Another Agency Nightmare!! when is Black not Black???

[Sparky]

I couldn't pass on sharing this one with the forum.
Scenario: Job must be printed by end of day Friday, dated material.
PC based files on a win 2K machine using Adobe CS and legacy software (Ill 10 and ID 2.x)
My Mac has both also, but I tried to keep this in its native OS.

I received several Illustrator.ai and Illustrator.eps and PDFs of an invitation package from an Agency (who's name shall remain unknown) that contained Black and PMS 200.
OK opened the PDFs and discovered they have no bleed :? (toss)
Opened the .eps files and here is where the fun starts. (what I am about to explain is the same for every file she sent me) open the file and go to the Swatches Pallet and select all unused colors and delete. so far so good. (oh, sorry had to e-amil agency for the missing "Frutiger Light" font, then all is OK. entire job is laid out in Illustrator not ID as I requested. In her e-mail she says "I had a really hard time trying to do this with InDesign" after telling me "Oh, OK I use it all the time". right!! :roll:
Next select type and find out that the files are all in RGB color mode, no prob change them to CMYK and go back to the type, click on on paragraph see that the color comes up as some off the wall undefined red color 179R,2G,10B, but I'm looking at Black type!! 8O so I double click the color swatch and discover it is RGB black, change it to 0C,0M,0Y,100K. OK select another block of type and (to no surprise) red again, so I try to "Select Same Fill Color" no other type is selected, so I figure it's the last. Change it to Black and just for laughs select another set of type, wow!! RED again :x again try to select same fill color,,, not happening.
Long story short (and believe me this went on all day, 6 hours of hair pulling) no matter what I did the font that was used in this document "Myriad Regular" would not allow me to make it 100 % black, even after converting to outlines. I have tried everything I could think of, putting everything on a new layer and deleting all the others, opening it on the Mac, in both 10 and CS versions, doing save as, NOTHING :evil: :evil: :evil:

I placed my last result in an InDesign document and printed a composite to our HP5000 OK fine the black came out solid, Tried printing separations, only the text printed CMYK (black at 90%) and the black illustrations came out black only :cry: :cry: :cry:

I gave up until Monday when I call Adobe and try to send them this file to see if they can get it right (I doubt it)

Ask any questions about my set up or layout that I may have left out, this one really is stumping me 8O 8) :P :roll: :?: :?: :?:

PS I'll be out tonight but tomorrow I will check back,
Thanks for any input, Sparky

[pcmodem]

If you go to File \ Document Color Mode and select CMYK Color you should be fine. It is probably RGB Color.

[Sparky]

check second paragraph about half way down...

ime trying to do this with InDesign" after telling me "Oh, OK I use it all the time". right!!
Next select type and find out that the files are all in RGB color mode, no prob change them to CMYK and go back to the type, click on on paragraph see that the color comes up as some off the wall undefined red color 179R,2G,10B, but I'm looking at Black type!! s

That was one of the first things I tried. :cry:

If you're game I'll send you the file and let you try it :roll:

Again I think Adobe will be stumped on this one

send me a PM and I'll send you the .ai file. I think if you can figure it out get a patend on it 8)

[jv58]

Sounds like they are using the appearance palette to change colors. I don't quite understand how it works or what its purpose is but it can completely change the appearance of colors versus what the swatch palette says. It is a PITA.

[prepress_brillance_43]

I believe jv58 may be onto something.

[prepress_brillance_43]

Also check out the character styles palette.

[Sparky]

OK I got it :lol:

Thank You everyone for your support.
Joe, nlynx76, and pcmodem especially

here's what happened.
I finally got so frustrated that I selected all and hit the "un-group" keys about 5-10 times to make sure everything was not grouped to anything. Then I selected one of the characters that was giving me trouble and colored it PMS Black U and printed separations from Illustrator :P lo and behold it printed black not CMYK like everything else, so I selected the rest of the text and sure enough it held :P :P

So I guess what I discovered was that the "Grouping" thing is what was keeping the items (whether they were in font form or converted to outlines) from changing the color.

pre-press_brilliance... nice call on the "Styles pallet" also that has given me issues in the past, but this time it wasn't an issue.

I know when I put my mind to it (or give it a rest over the weekend) I can get things sorted out, it's just a matter of time.

Thanks again to all that responded and I hope I have shed some light on those that may encounter this in the future. 8) :wink: