Learn in this article,
- which requirements must be met for this Fixup and
- how to apply the Fixup.
1. Introduction
In the Workflow the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles is available. The purpose of this Fixup is to remove the ICC Source Profile of the defined color space of the found objects.
2. General
The Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles can be used to exclude CMYK, greyscale or RGB objects from a color conversion and to exclude them for CMYK only if it is a PDF/X file with the same output intent.
Find the Fixup in the Data Preparation tab of an Article, Order or Production Job by:
- entering the name of the Fixup in the Filter area,
- activating the option Color in the Category area,
- activating the option Delete in the Action area,
- activating the option CMYK, RGB, Gray as well as Output Intent in the Search area.
3. Description
With this Fixup, the ICC source profile of the defined Color Space can be removed from selected object types by decalibration, especially if the ICC source profile matches the ICC profile in the output condition.
Use this Fixup when
- you want to find Device CMYK or Device Gray objects in the print file in order to prevent unwanted and sometimes pointless color conversions. Even though this approach is not correct from a color management perspective, working with Device CMYK or Device Gray objects makes life much easier for prepress staff. The reason is that the Fixup ensures that measured color values are not simulated in the pipette tool but that the actual CMYK and grayscale values present in the print file are displayed. In addition, white, overprinting objects are actually overprinted by removing the CMYK source profile and are therefore not displayed.
- you do not honor ICC source profiles for CMYK in the color management settings system-wide when rendering anyway.
- you want to remove the ICC source profiles that are identical to the ICC profile of the intended output by default.
3.1. Requirements and Functionality
For the Fixup to do what it promises, the following requirements must be met:
- The file must contain at least one ICC source profile for an object.
- It can contain CMYK, RGB and/or grayscale source profiles.
The Remove ICC Source Profiles Fixup consists of four individual Fixups that have been combined in one dialog. It is possible to activate selected Fixup for certain object types and thereby execute them.
Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles
The individual Fixup are described in detail below:
3.1.1. Remove CMYK Source Profiles
This Fixup is activated by default, which is indicated by a symbol [1]. This Fixup removes all ICC profiles from CMYK objects, which means that these objects are then available in DeviceCMYK (device-dependent).
The following options can be selected to remove CMYK source profiles:
-
Apply to [5] – select the objects from which the source profile is to be removed in the selection menu. The following options are available:
- All Objects – the ICC profile is removed from all objects that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile stored.
- Images – the ICC profile is removed from all images that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile stored.
- Vectors – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile stored.
- Vector, Text and Smooth Shades – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors, texts and smooth shades that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile.
- Smooth Shades – the ICC profile is removed from all Smooth Shades that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile stored.
- Text – the ICC profile is removed from all texts that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile stored.
-
Variable Content [6] – select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the selection of object types should be retrieved. The following values must be found in the selected field for the source profiles to be removed:
AllImagesLnArtLnArtTxtSmthShdsSmthShdsTxt
Figure 2: Left: The Remove ICC Source Profiles Fixup dialog, with activated Fixup Remove CMYK Source Profiles; Right: Values in the selected field for the option Apply to
3.1.2. Remove RGB Source Profile
Click on the Add icon [2] (Figure 1) to activate the Remove RGB Source Profiles Fixup. This Fixup removes all ICC profiles from RGB objects, which means that these objects are then available in DeviceRGB (device-dependent).
The following options can be selected to remove RGB source profiles:
-
Apply to [7] – select the objects from which the source profile is to be removed in the selection menu. The following options are available:
- All Objects – the ICC profile is removed from all objects that have an ICC-based RGB source profile.
- Images – the ICC profile is removed from all images that have an ICC-based RGB source profile.
- Vectors – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors that have an ICC-based RGB source profile.
- Vectors, Text andSmooth Shades – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors, texts and smooth shades that have an ICC-based RGB source profile.
- Smooth Shades – the ICC profile is removed from all Smooth Shades that have an ICC-based RGB source profile.
- Text – the ICC profile is removed from all texts that have an ICC-based RGB source profile.
-
Variable Content [6] – select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the selection of object types should be retrieved. The following values must be present in the selected field so that the source profiles can be removed:
AllImagesLnArtLnArtTxtSmthShdsSmthShdsTxt
Figure 3: Left: the dialog of the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles, with activated Fixup Remove RGB Source Profiles; Right: Values in the selected field for the Apply to option
3.1.3. Remove Gray Source Profiles
Click on the Add icon [3] (Figure 1) to activate the Remove Gray Source Profiles Fixup. This Fixup removes all ICC profiles from grayscale objects, which means that these objects are then available in DeviceGray (device-dependent).
The following options can be selected to remove grayscale source profiles:
-
Apply to [9] – wählen Sie im Auswahlmenü aus, von welchen Objekten das Quellprofil entfernt werden soll. Folgende Möglichkeiten stehen zur Verfügung:
- All Objects – the ICC profile is removed from all objects that have an ICC-based Gray source profile.
- Images – the ICC profile is removed from all images that have an ICC-based Gray source profile.
- Vectors – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors that have an ICC-based Gray source profile.
- Vectors, Text andSmooth Shades – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors, texts and smooth shades that have an ICC-based Gray source profile.
- Smooth Shades – the ICC profile is removed from all Smooth Shades that have an ICC-based Gray source profile.
- Text – the ICC profile is removed from all texts that have an ICC-based Gray source profile.
-
Variable Content [6] – select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the selection of object types should be retrieved. The following values must be present in the selected field so that the source profiles can be removed:
AllImagesLnArtLnArtTxtSmthShdsSmthShdsTxt
Figure 4: Left: The dialog of the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles with activated Fixup Remove Gray Source Profiles; Right: Values in the selected field for the Apply to option
3.1.4. Remove ICC Source Profiles, if equal to Output Intent
Click on the Add icon [4] (Figure 1) to activate the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles, if equal to Output Intent. This Fixup only removes ICC profiles if the ICC profile of the output intent is the same. A regulation of the PDF/X-4 standard states that a PDF file may not contain any ICC source profiles where the PDF/X output intent is identical. This prevents different output results from occurring in print due to different calculation methods of a PDF.
No further options are available.
Figure 5: The dialog of the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles with activated Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles, if equal to Output Intent
Remove ICC Source Profiles, if equal to Output Intent
Use this Fixup by default for all print files when you want to convert all print files to a PDF/X standard after normalization in the Workflow. In doing so, you are merely creating the basis for ensuring that the print file will also survive a check according to a PDF/X standard.
3.2. Before/After
To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Remove ICC Source Profiles.ai". The orange flowers in the lower part of the image were created as ICC-based RGB. The leaves of the trees, the sky, the meadow on the right and the river were created as ICC-based CMYK. The trunks and branches of the trees were created as DeviceGray, so no ICC source profile is stored.
After applying the Fixups, the file "Sample_Remove ICC Source Profiles_End.pdf" is created. Here, the ICC-based CMYK was decalibrated to DeviceCMYK and the ICC-based RGB to DeviceRGB.
Figure 6: Left: initial file with ICC Source Profiles; Right: edited file from which all ICC Source Profiles were removed
Article update: Workflow 1.17.1 – 04/2024