Dark images when creating a PDF in Frame 10

[SP_Digits]

We're having an issue with dark images in the PDFs created from Framemaker files. I've been trying to solve it two different ways, but each solution seems to have it's own set of problems...

1. When we print to PDF using a .ps file generated through Acrobat Distiller, our manuals print fine, but a large majority of the graphics are coming out WAY too dark, with some details being 100% illegible.

2. I can take small documents and "Save as PDF," and the graphics come out fine. But when I try to do this with a large document (100-1,000 pages), Framemaker gives me the infamous "Framemaker has detected a serious problem and must quit" error and then crashes.

Anyone else seen this? I have the latest (I believe) 10.0.2.419 patch.

[Mike Wickham]

You might want to specify what kind of graphics are giving you problems.

Frame drawings or imported files? If imported, what file type? RGB or

CMYK? Any spot colors?

The best graphics are EPS because FrameMaker passes them around the

Windows GDI unchanged and EPS files can retain spot colors, too. Other

types of graphics get passed through Windows GDI and converted to RGB

where the result can sometimes be astounding. In Save as PDF, what's the

setting for "Convert CMYK colors to RGB?"

Check also "GetLibraryColorRGBFromCMYK=" in maker.ini and change it from

"Printing" to

"None". That seems to get the best results for having what you see on

screen match what ends up in the PDF.

There are also color management settings in your Distiller .joboptions

file that can affect the result. Usually, you want to set Settings>Edit

Adobe PDF Settings> Color> Color Management Policies to either "Leave

Color Unchanged" or "Tag only Images for Color Management."

[SP_Digits]

Thanks Mike.

We have a team of artists creating graphics in Illustrator and Photoshop and we're importing those .jpg and .tif images into Frame. I believe the artists are saving their images as CMYK. When they save as RGB, the files do come out in the final PDF much crisper and lighter. I was just hoping there was a setting in Frame I could change, rather than having to go back and convert hundreds of images to RGB.

When I "Save as PDF," I don't typically convert CMYK colors to RGB. I tried that a few times while troubleshooting, but am not getting very different results.

I'll check the color management settings as you suggested and report back. Thanks for the ideas.