Why can't I simply make a color overprint in InDesign, like in Quark?

[Kickycan]

Anyone care to tell me why in InDesign it is next to impossible to make a spot color overprint if it's default setting is to trap or knockout? I know, I know, you can use the attributes panel and manually select all the objects using that color and make them all overprint that way. But that is much more time-consuming than simply selecting a color and making every instance of that color overprint with just one click, as Quark allows you to do.

With all the great advantages that InDesign has over Quark, you would think that they'd have this feature as well. How sad is it that InDesign's overprinting capabilities are worse than Quark's?

Am I missing something? If so, I'd love to hear how InDesign allows one to do this the simple way like Quark.

Thanks.

 

[apepp]

...no, your not missing anything, indesign behaves differently to quark, which means you need to work differently in the end...

...generally speaking spot colors in most instances need to be knocked out unless in very special circumstances and in those very special circumstances you can advise your print provider to ensure a spot color does overprint when ripped, even though the source artwork isn't, the data still exists behind the spot color for a reverse situation to be made in a commercial RIP...

...the other option is to use acrobat pro with third party software like Enfocus Pitstop or Arts PDF Crackerjack...

...normally for users of indesign the global overprint issue is not a problem as they can inform the print provider of their needs if a global overprint is required on supplied artwork on a given spot color and any reputable provider will have the tools to help...

...in most cases, for things like varnishes, they are created on different layers by designers and this kind of work is normally premeditated, so layers can simply be turned off or the work has to be created with overprints as you go along...

...if you are dealing with someone else's file and you don't have the tools to fix it, then you have the choice of charging them to fix it, or get them to do it if the exported spot color really must be overprinting everywhere...

...and lastly, as mentioned, informing your print provider of your requirements...


andrew

============

http://www.apepp.info

============

 

[apepp]

...it is also worth pointing out that quark isn't capable of changing imported colors that aren't set to overprint, so if you have a lot of them in quark or indesign, then your still looking at manual work or using a plugin or commercial RIP to fix it globally...




andrew

============

http://www.apepp.info

============

 

[macproductionartist]

If you know that the item to overprint will always be that particular color, you can set the overprint in object, paragraph, or character styles. So create an object style for, say, a polygon, then edit the object style: Under Fill and Stroke (first two editable options), select overprint fill, and overprint stroke respectively.

In the paragraph or character style, edit the character color, and select overprint fill/overprint stroke.

It even works with table set up and table styles.

Perhaps this could solve your issue?