Adobe InDesign CS3 - Manual (Page 584)

INDESIGN CS3
User Guide
577
Consider the following issues when printing composites:
• While no proof will give you an exact representation of your final output, you can greatly improve its accuracy by
calibrating all the devices you use to create a document (such as scanners, monitors, and printers). If the devices
are calibrated, the color management system can help you get predictable and consistent color.
• Any overprinting options that you’ve selected in the document will print correctly on a printer that supports
overprinting. Since most desktop printers don’t support overprinting, you can simulate the effects of overprinting
by selecting Simulate Overprint in the Output section of the Print dialog box.
Important: Selecting Simulate Overprint will convert spot colors to process colors for printing. If you intend to use a file
for separations on a RIP, or for final output, do not select this option.
• When you print to a black-and-white printer, InDesign produces a grayscale composite version of the pages. If the
document contains color, InDesign prints visually correct grays to simulate that color. For example, the gray that
simulates a 20% tint of yellow is lighter than a 20% tint of black, since yellow is visually lighter than black.
• When you print a book with chapters containing conflicting spot inks or trap styles, you can instruct InDesign to
synchronize settings with the master document.
• If you’re using color management with the Book feature, make sure that each document in the book uses the same
color management settings in the Color Settings dialog box.
Note: Remember that, like monitors, color printers vary greatly in color reproduction quality; thus, proofs from your
service provider are the best way to verify how the finished piece will look.
See also
“Improving gradients and color blends in print” on page 559
“Synchronize book documents” on page 275
“Use color management when printing” on page 557
Overprinting
About overprinting
If you have not changed the transparency of your artwork with the Transparency panel, the fills and strokes in the
artwork will appear opaque, because the top color knocks out, or cuts out, the area underneath. You can prevent
knockout by using the Overprint options in the Attributes panel. After you’ve set your overprint options, you can
preview the overprinting effects on-screen.
Three overlapping circles without overprinting (left) compared to three overlapping circles with overprinting (right)