Removing Unwanted PMS from Color Swatches

[doodler22]

I have a doc that has a table placed on it. The table was originally created using Black (K), PMS 293 and PMS 1795. I want to change the entire table to K. The document is being printed by an offset printer, only using K. I dragged PMS 293 into the trash and when I got the Delete Swatch? box, I was able to replace it with no problem. The 1975 was changed to K.

Now I want to do the same thing with PMS 293, only ID won't let me drag it into the trash. Is there a way around this? This table extends on 32 pages and is quite complex with several columns so I don't want to click on everything individually and change it manually.

 

[jmgalvin]

Make sure that any items using the 293 are not locked on on an inactive layer. Sometimes you can also run into problems when a linked item uses the spot.

You might try opening the 293 swatch, changing to Process cmyk and change the color to c-0, m-0, y-0, k-100. Then rename something like "black2".

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[jimoblak]

There was a bug in earlier versions of ID where a swatch could not be deleted. Apply any patches available for your version. The workaround involved making a book file. Details could be found on adobeforums.com

You might also try aliasing the spot to black in the ink manager.

 

[Ekwoman]

If you go back to the native table file and delete it from within that program, it should let you delete it in InDesign. When a color comes in from certain files, InDesign isn't able to manipulate them.

Also, if you want the Pantone to print on the black plate, use the Ink Manager when printing or exporting to alias the PMS color to the black plate. Of course, if the printer is working with your native files, you'll have to instruct them to do the aliasing.

 

[carlow]

An option I already used was to export that document to InDesign Interchange format. Reopened it and I could throw away the color.