In this article, you will learn
- which prerequisites are required for this Fixup, and
- how to apply this Fixup.
1. Introduction
The Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles is available in the Workflow. The purpose of this Fixup is to remove the ICC Source Profiles of the defined color space of the found objects.
2. General
The Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles can be used to exclude CMYK, grayscale 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.
You can find this Fixup on the tab Data Preparation of an Article, Order or Production Job by:
- entering the name of the Fixup in the area Filter,
- activating the option Color in the area Category,
- activating the option Delete in the area Action,
- activating the option CMYK, RGB, Gray or Output Intent in the area Property.
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 or unnecessary color conversions. Although this approach is not correct from a color management perspective, working with Device CMYK or Device Gray objects makes prepress tasks easier. 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.
- you want to remove the ICC Source Profiles that are identical to the ICC profile of the intended output by default.
3.1. Prerequisites and Functionality
For the Fixup to perform as intended, 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 Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles consists of four individual Fixups combined into one dialog. It is possible to activate selected Fixups for certain object types and execute them accordingly.
Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles
The individual Fixups are described in detail below:
3.1.1. Remove CMYK Source Profiles
This Fixup is activated by default, which is indicated by the checkbox [1]. This Fixup removes all ICC profiles from CMYK objects, making these objects 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 should 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.
- Images – the ICC profile is removed from all images that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile.
- Vectors – the ICC profile is removed from all vectors that have an ICC-based CMYK source profile.
- 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] – for 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 dialog of the Fixup Remove ICC Source Profiles 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 the checkbox [2] (Figure 1) to activate the Fixup Remove RGB Source Profiles. 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 [8] – for Variable Content [8], 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 option Apply to
3.1.3. Remove Gray Source Profiles
Click the checkbox [3] (Figure 1) to activate the Fixup Remove Gray Source Profiles. 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] – select in the dropdown menu which objects the source profile should be removed from. The following options are available:
- 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 and Smooth 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 [10] – for Variable Content [10] , 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 option Apply to
3.1.4. Remove ICC Source Profiles, if equal to Output Intent
Click the checkbox [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 them to a PDF/X standard after normalization in the Workflow. In doing so, you are simply creating the basis to ensure that the print file will also pass 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 Fixup, the file "Sample_Remove ICC Source Profiles_End.pdf" is created. The ICC-based CMYK was decalibrated to DeviceCMYK and the ICC-based RGB to DeviceRGB.
Figure 6: Left: Original file with ICC Source Profiles; Right: Edited file from which all ICC Source Profiles have been removed
Article update: Workflow 1.20.0 – 03/2025