded in it that the
text is wrapping around. When I change the image to CMYK, Publisher doesn't
read the alpha channels any more. The text wrap turns off and the background
of the photo shows up.

Am I totally screwed on this one, or is there some way to get around this
problem?

 

[Matt Beals]

Use PDF Enhancer from Apago to take care of it once you make a PDF of it. It
can handle the RGB to CMYK conversion without all the toiling in Publisher
and re-linking images and text wraps. You can get a great RGB to CMYK
conversion using profiles and intercept the RGB blacks/grays/rich blacks and
convert to device gray.

You can also use pdfColorConvert, plug-in for Acrobat, from Callas and it
will do a fabulous job. It has special settings for Office applications
where it will preserve (more than you would think possible) the visual
vibrancy of the document while converting to CMYK. It's a cheap plug-in that
is incredibly powerful and makes as good of a separation as any of the
really expensive tools.

If you have PitStop we can do it there too.

I sell both and train for both by the way, just so everyone is clear...

Matt Beals
Consultant
Enfocus Certified Trainer, Markzware Recognized Trainer
(206) 618-2537 - cell
(720) 367-3869 - fax
mailto:[email protected]

Come visit me at:
http://www.mattbeals.com
http://www.actionlistexchange.net
http://www.mattbeals.com/blog/

Friends don't let friends write HTML emails

 

[Minuteman]

Ah. Yeah, I was just hoping there was a way to do it in Publisher. I managed
to solve the problem using the software I have on hand by Printing to a CMYK
printer, but clicking "Save to File" -- saving it as a .ps, then using
Acrobat to Distill it as a CMYK file. Seems to work. It just seemed to me
that Publisher should work the same way in RGB and CMYK... but then, that
wouldn't be typical of Microsoft! thanks for your suggestions.