Adobe InDesign CS3 - Manual (Page 343)

INDESIGN CS3
User Guide
336
Because they are based on the PostScript language, EPS files can contain both vector and bitmap graphics. Since
PostScript cannot normally be displayed on-screen, InDesign creates a bitmap preview for an EPS file for on-screen
display. If you print a page with an EPS file to a non-PostScript printer, only this screen-resolution preview will be
printed. InDesign recognizes clipping paths in Photoshop-created EPS files.
When you import an EPS file, any spot colors it contains are added to the Swatches panel in InDesign. EPS allows
for prepress-quality resolution, precision, and color. This format includes all of the color and image data required to
color-separate DCS images embedded in the EPS graphic. EPS isn’t ideal for online publishing in HTML, but it works
well for online publishing in PDF.
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.
See also
“Import swatches” on page 424
“Import options for graphics” on page 340
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 widely used for Mac OS graphics and page-layout applications, and for
transferring files between applications. The PICT format is especially effective in compressing images that contain
large areas of solid color. InDesign for both Windows and Mac OS imports PICT files created from Mac OS screen-
shots and a variety of other applications, including clip art collections.
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.