[vox] Software for Flyers

[Bill Kendrick]

On Tue, Sep 05, 2006 at 09:48:10AM -0700, I wrote:
> 
> I realize a lot of printing services prefer CMYK format (like, what, is
> there a ".cmyk" file that you convert an image into?),

Ok, I now see from the "cmykgimp" project that the file format in question
seems to be "CMYK TIFF" (that is, a TIFF in CMYK colorspace, instead of RBG).


[out of order]
> In any case, why does one's front-end application (like The GIMP) need to
> do this?  Can't this be part of a system-wide printer config, or at least
> system-wide printer dialog (e.g., so that other applications can share it)?

"cmykgimp" says it can:

  * Convert an RGB image to individual CMYK layers, using specified
    source and destination Colour Profiles.

  * The RGB -> CMYK conversion is performed with the truly excellent
    littlecms library

So in a sense, I guess "littlecms" is doing the work, and the reason
you'd want it in The GIMP (other than so it's one less step, I suppose)
is for some features you currently do get, like:

  * Separate CMYK into layers, for tweaking within The GIMP
    (both as greyscale, and as Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black layers,
    blended in 'darken only' mode on top of a white background, for
    an editable, approximate representation of the image)

And some features you don't currently get with "cmykgimp":

  * Load CMYK TIFFs back in as layers, for editing.
    (You must also save a copy in Gimp's native XCF format)
  * Embed ICC color management 'profiles' (which I obviously don't really
    know anything about) into your images or layers.
    (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Color_Consortium )


<snip>
> CMYK has always kind of been the 'silver bullet' for The GIMP, but obviously
> I still don't understand why. :^)

So now I wonder... does "cmykgimp" make people happy?  (The people who
complained that GIMP didn't do CMYK, at least. ;^)  Its new file dialogs
still piss me off.)

It does say it's "rudimentary" and "experimental", so probably not. :^)

-- 
-bill!
bill at newbreedsoftware.com
http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/