CMYK PDF export not correct?

**RickX** · 31 March 2006, 06:36 AM

When I export a .xar file to PDF, the CMYK seems to be not exported the right way (in XaraXtreme).

For example if I have a red square with the values: C 0% M 100% Y 100% K 0% and export it to PDF, then in the PDF file when I use the PITSTOP inspector to check the color values the CMYK values are: C0% M 100% Y 52% K 0%?

see attached examples.
Any solution to this? thanks.

**Sigmation** · 31 March 2006, 08:31 AM

RickX

I used the colour picker from Xtreme to examine the .PDF and your original file and the colours values agree in both.

**RickX** · 31 March 2006, 09:40 AM

That's true, XaraX exports the page as RGB not CMYK, when you color pick it with Xara you will get the same RGB value.

The closest workaround I found now is to export the .xar file to a 'Xara EPS' file, and then run it through acrobat distiller to create the PDF. The colors than ALMOST match the right CMYK colors (98% in stead of 100%).

I am now checking it with different color combinations.

**minimiro** · 31 March 2006, 11:05 AM

Get CMYK template from Xara Xone
and save as default if you use CMYK colors native...
then you shouldn't have any problems with CMYK export like EPS or PDF (this is valid for vectors, bitmaps always stay RGB 'cose Xara natively work only with RGB bitmaps)

**RickX** · 31 March 2006, 11:57 AM

minimiro this works perfect! only, is there a way to convert my existing document to the CMYK template (or a way to copy the xara guides to another document? can't copy the layer)

Thanks!

**minimiro** · 31 March 2006, 01:54 PM

try to import your document in CMYK redefined....
this should import all existing your data incl guidelines....

but you may must redefine your colors of shapes... for. example if you have red shape, you again must give it RED from new color line.....

**Charles Moir** · 31 March 2006, 04:55 PM

Xara Xtreme does export CMYK colour values correctly into PDF files. That document of yours Rick has the red rectangle defined as an RGB colour not CMYK. If you make it a CMYK colour then it will export as that exact CMYK to the PDF.

You can tell it's a RGB colour by just opening the colour editor and clicking on it. (First make sure the Options -> View -> Edit local colours in 'Automatic colour model' option set. This means that the colour editor shows colours in the colour model they're defined in and as you will see this is RGB.) The cyan line is however defined as a CMYK colour and that export correctly.

To change it to be a CMYK colour, just right click on the colour editor, select CMYK, and adjust the values slightly (you need to do this to force the colour to be CMYK. If you just switch to CMYK and do not alter the values you are just viewing, and not setting the colour).

But now if you export you should find your CMYK colours are correctly exported as CMYK.

**RickX** · 01 April 2006, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by Charles Moir

To change it to be a CMYK colour, just right click on the colour editor, select CMYK, and adjust the values slightly (you need to do this to force the colour to be CMYK. If you just switch to CMYK and do not alter the values you are just viewing, and not setting the colour)

That will do the trick! now I understand.... thanks!

**jclements** · 01 April 2006, 04:36 PM

"select CMYK, and adjust the values slightly (you need to do this to force the colour to be CMYK. If you just switch to CMYK and do not alter the values you are just viewing, and not setting the colour"

Is there a _reason_ why you must "tweek" a value slightly instead or merely changing the type of color space?

Could this be "fixed" in a forthcoming patch?

**beatz01** · 03 July 2006, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by jclements

"select CMYK, and adjust the values slightly (you need to do this to force the colour to be CMYK. If you just switch to CMYK and do not alter the values you are just viewing, and not setting the colour"

Is there a _reason_ why you must "tweek" a value slightly instead or merely changing the type of color space?

Could this be "fixed" in a forthcoming patch?

Thanks for asking this - it took me a while to find that out myself and it's annyoing as hell to have to "tweak" the color values "a little" to turn to a different color *editing* mode.

I can't repeat often enough how annyoing this is.

Speaking of fixes - another on the wishlist would be that if i'm using the cmyk template (or even without) there shouldn't be a reason why bitmaps nevertheless get exported as RGB; actually i can't see any sane reason why it does.