What happens with RGB vector graphics when creating a PDF X-3?

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Moini

Hi!

I urgently need to know what happens to RGB vector graphics (created in inkscape) in a scribus document when I make a PDF X-3 for a newspaper who wants a PDF X-3 in CMYK (using their color profile)?

I already know that my pixel graphics need to already be in CMYK and I found out how to do that with gimp and separate+.

Though, I would like to use vector graphics created in inkscape (and thus in RGB), not only tiff-files. Does Scribus convert the vector graphics automatically on export to PDF X-3?

If it doesn't, how can I convert those inkscape svgs to CMYK using the given icc-profile? Inkscape can't do this, that's what I know.

Thank you!!!

Wena

Hi, Moini,
If I understand you correctly you want a CMYK graphics.
If that is so, all you need to do when you come to render you work is to confirmed that you want CMYK and whatever DPI you want.

This process dose not spoil your original RGB fil.

You don't need to attempt to convert it to CMYK in Gimp, although I don't think that gimp can do that. Correct me if that is not so.

I hope this will help.

Wena 

Moini

I don't know if I got that wrong, but as far as I know, to get a PDF X-3, scribus does not convert the images - at least not pixel graphics. That was written in several other posts. It just leaves the images as they are and embeds the CMYK-profile the printing service will have to use when they want to print it. But the pictures are still RGB - and when my printing service wants CMYK, they don't get it without converting themselves. Which I doubt they will do...

And since when is dpi relevant for a vector graphic?

Thanks anyway for your answer, and sorry if I seem rude - I'm in a bit of a hurry...

utnik

hi moini

Quote from: Moini on August 24, 2012, 10:21:41 PM...as far as I know, to get a PDF X-3, scribus does not convert the images...

...this is correct.
if your printer requires all data (images, graphics...) in cmyk, then you need a pdf/x-1a (this is a valid pdf/x-3, but with all elements converted to the output profile...)
unfortunately you can't export to pdf/x-1a in scribus 1.4.1.
one possibility is to convert all graphics to the correct cmyk output profile before you place them in the .sla file, another one is to use scribus 1.5.0.svn for the pdf creation. i use the developer version only for this purpose...

@wena: with the 'separate' plugin gimp is able to export profiled cmyk files – but you can't edit them with gimp.

utnik

Moini

Thank you, utnik!

It's good to read that something like what I need is already under development :-)

I'm going to stick to pre-converting the images for now (for bitmaps with gimp) - or to converting the colors used in the svgs in the document to CMYK using the scribus-colour-edit dialog. Lucky for me, the number of colors used is manageable :-)

I'll wait for the stable release before I install another scribus version, I'll only get confused :-)