In this article, you will learn
- which prerequisites are required for this Fixup, and
- how to apply this Fixup.
1. Introduction
The Fixup Convert all Spot Colors to CMYK is available in the Workflow. The purpose of this Fixup is to convert all Spot Colors to CMYK.
2. General
The Fixup Convert all Spot Colors to CMYK can be used to convert all Spot Colors in a file to CMYK. The alternative color values of the PDF file are used for the conversion to CMYK.
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 Convert in the area Action,
- activating the option CMYK as well as Spot Color in the area Property.
3. Description
With this Fixup all Spot Colors of the file can be converted to CMYK at once. Please note that all Spot Colors in the file and not just certain Spot Colors are converted to CMYK.
3.1. Prerequisites and Functionality
For the Fixup to perform as intended, the following requirements must be met:
- There are Spot Colors in the file.
- The alternative color space of the Spot Color does not have to be CMYK – it can also be RGB or LAB.
- The set CMYK Working Color Space is used for the conversion.
Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Convert all Spot Colors to CMYK
No other options are available.
3.2. Before/After
To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Convert Spot to CMYK.pdf". The background of the file was created in the Spot Color "Background" in the Color Space LAB. This color space should now be converted to CMYK.
After applying the Fixup, the file "Sample_Convert Spot to CMYK_End.pdf" is created. The Spot Color "Background" was converted to CMYK. In this case, there is hardly any difference in color. With other colors, however, the difference might be more noticeable.
Figure 2: Left: Original file; Right: Edited file where the Spot Color was converted to CMYK.
Article update: Workflow 1.20.2 – 04/2025