What IS it about Wasatch?!?!?!?!?!

[GraphiXtreme]

...or is it something to do with CorelDraw?

I keep having this problem with Wasatch, at least it seems to be in Wasatch. I have made several files in Corel, then export as either EPS or PDF files. I am exporting as CMYK files. The EPS files simply won't load, and the PDF files generate a warning that there are 7 colors in the file and that it only supports 4 colors (I made a similar post about max RIP size here). I then started playing with which elements were causing the problem, and it turns out the bitmap portions of the image are to blame. However, when I export using RGB mode, the problem goes away...but why and is this an acceptable export method? Shouldn't I be exporting a CMYK file (as it was created) as a CMYK file? This is REALLY driving me nuts and I don't know why it keeps doing it. The bitmap parts of the file were created both in Corel (native) and also in AlienSkin (via Corel). However, sometimes other files created the same way will load fine, other times not. I must be doing something different, but I sure don't know what that is. Someone said in the other post that I've made some goofy spot colors...not the case. These were made with nothing more than CMYK colors. The only Spot Color is the cutline which imports fine.

I contacted Wasatch about this a while back, but never got a response and I'm technically out of their 90 day window, of course.

If anyone is interested in looking at the file, it is about 3MB as a PDF, much bigger as a EPS (ps3) file. I can also send the Corel file.

[eye4clr]

email me the PDF

[GraphiXtreme]

File sent...

[eye4clr]

All i can pick out in the Preflight is transparency on some elements.

Did you design this? There lots of pain and suffering with Adobe's transparency features these days. If this is the problem, i don't know the tricky solutions off hand. You could look around Acrobat Pro for the PDF Optimizer to re-PDF it and flatten the transparency out. Your results may vary.

[GraphiXtreme]

Yes it is my design. I didn't intentionally add any transparency elements, so not sure why those would be in there. Thanks for taking a look at it for me.

[ludo]

Try to convert all to Bitmap as CMYK bitmap using color profile /mine is Euroscale Coated/ and with Antialiasing turned on at 100-150dpi.

[slangsc]

I use Corel all the time, and would be happy to look at your original file if you like.

[GraphiXtreme]

After considerable messing around, I discovered that if I save a PDF as a PDF/X-3 format (not the typical Acrobat x.x), that it would open properly in Wasatch. Seems like it takes a LONG time to open though. I have no idea as to the differences in the file formats, but at least, for now, it seems to be working properly. I think this is a "newer" PDF format...anyone know the nuts-n-bolts of what it really is?

[Greg]

As always, make a copy of your design first!

I don't use that RIP but try creating a contour around the graphic(s) then converting your entire design to bitmap. If the design is multiple elements then apply a contour and then convert each element. Then place each element inside the contour you created using Powerclip in Corel. I'm assuming you're contour cutting these also.

I suspect the issue is related to AlienSkin's multiple filter effects. As long as you don't plan to email the resulting exports the only issue is storage since AlienSkin (and other filters) tend to cause huge export files.

[cg-]

Any time we have someone send us a file that was created with corel it looks really bad. All the curves get chewed up when it converts to eps. With that out of the way way, I have never been able to load in any pdf into Colorip.