EXP Systems Forum: Difficulty with color images

Message

   Hello!

First time poster here...

I work in IT at a small manufacturing company. We are facing a problem when creating a PDF from a particular program (Quick Fringe: http://cyanogen.com/qf_main.php) 

If we print to a physical printer, the images come out in color, however when sent to PDF, the images are in Black and White. I have checked for the usual suspects (print in greyscale, set all outputs to color, etc)

I've installed the latest free version from the website, but it still happens.  

Any insight would be very helpful!

Author	Message
Zen0 Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 14 Location: United States Posts: 3	Topic: Difficulty with color images Posted: 07 Oct 14 at 12:46PM
	Hello! First time poster here... I work in IT at a small manufacturing company. We are facing a problem when creating a PDF from a particular program (Quick Fringe: http://cyanogen.com/qf_main.php) If we print to a physical printer, the images come out in color, however when sent to PDF, the images are in Black and White. I have checked for the usual suspects (print in greyscale, set all outputs to color, etc) I've installed the latest free version from the website, but it still happens. Any insight would be very helpful!
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Michel_K17 Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: 25 Jan 03 Posts: 1673	Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 6:09AM
	Hi, A couple of things to check: 1. Check the user interface for PDF redirect. In the upper RH corner of the Window are the converstion settings. There, you will find a dropdown called "Color Model". Please ensure it is set to RGB Color. 2. Check the "Page Setup" in your browser, and ensure it is set to Color. 3. The Printer Properties (you may have checked this already) might be set to B&W. I hope this helps. Cheers!
	Michel Korwin-Szymanowski EXP Systems LLC
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Zen0 Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 14 Location: United States Posts: 3	Posted: 08 Oct 14 at 12:25PM
	Hi, Michel! Thanks for the feedback. I checked the Color Model dropdown, and it is in fact set to Force RGB, and the Printer Properties are set to Color. If we try to PDF something from a browser (Chrome, at least) it works fine. However the program we're having problems with isn't a web browser. It DOES print in color to a physical HP Color LaserJet though. There was one setting, for ICM, which was disabled. The odd thing is that printing to a printer works, but to PDF Redirect does not. Any other thoughts? (he said, while crossing his fingers)
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Michel_K17 Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: 25 Jan 03 Posts: 1673	Posted: 20 Oct 14 at 12:13AM
	Hi Zen, Here is one more thing. Start PDF redirect Pro (manually, through the Start menu), go into Preferences >> Properties >> Advanced >> Graphic >> Color >> Select "Color" >> Click [OK]. That is the only other setting that exists that I know of. Cheers!
	Michel Korwin-Szymanowski EXP Systems LLC
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Zen0 Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 14 Location: United States Posts: 3	Posted: 20 Oct 14 at 8:58AM
	Hi Michel, Thanks again for that response, but that setting was correct already. I'm mightily confused at this point. 1) The app we're using (QuickFringe) prints to a physical printer properly. 2) Printing to PDF Redirect is only in B&W. 3) Other apps (Google Chrome was the test) prints to PDF Redirect in color. 4) All settings that have to do with color are set to print in color, with the Exception of Image Color Management (ICM) in that same preference pane, which is set to Disabled. I don't understand that setting, so I've left it alone. Do you, or anyone else have any other ideas? Sincerely, Zeno
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Michel_K17 Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: 25 Jan 03 Posts: 1673	Posted: 21 Oct 14 at 7:07AM
	Hi Zeno, ICM should be left to disabled unless you are using production presses, and you want perfect color accuracy. There is one more thing you can check. If you check the Windows printer properties from the Windows Control Panel, or from the PDF redirect program (ie Preferences >> Properties >> Advanced), you are changing the default settings. However, if you check these same properties from within a program, Windows will remember these settings for that particular program. So it is possible that even though you checked, that it is still set to B&W. Please try this: Start QuickFringe (I am not familiar with that program). Try to Print Select the PDF redirect printer, and click the "Properties" button (hopefully it is there). Check the Graphics >> Color property, and make sure it is set correctly for QuickFringe. If that does not fix it, and you are really keen on finding the root cause, I would: Download and install "CutePDF", a similar product to PDF redirect, and see if the problem also occurs. CutePDF uses the same technology as we do. If the problem also occurs with CutePDF, then I would contact the manufacturer of QuickFringe, and ask for their advice. I hope that helps.
	Michel Korwin-Szymanowski EXP Systems LLC
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IS89 Newbie Joined: 07 Oct 15 Posts: 1	Posted: 08 Oct 15 at 1:12AM
	Thank you for this answer - it was exactly my problem. Like Zen0, I have a program installed on my computer for which PDF redirect was printing in B&W while all other settings were set to colour. Your answer showed me where the issue lay. I reset the settings in PDF redirect from within the program, then closed and re-opened all instances of the program, after which PDF redirect correctly printed in colour. Many thanks for helping me sort this issue, and also for helping me understand how these programs work in Windows.
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Michel_K17 Moderator Group Forum Administrator Joined: 25 Jan 03 Posts: 1673	Posted: 08 Oct 15 at 1:26AM
	Awesome news! Thanks for letting us know. Cheers! Michel
	Michel Korwin-Szymanowski EXP Systems LLC
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