Help with Extension "Export to PDF in CMYK"

[chipg]

Hey guys,

I've been using Linux since 2004 and I've never actually posted a question on a message board before because I've always been able to find an answer or figure it out. I once made a small program with Python and PyGTK, but Python was always really confusing for me and I haven't used it in years. Any idea what is going on here. Here is a link to the python file http://jonata.org/inkscape/export-pdf-cmyk.py and this one to the INX file  http://jonata.org/inkscape/export-pdf-cmyk.inx

Here is the the pop-up i'm getting

Inkscape has received additional data from the script executed.  The script did not return an error, but this may indicate the results will not be as expected.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "export-pdf-cmyk.py", line 268, in <module>
    effect.affect()
  File "/usr/share/inkscape/extensions/inkex.py", line 268, in affect
    self.effect()
  File "export-pdf-cmyk.py", line 243, in effect
    prepare_svg_to_pdf()
  File "export-pdf-cmyk.py", line 216, in prepare_svg_to_pdf
    areas_de_bitmaps = what_export()
  File "export-pdf-cmyk.py", line 78, in what_export
    export_area.append(child.attrib['id'])
  File "src/lxml/lxml.etree.pyx", line 2452, in lxml.etree._Attrib.__getitem__ (src/lxml/lxml.etree.c:73200)
KeyError: 'id'


File /media/chip/PDR/graphics/business-cards/front/pdfcmyk/front-blue-print-color.pdf could not be saved.

Thanks

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

That extension is under development.  Have you seen the webpage about it?  (unless you can read....I think is Portuguese, you'll have to use a translator).  http://jonata.org/inkscape/outputpro/ 

As far as I can understand, it doesn't even have an alpha or beta status.  The webpage is asking users to report errors.  So I would say your best chance for support would be to contact the developer.

Currently, the best (dependable) way to achieve a CMYK color model with Inkscape, is to use Scribus.  Here's a tutorial:  http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/getting-cmyk-colors-from-inkscape-to-scribus

Actually that tutorial is a bit aged, but I haven't heard any reports of outdated info.

[chipg]

Thanks! I'll try it out.

[Moini]

Yes, that extension hasn't been updated for years and years, while Inkscape's extension system has changed. It just doesn't work anymore.
Scribus (or even Gimp 2.10) has working color management.

The linked article describes one possible workflow, but - t.b.h. - it doesn't work very well.

It's better to work in RGB in Inkscape, and then only convert to CMYK on output from Scribus, or editing all colors one by one in Scribus, replacing them with a good CMYK match.

Working in CMYK in Inkscape is fragile and - in my opinion - a real hell, as it changes colors at will, the proof view doesn't match with the actual color profile, and very weird things happen. And it's overly complicated, too.

[brynn]

Yes, that extension hasn't been updated for years and years....

I thought he had downloaded and installed the development version of the new one.  But I think you might be right.  Maybe that is the old version? 

I was going by the URL of the files, and I thought the old one was hosted on http://wiki.softwarelivre.org.  But since the files are on jonata.org, I thought he had snagged the new one under development.

Of course I can't tell anything by reading the code!

But the answer is still the same anyway 

[phiscribe]

Being that extension is so earl in development, you might try the alternative many find.  That is to import your svg into Scribus.  Scribus is the only open source program I know of that can make a PDF with a riding cmyk color profile.

[Moini]

The old CMYK pdf export extension from the 'jonata' page is abandoned.

The outputpro extension has also been abandoned, after only working for exporting jpg.

[wout]

For what it's worth, I have translated and fixed the Output Pro plugin to work with Inkscape 0.92.3. You can find it here:

https://github.com/wout/Inkscape-OUTPUT-PRO

But I must say, it's by far a finished product. Some features, like crop marks for example, simply don't work. I've been thinking about implementing TIFF and PDF export but in its current state, it would be too much work. Maybe I will write a whole new plugin, but then again, how much do we need CMYK export these days? Most printers I work with even prefer RGB files so they can do the conversion themselves.

So if anyone here thinks it useful, I will consider dedicating the time to write an extension.

[Moini]

@wout: Can you upload/share a link to that new/updated extension on the inkscape.org website? See instructions here:
https://inkscape.org/develop/extensions/#sharing-your-extension

[wout]

@Moini That's done!

[Moini]

Perfect I think it would be useful to add the tag cmyk, and to also add a list of the formats that it supports (and maybe also add CMYK into the title somehow - it's not something I would guess from the name, but it will help people find it).

[brynn]

how much do we need CMYK export these days?

This is one of our most requested new features!  I don't have any experience working with printers, but I answer support questions for Inkscape almost every day (for approx the last 10 years).  I often hear that the lack of CMYK support in Inkscape is the only thing preventing many professionals from using Inkscape exclusively.

I don't know.  Perhaps the industry has begun to change, and CMYK will not be needed in the future?  I should clarify that I'm talking about the CMYK print model, not just cyan, magenta, yellow color channels.

So if anyone here thinks it useful, I will consider dedicating the time to write an extension.

Does that mean that what you've updated, and uploaded to the Inkscape website is not an Inkscape extension already?  If not, then having it on the Inkscape website as an extension is going to be confusing.

I haven't visited the Inkscape website yet today, so I haven't seen what you uploaded.  But if it's not an extension, it should probably say so in the description.  Maybe I'll comment further after I finish making my rounds.

