[Scribus] need to create greyscale PDF/X-3

[Christoph Schäfer]

Hi Nik,

Am Dienstag, 14. M?rz 2006 02:04 schrieb Nik:
> Hi Folks,
>
> My apologies if this has been covered already in FAQs or the like, but
> my searches have not found any direct references.
>
> (I am using the standard scribus 1.2.4.1 as maintained in the Fedora
> Core YUM repository.)
>
> I have a scribus document (a newsletter) from which I need to produce
> multiple output documents: a colour PDF for a webpage, and a PDF to send
> to a printing house for monochrome printing.
>
> I have assembled a 4 page test document, generated a test PDF/X-3, and
> sent this to our printers. They have responded that there are a few
> minor changes needed for them to be able to print from this:

A question I would ask first is: Why PDF/X-3 if you want to print greyscale or 
duotone?

>
> 1. All pictures need to be in greyscale

For converting colour pictures to real greyscale in GIMP, please read the 
tutorial here: http://www.gimpguru.org/Tutorials/Color2BW/

>
> 2. If we are printing in monochrome (which we currently do) then all
> text must be black.
>
> 3. If we are printing in black plus one colour (which we don't currently
> do, but are considering the option), then we need to provide the
> document in black plus one colour expressed as a Spot colour.

This seems to make sense, since your printer probably only needs to produce 
two plates instead of four.

>
> In addition, the document has fill colour in some of the boxes
> (specified as red @ 15%). I presume I need to output this as black @ 15%
> for the monochrome output.
>
> I had hoped that I could produce both PDFs from the same document - ie,
> be able to specify greyscale for images and black for text/stroke/fill
> when creating the PDF/X-3 for the printer, and specifying full colour
> when creating the PDF for the web.
>
> Q1: Is this simply a matter of my correctly setting some output
> parameter(s) that I haven't fully understood? For example, installing a
> greyscale Output Profile (instead of the default Fogra27L CMYK profile),
> or possibly an ICC colour profile?

You can do yourself a favour and wait a few days until Scribus 1.3.3 is 
released. It has additional greyscale export, as long as you don't use 
PDF/X-3.

>
> Q2: Or do I need to create a separate greyscale document, either
> manually, or through a script or plugin?

I had no chance to test greyscale export of 1.3.3, but if you need high 
quality greyscale files, I'd follow the instructions for creating greyscale 
images in the tutorial mentioned above. 
>
> Q3: Is there some other way that I haven't thought of?

As above: Even if you don't trust 1.3.3 yet, install it in addition to your 
1.2.4.1 and try the greyscale option in PDF export.
>
> All comments and feedback gratefully accepted.
>
> Cheers!
> Nik.

HTH,

Christoph