Unwanted back-ground is printing 2

[RonProchot]

Here's a humdinger for you ...

I printed the same file/document on my Powermac7200/90 with MacOS 8.6 and on my B&W G3/400 with Mac OS 9.1.0. The file is created in Pagemaker 6.0 on the G3, then exported to the 7200 via Ethernet for printing. The file is actually copied to the HD on the 7200 before printing. The printer on the 7200 is a 5 year old Epson Stylus Color II inkjet connected via ADB to the printer port. The printer on the G3 is a HP 1220C Deskjet connected via USB. Printer drivers on both machines are the latest respective drivers - not that that should make a difference.

Certain images in the document print drastically different between the two printers, while most of the document is reasonably consistent. The difference appears to lie in the ability of the two systems to print certain Photoshop files.

These files are saved as unflattened layers in Photoshop, with the extension ".PSD". The reason these files are saved this way is that they can be imported into Pagemaker and placed without a background - ie the Pagemaker document provides the back-ground. When printed on the G3 these files print exactly as intended, ie the new graphic pasted over-top of the back-ground prints with no excess background - ie only the background in the document. When printed on the 7200 however, the new graphic prints with its own back-ground, which appears to be the "transparent" Photoshop background.

It makes no difference if the graphics in question are created in Photoshop on the 7200 or on the G3, the results are the same. Photoshop 4.0.1 is used on both machines.

The graphics appear as they should on both machines -- ie the graphic appears without additional background when viewed in the monitor on the 7200 as well as on the G3, and appears the same on both machines. The undesired - and supposedly eliminated back-ground only PRINTS when printed from the 7200. & IT REALLY BOTCHES UP THE DOCUMENT.

It may help to know that the graphic files being printed in the Pagemaker document are a combination of TIF's, JPG's and PSD. With the exception of the additional unwanted background when printed on the 7200, every-thing appears OK. & Everything PRINTS AND LOOKS FINE when printed from the G3.

Any ideas on what is causing this effect?

I can see why I might have a problem with a service bureau if I were to present them with this file as it appears on the 7200, only to receive a document that has a bunch of extra trash printed in it. OBVIOUSLY the document looks GREAT on the monitor of the 7200. It looks anything but great when printed however.

On the G3 - WYSIWYG.

Any ideas as to cause and remedies?

Thanks.

 

[ikonpro]

Hello,
It could be several things that will cause this problem.
1 Check the links if there are broken links this could cause this problem.
2. Make sure all the linked items are also located on the same harddrive you are printing from and relink once you get them all together on the same harddrive.
3. Re-install the driver to the printer. Could be a corrupted printer driver. This happens often.
4. Rebuild your preferences for Pagemaker. First close Pagemaker then delete the preferencs for Pagemaker. Then relaunch Pagemaker and print.
5. Some drivers do not print clear if they are non postscript printer. If it is a non postscript printer export to a pdf and then print the pdf. Ususally this will clear up printing problems.
Hope these suggestions help.

 

[RonProchot]

THANKS for the info.

The Epson printer is not a Post Script printer, and I underrstand now that the HP printer, though not a PS printer has the capacity to print ps.

I guess the problem lies somewhere in the printer drivers, which are the latest for both machines.

The best way around the problem may be to flatten the file, and run some sort of mask around that part of the image which I don't want to have visible. I'll have to learn to do that in Photoshop.

Thanks again for the info.

 

[viol8ion]

Ron,

PM6X does not handle PSD files really well. You are on to the best solution, which is to flatten the image in Photoshop and create a clipping path around the image. PM7.0 handles PSD much better.

 

[Spamphilon]

Ron,
Is that background you're talking about a single colour or an image? If it's a single colour, you might find it easier to give the image you want to impose the same background, rather than using a clipping path. Clipping only really works on a well-defined image with a fairly regular outline. In Photoshop, select the same CMYK values as that background, then flood fill your image's background with that colour before flattening it. When you place the image into PageMaker, it will probably look as if the two backgrounds are different colours, and they may also print differently on laser/deskjets. However, they'll image fine at the service bureau.

 

[RonProchot]

Thanks Spamphilon,

Problem is that I don't want any back-ground because th eimage is being superimpposed on another graphic back-ground. The back-ground that does show, is basically the "invisible" photshop mat on which this graohic is set-up.

Efectively what I wanted to do was lift a portion of one graphic from one image and supper-impose it on another back-ground. That's something that's being done in photoshop all the time. For some reason in my case on one printer, I was successfull. On the other I was not.

I'll have to lok at the Photshop Classroom in a Book I guess, before I do my next excercise.

 

[viol8ion]

Ron,

If you are placing one graphic over another in Pagemaker, would it not be just as easy to do it in Photoshop, and import the finished product into your Pagemaker doc? You would have greater control and better finished product, as using clipping paths can give the edge a pixelated effect, but in PS you can feather the edges and add transparent effects that PM is not capable of.

InDesign does support transparency, drop shadows andmore from what I am told. When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

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