Convert from RGB to CMYK

Dear reader/poster,

I am looking for an piece of software which can be used to generate 2 types of PDF files from just one set of images.

Let me explain. I want to create an low-res document with images to create an document which can be downloaded/mailed after it has been created. AND I want to create an HI-res document (using the same RGB images) which can be downloaded and printed upon an CMYK printer.

For the lo-res document, the images need to be downscaled, and for the hi-res document, the images need to be converted from RGB to CMYK.

I think the first part (lo-res RGB) is to do with this piece of software, but can it convert the images to CMYK so it can be used as an hi-res pre-press document.?

Would love to hear the answer and solution to do so.

Anyone got an answer on this?

Hello,

Our products does not resample images, so pixel width and pixel height are always preserved. However, if the scale of the image is decreased its dpi will increase but its actual point width and/or height will decrease. If a 300 x 300 pixel image is placed at 72 dpi (scale of 1), its width and height will be 300 x 300 points or 4.1667 x 4.1667 inches. If the same 300 x 300 pixel image is placed at 300 dpi (scale of 0.24), its width and height will be 72 x 72 points or 1 x 1 inch. You can refer to the Image Resolution topic on our help documentation.

It is not possible to decrease or increase the resolution of an image using any of our products before adding to the PDF. The images will be added as is without any modifications.

All the PDF elements (except Images) are vector based. All barcodes, text, lines, etc. are vector based. most elements will print well at any resolution. It is not possible to set the dpi for the document.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

Okay, strange that I cannot scale images, can I crop (cut pieces away from it) images then?

And what about RGB vs CMYK?

Does the software CONVERT an RGB image when it is placed into an CMYK PDF document?

Hello,

Our products does not resample the image and adds it to the PDF as is.

You can scale the image by using the ScaleX, ScaleY etc methods. To set an Image Page Element to a specified DPI, you can use the HorizontalDpi and VerticalDpi properties or the SetDpi method.

However, using our product you cannot increase the size of the image keeping the same resolution. You would need to use some Imaging tool to resample the image in order to maintain the same resolution while increasing the image size. Our product does not change the pixels of an image. If an image is 300 pixels wide and 300 pixels tall, it will be the same when it is output to the PDF. The size of the image in points, inches or centimeters will depend on its scale. If the scale is set to 1, it will have 1 pixel per point and output at 72 pixels per inch (also known as dots per inch or dpi). If the scale is set to 0.24, then the image will have 1 pixel for every 0.24 points and output at 300 dpi.

It is also not possible to convert an RGB image to CMYK using our products. Our products do not edit the images.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

Can the software handle cropmarks?

Making an A4 PDF with images overfilling an complete page (so the images are bigger then an A4 paper).

Can the software generate cropmarks for exactly A4 size so after printing it on A3 paper it would be possible to get a knife and cut the page (on the cropmarks).

Hello,

Yes, you can set the Crop, Media, Bleed, Art box dimensions to the PDF documents. These marks can be recognized by the printing industry. You will have to use the ExtendedPageDimensions class for this. You can refer to the Members of the ExtendedPageDimensions class on our help documentation.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

I still got 2 problems:

- I don't get it to work correctly and I wont get any extra margin for Cropping/Bleed...

And I got an problem with CMYK images.
- I read an file from the fileserver, which is an CMYK image, but after placing it in the PDF document I created it is handles as RGB image.

How can I solve those 2 issues?

Hello,

Our product will add the Crop and Bleed marks to the PDF document and they are not visible. These can be recognized by the printers only. In order to add these marks you will have to use the ExtendedPageDimensions class. What exact problem are you having with these?

Please try using the latest build of our product and see if it solves your problem. You can download the latest build from our CustomerArea by logging in using your current serial number. If you are evaluating then you can download it from our website. If you are still having a problem then please send over the image you are having problem with to our Support Team so that they can look into it further.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

I use several CMYK images and use the following code:

Dim image1 As System.Drawing.Bitmap
image1 = New System.Drawing.Bitmap(_ImagePath + _Image1)

Dim MyImage As ceTe.DynamicPDF.PageElements.Image = New Image(image1, 0, 0) ' Create the imageholder

cell2.Element = MyImage ''(add image to an table cell)

MyPage.Elements.Add(MyTable) ''(Add table to the page)

The image IS CMYK - 300dpi, but is placed as RGB - 300dpi.

I use the latest version (downloaded last week).

Hello,

Can you please try adding the image without using the Bitmap constructor from .NET. Our Image page element will take the image path in its constructor so please try using that and see if there is still problem. We will have to look into the image in order to troubleshoot if there is any problem. Please send over the image to our Support Team so that they can look into it further.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

In case of placing the image without using the .Net Bitmap, then no RGB image is placed in the PDF, but then the colors are very strange... I would say Negative... Red turns into Blue, etc. Is this normal or is there something wrong...


