Adobe InDesign CS4 - Manual (Page 362)

354 USING INDESIGN CS4
Graphics
EPS files can contain Open Prepress Interface (OPI) comments, which let you use fast, low-resolution versions
(proxies) of images for positioning on a page. For final output, either InDesign or your prepress service provider can
automatically replace the proxies with high-resolution versions.
Desktop Color Separations (.dcs) files
Desktop Color Separations (DCS), developed by Quark, is a version of the standard EPS format. The DCS 2.0 format
supports multichannel CMYK files with
multiple spot channels. (These spot channels appear as spot colors in the
Swatches panel in InDesign.) The DCS 1.0 format supports CMYK files without spot channels. InDesign recognizes
clipping paths in Photoshop-created DCS 1.0 and DCS 2.0 files.
DCS files are intended to be used in a preseparated, host-based workflow. In most cases, color separations files
associated with a DCS image are excluded when you export or print a composite to a PDF, EPS, or PostScript file. (The
sole exception is made for 8-bit DCS files that were created in Photoshop and that do not contain vector graphics.)
InDesign can rebuild a composite image from DCS 2.0 or 1.0 separations files, if the files were created in Photoshop.
For best results, do not include DCS 1.0 files or DCS 2.0 files created in programs other than Photoshop when you are
creating high-resolution color composite proofs or separating a document in-RIP or from a composite file.
Macintosh PICT (.pict) files
The Macintosh PICT (or Picture) format is used for Mac OS graphics and page-layout applications, and for
transferring files between applications. The PICT format compresses images that contain large areas of solid color.
InDesign can import PICT files created from Mac
OS screenshots and a variety of other applications, including clip
art collections. However, PICT files are not recommended for high-resolution commercial printing.
InDesign supports RGB PICT images with variable resolutions and embedded QuickTime images. PICT graphics do
not support color separations, are device-dependent, and are not recommended for high-resolution commercial
printing. The PICT format can provide acceptable quality only when printed on low-resolution or non-PostScript
printers.
Windows Metafile Format (.wmf) and Enhanced Metafile Format (.emf) files
Windows Metafile Format (WMF) and Windows Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF) are native Windows formats used
primarily for vector graphics, such as clip art, shared between Windows applications. Metafiles may contain raster
image information; InDesign recognizes the vector information and provides limited support for raster operations.
Color support is limited to 16-bit RGB, and neither format supports color separations. Metafile formats are not an
ideal choice for commercially printed or online documents; they provide acceptable quality only when printed on low-
resolution or non-PostScript printers from a Windows desktop.
PCX (.pcx) files
The PCX format is commonly used in Windows systems. Most Windows software supports version 5 of the PCX
format.
The PCX format supports RGB, indexed-color, grayscale, and bitmap color modes, as well as the RLE compression
method, which is lossless. It does not support alpha channels. Images can have a bit depth of 1,
4, 8, or 24 bits.
However, PCX is not ideal for commercially printed or online documents. PCX graphics can provide acceptable
quality only when printed on low-resolution or non-PostScript printers.
Updated 18 June 2009