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Spot colors in EPS graphics do not automatically separate to spot color plates in Publisher 2003

SYMPTOMS

When you print a publication in Microsoft Office Publisher 2003, your publication contains a graphic in the Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) format and that EPS graphic contains spot colors. When you print the publication as separations, those spot colors may print as Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black (CMYK) colors, not as spot colors.

CAUSE

This issue occurs because you did not define the spot color inks in Publisher 2003 to match the spot colors in the EPS graphic. When you print a publication as separations from Publisher, you only receive separations for the inks that are defined for the publication.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Define Spot Color Inks in Publisher

1.Open the publication (if it is not already open).
2.On the Tools menu, point to Commercial Printing Tools, and then click Color Printing.
3.Under Define all colors as, click the Process colors plus spot colors button.
4.Click the Colors tab.
5.Look for colors on the color list that have a format that is similar to the following:
CMYK (##, ##, ##, ##) -- EPS “Spot Color Name” in Filename.eps
Where ##, ##, ##, ## are the numeric values for the CMYK color values. Make a note of the CMYK values or the PANTONE color number (if the spot color is a PANTONE color).
6.For each of these colors, follow these steps:
a. Click the Inks tab.
b. Click New Ink.
c. Click the Custom tab.
d. On the Color model list, click PANTONE if the spot color is a PANTONE color or click CMYK if the spot color is not a PANTONE color.
e. Select the PANTONE color number that you made a note of in step 5, click OK, or type the CMYK color values, and then click OK.
7. After you have defined all the spot color inks you have in the publication, click OK.
If you print the publication as separations, the EPS spot colors will separate correctly.

Method 2: Print the Publication as Composite CMYK

If you print the publication as composite CMYK and use another program (such as a page imposition or trapping program), or your Raster Image Processor (RIP) (if it supports In-RIP separations) to separate the composite PostScript, all the spot colors in all EPS graphics will print as separate plates. To print a publication as composite CMYK, follow the steps:
1.Open the publication (if it is not already open.)
2.On the File menu, click Print.
3.Click Advanced Print Settings.
4.On the Separations tab, on the Output list, click Composite CMYK.

If you want Publisher to print as composite CMYK for all publications, you can also click to select the Print Composite CMYK by Default check box.
5.Make any other settings changes that you want, and then click OK.
6.In the Print dialog box, make any other settings changes you that you want, and then click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

Some programs automatically create spot color inks when you import an EPS graphic that contains spot colors. Publisher is not one of these programs. While Publisher does recognize defined spot colors in EPS graphics, it does not automatically create inks for them.
Last Reviewed:11/25/2005
Keywords: kbBackup kbhowto kbHOWTOmaster KB306524 kbAudITPro

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