[MaisonMichel]

Hi everyone,


I'm kind of a professional graphic designer (but what's professional?  ). I'm always using scribus to make CMYK-based PDF's. That went well for 2 years (I only use max 10 different colors...) but recently I have problems. One printing shop is recieving my PDF's good: they print with CMYK colors. The other shop is constantly telling me that the elements on my PDF are GRB-based...

(I'm exporting as a 1.4 PDF / using inkscape 0.92.3 / windows 7).

My customers aren't happy because of the color differences so I'm looking for a solution (and for the record: I need to work with both printing shops because they deliver different products).

1. Does anyone know what the problem is? (it's so strange one shop accepts it right and the other wrong)
2. Should it be a solution to have a second computer with Linux on and use the extension (http://wiki.inkscape.org/wiki/index.php/ExportPDFCMYK ) or are there problems as well...?

Thank you very much!

And as a final note: I'm really happy with inkscape! A direct CMYK export would make me  !

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

Hhm, I guess no one ever posted that link, but here's that new extension:  https://inkscape.org/~wout/%E2%98%85output-pro

If you need to contact the author, it's probably best to do that through the github repo:  https://github.com/wout/Inkscape-OUTPUT-PRO

I haven't used it, or heard any feedback about it.  But hopefully it will work for you.  Let us know how it goes, if you like

PS - If you'd like us to troubleshoot your current process, we would need test or example files, relevant links, specific steps to reproduce, etc.

[Moini]

Are you saying the printer says that your pdf exported from Scribus is RGB?

[MaisonMichel]

Thank you all for your answers!


When I do a preflight check in Adobe Acrobat Pro ('Object uses RGB'), it gives positive feedback, so there might be something wrong with the export PDF out of scribus (in this case PDF1.3)

I'll keep you updated about this problem.
I tried to install the export function mentioned above but sadly it don't work on windows...

[brynn]

I tried to install the export function mentioned above but sadly it don't work on windows...

Do you mean this one?  https://inkscape.org/~wout/%E2%98%85output-pro / (https://github.com/wout/Inkscape-OUTPUT-PRO)

It's tagged "Windows", which is supposed to mean that it works with Windows.  Did you get an error message?  Or anything we can use for troubleshooting?  Can you tell us what happened?  Or maybe contact the author?

[TimiZero]

Hi everyone, I am new member here.

For what it's worth, I have translated and fixed the Output Pro plugin to work with Inkscape 0.92.3. You can find it here:

This is great news! I would like to express my gratitude to you for reviving an old extension (although i haven't used it before). I think many will find it beneficial.

I have done some simple testing with it and can confirm that it's worked, but with some minor problems on my low end system. However for basic cmyk jpeg conversion, this is more than perfect!

Really hope if it could export to pdf at least in the future. And the crop mark is working too provided that "Accurate color handling" option is checked. It's just that the more reasonable mark size should be there as default numbers. The current value of 5" is too big.

how much do we need CMYK export these days?

Actually this is the reason that made me want to register here. Somehow, I feel like I need to give my opinion on this question. Hopefully you don't mind.

First, I have to say that I agree with your point on CMYK export. From what I read recently on ECI website, they even encourage any design works in digital media to be done in RGB all the way, and the cmyk conversion would be done only on the final printing output file and the task could even be delegated to the printing shops. However, the latest ICC profiles should be used i.e. eciRGBv2 and eciCMYK to ensure good conversion (from what i understand after reading the article there, and i could be wrong).

On the other hand, many designers (the old timer specifically) have a different workflow. They would like to set things up in cmyk from the beginning all the way to printing. This is what Inkscape is lacking IMHO and the reasons for many to treat this software as freeware instead of free/open source software. The problem comes when these old timer are teaching new designers to use their workflow as the only way of doing things. Anything different will be considered unprofessional according to them. Anything non A**be product is non-pro to them.

While the above statement may sounds like a preference matter, it contributes to future conflict such as when a design work is transferred from client to different designers. Some might expect the source file to be in CMYK already, and if it's not they may consider it as extra work and may charge additional cost to client.

So my point is, regardless what the latest ISO standard is, the "designers" will still decide their "own standard" even if it's non conforming the ISO. Therefore, as what @brynn said on the persistent requests, i think it's important for Inkscape to have better CMYK support. While i don't think the developer will go into this CMYK route since they want to stick with "SVG native software" motto, 3rd party CMYK-related extensions are always welcomed.

What frustrated me the most is when we have all the open source library related to printing and stuffs, but it's here and there, not in 1 place and no reliable GUI based extensions to fully utilised these libraries. Well, i know we have other software like Scribus and Krita (my preferred workflow for cmyk), but for some people they may want to have everything in one software.

P.S: Sorry for the long first post

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum, TimiZero!

Actually there was some discussion among a few developers a couple of months ago, about cmyk.  It's mostly over my head, so I didn't read it all closely.  But I had the impression they wanted to make it a native feature, rather than an extension.  Although I could easily be wrong about that.  I could probably link you to the discussion, if you're interested.

Also, thanks for testing the new extension.  It's not something I would use, but at least I can tell other users about it, knowing it works.  If you want to report the problems with it, it's best to contact the author.  Probably the github account (or wherever he has it repo'd).  We can't do anything about it here.

[TimiZero]

Thanks Brynn! And also thank you for helping me activating my account as I didn't receive the email.

But I had the impression they wanted to make it a native feature, rather than an extension.

Wow this is great news. Glad to know this is coming through in the future. 
I think with the addition of many good tutorials on Youtube recently, more people (and hopefully professional designers) will take Inkscape seriously. 

[brynn]

The last post here has been moved to a new topic:  https://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/index.php?topic=1624.0