is there a way to convert all PANTONES to CMYK in one universal step? and transparent gradient?

[Joan Br]

Hey all,

My question as you read in the topic title is if there is a way to convert all PANTONES to CMYK in one universal step in CS2? well maybe not one universal step but in such a way that i dont have to select each one and convert one at a time...its time consuming and it'd be nice to take all the Pantones in this document given to me and changed all the Pantones to there CMYK equivalent in a more "select all" easy command. b/c doing it one by one i may miss a a selectiong and have to go back wasting more time...Plz let me know if there is a faster way to convert Pantone to CMYK in Illustrator CS2. Also the steps to create a transparent gradient?...i got to the point where i create a opacity mask and then pretty much sites i have been to thus far arent very wordy on where to go from there in a more descriptive manner... any maybe more indept link someone may know on that transparent gradient question?

Thanks.
Joan

[C***@adobeforums.com]

select all the Pantone swatches in the swatch palette, pull out the side menu then select SWATCH OPTIONS. Change to CMYK and they will all be done.

[G***@adobeforums.com]

Or just Select All elements in your document, and go to Filter > Color > Convert to CMYK.

[Joan Br]

Thats what i thought that it would be a swatches option but the filter option i didnt even think of lol I also came across the global option when clicking on the swatch themselves...thanks for the insight CWillocks and Gary Newman.

[Teri Pettit]

Filter > Color > Convert to CMYK will not hit colors used inside gradients and patterns, but changing the swatch type in Swatch Options will.

[W***@adobeforums.com]

Filter > Color > Convert to CMYK will not hit colors used inside gradients
and patterns, but changing the swatch type in Swatch Options will.






You live and lean, this could save a lot of unexpected problems wit the printer.

[Teri Pettit]

Well, it does warn you that it won't convert colors used in gradients and patterns, so it shouldn't be that unexpected.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

When I follow the instructions (Select all spot swatches, go to Spot Colors on flyout, select CMYK in dialog... as opposed to LAB, I assume) the colors' screen appearance changes, but the spot colors remain a spot specification (as evinced by the right side icon in the Swatches palette). I thought:

1, The LAB versus CMYK options in that dialog affected screen preview only.

2. The only way to convert a spot swatch to a process color was individually... by double clicking each spot swatch one at a time and manually changing the Color Type to CMYK.

I'm sure I'm misunderstanding this thread. And probably also misunderstanding the two points above. Could someone explain? Thanks.

[W***@adobeforums.com]

That's a global color swatch only if it has a dot is it a spot color. If it has a dot you selected cmyk but not process as you left it as Spot Color which is now just a mix of cmyk inks to make the color or if you wish a spot color.

So if you want to be more specific about the instructions uncheck global (optional), select CMYK and also select process so that it separates as process.

[Teri Pettit]

Doug,

When CWillocks said "change to CMYK", he really meant change the Color Type option from Spot Color to Process. He was just using CMYK as a synonym for Process, even though the relevant option is not labeled that.

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Oh, for cryin' out loud. Honestly, I understood what both of you are saying about terms and symbols.

I was referring to the WRONG dialog! What you want CW (and me) to do is NOT go to the Swatches flyout and select "Spot Colors..." You just want us to select all the spots to be changed and then select "Swatch Options..." or just double click on any one of the selected swatches!

Is this right?

[W***@adobeforums.com]

Correct!

BWT what dialog were you referring to?

[D***@adobeforums.com]

I was referring to the flyout menu item on the Swatches palette labelled "Spot Colors..."

[W***@adobeforums.com]

Oh, that is good to have as well.

Was that there before? I guess not!

[D***@adobeforums.com]

Not until you looked at it! :)

[J***@adobeforums.com]

Post by D***@adobeforums.com
2. The only way to convert a spot swatch to a process color was individually...

by double clicking each spot swatch one at a time and manually changing
the Color Type to CMYK.




Just to clarify this. It does not need to be done individually. By shift or command selecting more than one swatch, then double clicking on any one of the selecting swatches will enable the user to change the color type from spot to process or the other way around.

So, it does not have to be done individually.