Color Separations for Printers
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This is bizarre. Three weeks ago I ordered some very expensive lockout tags ($16 each) for our linemen to attach to switches while they're working on a line. These are important safety devices, in that they inform anyone near the switch that there is work going on, and if the switch is changed, someone might die. I don't have a problem with the cost. The problem is that the printer can't figure out how to print the company logo on the tags! They keep saying that they can't separate the colors properly, and need the original file. The original file is a .bmp, lovingly hand crafted in Paint years ago - that won't do. I've had printing done from our logo files for years, on everything from tee shirts to hats to magnetic signs. No one else has ever had such a problem. I've sent the company our logo in multiple formats - .jpg, .pdf, .bmp, .ai, .gif - and I'm out of ideas. Is there some format that is used by the printing industry that is amenable to making color separations? Preferably one I can 'save as...' from Jasc Paint Shop Pro? We don't have Photoshop or Illustrator available, so that's not an option. Is there a simple transformation I can use to process an existing file to create a source they can use? I know very little about the printing or graphics industries, so pardon my ignorance. This is getting ridiculous! Any suggestions would be most appreciated...
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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This is bizarre. Three weeks ago I ordered some very expensive lockout tags ($16 each) for our linemen to attach to switches while they're working on a line. These are important safety devices, in that they inform anyone near the switch that there is work going on, and if the switch is changed, someone might die. I don't have a problem with the cost. The problem is that the printer can't figure out how to print the company logo on the tags! They keep saying that they can't separate the colors properly, and need the original file. The original file is a .bmp, lovingly hand crafted in Paint years ago - that won't do. I've had printing done from our logo files for years, on everything from tee shirts to hats to magnetic signs. No one else has ever had such a problem. I've sent the company our logo in multiple formats - .jpg, .pdf, .bmp, .ai, .gif - and I'm out of ideas. Is there some format that is used by the printing industry that is amenable to making color separations? Preferably one I can 'save as...' from Jasc Paint Shop Pro? We don't have Photoshop or Illustrator available, so that's not an option. Is there a simple transformation I can use to process an existing file to create a source they can use? I know very little about the printing or graphics industries, so pardon my ignorance. This is getting ridiculous! Any suggestions would be most appreciated...
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
That is ridiculous. If you created the .bmp file, then that is what they should want. If they can't handle it, they should provide you a list of things they can, so you can convert it. And, if all else fails, you could print it on paper and have them scan and print it where you want it. :)
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
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We all depend on the beast below.
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That is ridiculous. If you created the .bmp file, then that is what they should want. If they can't handle it, they should provide you a list of things they can, so you can convert it. And, if all else fails, you could print it on paper and have them scan and print it where you want it. :)
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
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I agree. I did get some clarification, though. I just got off the phone with the people doing the printing, and what they need is a vector format such as can be created using Adobe products. Apparently, when I used CutePDF to convert the bmp file, it just embedded the raster graphic in a .pdf document. I can understand their problem with that, which the sales rep was unable to explain sensibly. Now I need a raster to vector conversion tool, if such a thing is possible. A' Googling I will go... :-D This has "long day" written all over it. :sigh:
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
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I agree. I did get some clarification, though. I just got off the phone with the people doing the printing, and what they need is a vector format such as can be created using Adobe products. Apparently, when I used CutePDF to convert the bmp file, it just embedded the raster graphic in a .pdf document. I can understand their problem with that, which the sales rep was unable to explain sensibly. Now I need a raster to vector conversion tool, if such a thing is possible. A' Googling I will go... :-D This has "long day" written all over it. :sigh:
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
So they can't print a picture? I would spend 10 minutes finding another printer then. :)
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
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We all depend on the beast below.
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So they can't print a picture? I would spend 10 minutes finding another printer then. :)
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
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We all depend on the beast below.
Actually there are only a couple of vendors for this sort of product. Luckily I found a slick website - RO IT Systems[^] that hosts an online raster-to-vector graphics converter. It's an online implementation of the old sourceforge project, AutoTrace, that offers free conversions. I selected a EPS and a SVG output, and sent both. I'm waiting to hear from the vendor.
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
-
Actually there are only a couple of vendors for this sort of product. Luckily I found a slick website - RO IT Systems[^] that hosts an online raster-to-vector graphics converter. It's an online implementation of the old sourceforge project, AutoTrace, that offers free conversions. I selected a EPS and a SVG output, and sent both. I'm waiting to hear from the vendor.
"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"
Something else you may care to glance at is Inkscape - this is a vector program that can output vector or bitmap formats, as well as having a function to create a vector representation of an imported bitmap. The program is great for creating the multiple resolutions of an app's icon from a single image - like any vector app is. Well, well, well worth the $0 rrp it has too. - Inkscape[^]
