In PDF, Page Layout frame background colors are dull

[Phlawm53]

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For Flare 11, PDF Targets. Adobe Acrobat Distiller and Adobe PDF printer available. Foxit PDF printer available.

In PDF targets, colors specified in HEADER FRAMES as the frame's background color comes out dull and "muddy" looking. But the same color inserted as PNG background image is properly rendered.

In the following illustration:

-> On the left side, a bright-ish background green defined as a Header frame's background color (RGB == 152, 207, 65 == #98CF41) is drab and dull.

-> On the right side, the same color spec placed into the header as a background image is properly rendered.

MangstorGreenProblem02.png

Other notes:

-> The problem exists solely in PDF Targets: Bright H/F colors spec'ed as background colors look noticeably better in Word Targets.

-> The Flare XML Editor's Preview as PDF feature renders the problematic H/F colors properly. It's only when building a PDF Target that background colors defined in PAGE LAYOUT frames (in this specific instance, a Header frame) gets stomped on.

-> As illustrated above, the problem does not affect images but ONLY the interpretation of background colors in H/F frames. Similarly bright colors in images are surviving the trip through Flare's PDF engine.

-> I've tried selecting and customizing a few different color profiles in Acrobat Distiller. No apparent result.

-> I tried switching my default PDF printer from Adobe to Foxit. The bright H/F colors come out identically drab and dull.

-> I have also gone through the Flare Print-based Output PDF in search of information about color management but couldn't find anything.

Obviously I can circumvent (rather than actually fix) the problem by using a background image to provide color rather than directly spec'ing the header frame's background color in the Page Layout Editor. But I'd love to figure out if background color specs can be made to work properly.

I normally can find my way through these sorts of problems. But so far I've not discovered where to adjust the color output of Flare's PDF engine.

Cheers & thanks for your help,
Riley
SFO

[Phlawm53]

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Got a quick-fix over on Slack's Write The Docs -> Flare channel as follows.

-> In the PDF Target Editor -> PDF Options, there's a Convert RGB Colors to CMYK checkbox. That checkbox is evidently by default set. Clearing that checkbox displayed the RGB color specs correctly on screen.

-> But wait, don't answer yet. In the Page Layout Editor -> frame Properties -> Background Color -> More Colors, the Color Picker includes an Enable CMYK check box that appears to by default be cleared.

So the quick fix was, clear the Convert RGB Colors to CMYK checkbox. With that, I'm moving on for now.

BUT I suspect that one could create an options table that defines the outcomes of the two settings' interactions.

And of course, one's choices will surely be affected if the goal is to send a Flare-generated PDF to a printer or printing company. (For example, printing vendors often require that a PDF's color system be CMYK...)

Cheers & hope this helps,
Riley
SFO

[Phlawm53]

Also via the Write The Docs team's Flare channel on Slack came the following:

it’s not a flare problem! cmyk tends to appear a bit more drab on-screen, and that’s sort of because it models colours differently (subtractive model instead of an additive model, and using different values etc.) You’ll get the same thing when working with the adobe suite (which is correct behaviour)

Learn sumpin' every day...

Cheers & hope this helps,
Riley
SFO