CMYK Check PDF

I work with Affinity Suite on the Mac. Which program can I use to check the CMYK channels of a PDF? As cheaply as possible and not Acrobat Reader, which can only do this with an (expensive) subscription? I just want to check the individual color separations.

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I am still using the Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 perpetual licence that was available from Adobe until last year.
Adobe says that resellers can still sell it until May, or volume licences can still be sold from Adobe.
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/faq-acrobat-2020.html

A bit hard to get these days.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/adobe-acrobat-pro-2020-windows-mac-os/6413396.p?intl=nosplash&skuId=6413396 I have no idea if this is legit.

The alternative for me, if one day I can no longer use Acrobat, is Callas PDF Toolbox Desktop, which is very similar to Acrobat, as Callas coded the core engine that Adobe licensed for Acrobat Pro.

Both can do much more than just colour separations, such as prepress preflighting and repairs.

Both are perpetual licences and both are relatively expensive (sorry).

As a quick and dirty solution, you can select ‘Edit in Affinity Photo
’ in the File menu or open the PDF in Affinity Photo and separate the colours in the Channels panel if you are not using spot colours.

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Maybe you can give the more affordable Qoppa PDF Studio Pro a try and report back tu us?
https://kbpdfstudio.qoppa.com/video-output-preview-and-color-separation/

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There’s a free trial is Adobe professional.
https://www.adobe.com/ie/acrobat/free-trial-download.html

Why do you need to check the seps? Are you printing seps?

Why can’t you check it in affinity?
Or is there something else we need to know?

Ghost script can create seps

Open the PDF in scribus or inkscape?

Callas pdfToolbox (Paid)

PDF-XChange Editor (Limited free version)

PitStop Pro (Paid, but has trial version)

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For example, I want to make sure that 100%K font is not split into CMYK when exporting to PDF. I have a relatively high level of confidence in my PDF export settings, but I want to be sure. As I am an offset printer by profession, I know the annoying delivered data that ends up on my printing plates.
The program should really only show me the seps so that I can check them for correct export.

Does your RIP not have a separations viewer? Or even a way to print separations to a printer? That sounds to me like it would be the most reliable way to check.

I get that you’re looking for a reliable solution for your offset printing business, and I know software subscriptions are annoying, but at the end of the day, the cost is pretty low compared to the risk of bad separations messing up a print job.

The problem with third-party PDF readers is that they don’t always show colour separations correctly. PDFs for print usually include an Output Intent (which passes on the info on how to handle colours), but some 3rd party software ignores or misinterprets these settings.

Another issue is that some readers convert CMYK colours for screen display, trying to fit them into an RGB colour space. This can mess with 100% black is shown, sometimes it looks like it’s using CMY when it’s not.

And if the software “simulates” the colour like with overprint and transparency you might think something is wrong with the file when it’s actually fine (or worse, you might not see a real issue).

Besides Acrobat Pro, which it sounds like you’re avoiding like the plague —> Callas pdfToolbox, Enfocus PitStop, or PDF-XChange Editor. Some of them have trials or one-time purchase options if you’re avoiding subscriptions.

If you don’t want Adobe software then I’d say PitStop Pro is the better option - can fix many issues with supplied artwork and it’s only $33.83/month for a years subscription - or $46 for a month-by-month subscription.

At the end of the day, if colour separations matter for your workflow, it’s worth using software that won’t give you false info. Otherwise, you might catch the mistake when it’s too late and already on the plates and that could cost you more that $50 a month.

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Just came across this perfect example https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/different-output-acrobat-vs-web-preview/td-p/15128573

Someone using Acrobat to view their colour in their PDF compared to using the built-in PDF reader in their Browser or another 3rd Party PDF reader.

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The reason why I don’t want an expensive solution is that I create the print files on the side and have them printed by an external print service provider. The order volume does not justify a large investment. For this reason, I have already switched from Adobe to Affinity so that I don’t have any subscription fees. I also produce a lot of printed material for the voluntary organisation. Here, too, I would like to avoid major costs. That’s why I’m looking for an inexpensive way to check PDF files. I will now try a virtual printer driver to see if there is a possibility to display seps in the preview. Many thanks for your help so far.

If it was me I’d ask the printer for a seps proof.

I used to get them all the time.

I think your least expensive route is to work with your print provider.

When you initially posted I thought you were the offset printer so now my confusion is cleared up.

Work with your printers get a separated PDF proof. Should be easy to organize.

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I am a Printer and Mediadesigner


Unfortunately, the print shop is a national online print shop. They don’t offer proofs.
They only check whether the colour space is correct, but not whether the work was done correctly.

Sorry, but in this setup, the online print shop is the actual printer you’re the designer prepping the files. You control the design, but once it leaves your hands, it’s up to their system to process it correctly.

The big issue here is that if you’re not using the exact same print profile and output intent as they are, things can go wrong even if everything looks perfect on your end. Without getting a RIPed proof directly from their system, you’re basically guessing at how your file will separate when printed.

If they don’t offer proofs, you’re left with a couple of options:
Obvious one is to fork out a 1 time payment - which I think we’ve exhausted the available options already.

Find an affordable tool that can simulate separations more reliably (like a virtual printer driver, as you mentioned).

Push the print shop to confirm what settings they use so you can match them as closely as possible in your workflow.

It’s difficult when they don’t offer proper preflight proofs, but if you’re doing this regularly, it might be worth testing a few prints to see how your files behave in their system. Otherwise, you’ll always be shooting blind when it comes to separations.

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Even more workarounds for preview inside Affinity:

That’s mad they don’t have seps etc

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only in Photo, sort of