And I need the Bitmap step because of I need to crop the image... Or can I scale it using your software and the place it in an placeholder which is smaller than the actual image?

Let say, I got an placeholder from 100x50 and an image of 200x160. Is it possible to scale the image to 100x80 (yes this is possible) and then place it into the placeholder to only see the 100x50px?

Otherwise I need to have the bitmap as extra step, to crop the image.

(and how can I use the extendingdimensions on an image?
I tried all I can, but no result.

Hello,

You can scale and add the image using our product with out any problem. You can use the ScaleX and ScaleY properties of the Image page element.

The colors from the original image should not change when adding it using the Image page element. Our product does not resammple the image and adds it as it is.

You can not use ExtendedPageDimensions on the Image element. It can be used for setting the dimensions for the page only.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team

Yes I know I can scale.. but that isn't the problem..

I have an original image from lets say 200x180px. And in my PDF document I only have space for 100x50px.

So first I need so SCALE it using ScaleX and ScaleY to the correct width. Than the image will be 100x90px. Now I only need to crop 30px from the height.
I know your product doesnt crop or resample, but maybe it is possible to only display the wanted part of the image?


In my application the colors ARE resampled.. how can that be possible?

And yes I now by reading the API I can only use ExtendedPageDimension on an page element (like the name allready explains..), but it's totally unclear to me HOW to use it.

Hello,

Can you please send the image over to our Support Team so that they can take a look into this further?

The way to make only part of the image show up is by adjusting the X and Y coordinates when adding it to the placeholder. The image gets added with 0,0 as the coordinates of the top left corner relative to the place holder.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team

Okay I am going to mail the four images...
And what about when I NOT want to display the bottom of an image?

You explain to let the image start not on 0,0, but on any other value.

What is going to happen when the placeholder is smaller then the image?

is the placeholder scaled bigger or does the placeholder keep the same size and does it hide the part of the image outsite the placeholder

Hello,

It is not possible to cut or edit the images using our products. Images will be added as is to the PDF. You can Scale the image by setting the scale property. You can also set the Dpi to the image.

You can add the image to the PDF at 0,0 or any other X, Y position by specifying the X, Y position in the constructor. If you are adding the image in the LaidOut event of the place holder then it will be placed with respective to the place holder.

If the image size is bigger than the placeholder then the full image will be displayed however the data below the place holder will not move down. It will be displayed at its given position after the placeholder.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

I know I cannot cut/crop the image (that is why I wanted to use the .Net GDI+), but this isnt working with CMYK?

So in short...
When I have an image from 100x80px and I got an placeholder from 100x50px. Does it display the complete image YES or NO. In other words, Is the images visible behind the text which is placed under the placeholder?

I mailed the CMYK images to show my problem as described before.

Hello,

The GDI+ do not have support for the CMYK images. When adding the image using the Bitmap, the image will be converted to RGB. You will have to use our Image class without using the Bitmap in order to add the image in CMYK.

Yes, the full image will be displayed when the placeholder is smaller than the image size.

The elements below the place holder will be added on top of the image.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

I know.. that is why I don't use the GDI, but even without this GDI it isn't working.

Images become placed negative. (red turns into blue etc.)

Hello,

Are you still experiencing the problem with the colors getting changed or has the issue been resolved when directly using the Image page element and not Bitmap?

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team

Yes, that did solve the problem.

My problem now is, I have an image 100x80px and I only want to use it as 100x50px

The image is CMYK, so what to do now.. I tried working with place holders, but this is placing the complete image without hiding the part bigger then the placeholder.

Hello,

It is not possible to cut the image using our products. In order to edit the images you may have to use any image editors. You can set the height and width for an image using our product. You can set the height and width of the placeholder to the image by using the properties. Here the full image will be displayed with in the size of the place holder.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

So the proportions will be lost. (this will result in long and small faces when uploading images with people).... :(

And offcourse it is possible to use an image editor, but our customers doesn't have any knowledge about image editing and they want to make an PDF.. that's why we use your software...

When they are common with image editors, they could make there own PDF directly.

Hello,

Currently it is not possible to cut or crop the images using our product. We will add this feature to our wish list and we may add it in a future version but currently we do not have any immediate plans on this.

Thanks,
ceTe Software Support Team.

Okay, I am waiting for this feature :)

I think your product will be a great step forward when it is possible to edit/crop images on-the-fly. Both in RGB and CMYK colors. Even convertions from RGB to CMYK and from CMYK to RGB would be an usefull option.

Hope to hear some positive news soon.