Comments on: The DCS file format http://www.prepressure.com Prepress, printing, PDF, PostScript, Fonts and stuff... Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:14:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: dimitri http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-110091 dimitri Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:05:49 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-110091 DCS 2 is the right format for duplex or triplex print. I have a set of illustrations composed of 3 pantones, made with photoshop. Ink are mixed the way engravers did on stone. Importing them in inDesign and outputting the whole to PDF produces wrong densities. Flashing from inDesign works fine. Why? DCS 2 is the right format for duplex or triplex print. I have a set of illustrations composed of 3 pantones, made with photoshop. Ink are mixed the way engravers did on stone. Importing them in inDesign and outputting the whole to PDF produces wrong densities. Flashing from inDesign works fine. Why?

]]> By: Michael http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-65613 Michael Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:37:17 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-65613 Place the dcs file in Indesign, export it as a pdf, then open the pdf in photoshop. Place the dcs file in Indesign, export it as a pdf, then open the pdf in photoshop.

]]> By: Laurens http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-39089 Laurens Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:43:47 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-39089 You don't specify whether it is a single or multi-file DCS-2 file. If it is a multi-file DCS-file, you could try opening each separate high-res channel in Photoshop to manually merge them into a single file. Another solution might be to place the DCS file in InDesign. I think all versions since CS or so are capable of merging the highres DCS data back into a composite file. That means you could export a highres PDF out of InDesign or have a go at any of the other file formats that InDesign supports. You don’t specify whether it is a single or multi-file DCS-2 file. If it is a multi-file DCS-file, you could try opening each separate high-res channel in Photoshop to manually merge them into a single file.

Another solution might be to place the DCS file in InDesign. I think all versions since CS or so are capable of merging the highres DCS data back into a composite file. That means you could export a highres PDF out of InDesign or have a go at any of the other file formats that InDesign supports.

]]> By: Mike D http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-38979 Mike D Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:02:52 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-38979 Hi Laurens, thanks for writing back. I didn't think anyone was going to write back. Well, I have tried opening it in Photoshop CS and it opens blank, but if I do a 'browse' to look at thumbnails I can totally see the image. I am clueless on why it doesn't show in Photoshop. What about Illustrator CS? It says "DCS EPS files cannot be opened or embedded. Please PLACE this file using the LINK option." How do you do this? I am totally clueless. Thanks again for the help. :) Hi Laurens,
thanks for writing back. I didn’t think anyone was going to write back.
Well, I have tried opening it in Photoshop CS and it opens blank, but if I do a ‘browse’ to look at thumbnails I can totally see the image. I am clueless on why it doesn’t show in Photoshop. What about Illustrator CS? It says “DCS EPS files cannot be opened or embedded. Please PLACE this file using the LINK option.” How do you do this? I am totally clueless.
Thanks again for the help. :)

]]> By: Laurens http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-38852 Laurens Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:02:45 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-38852 It depends on the source application whether you can open such a file in Photoshop CS. If it is a pure DCS-2 color image, Photoshop should be capable of opening it. If it is a copydot scan (which your reference to '2400 dpi' seems to refer to), Photoshop might not be capable of coping with the data. Just give it a try. It depends on the source application whether you can open such a file in Photoshop CS. If it is a pure DCS-2 color image, Photoshop should be capable of opening it. If it is a copydot scan (which your reference to ’2400 dpi’ seems to refer to), Photoshop might not be capable of coping with the data. Just give it a try.

]]> By: Mike D http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-38850 Mike D Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:53:14 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-38850 But does anyone know how to open and save a DCS2 file when one is given to you? I have 3 that I need to save as a flattened hi-res file. It is 2400dpi right now, but I don't have any experience using this format. Can it be done with Photoshop CS or Illustrator CS. I can't find any 'how to' directions anywhere. thank you. Mike But does anyone know how to open and save a DCS2 file when one is given to you?
I have 3 that I need to save as a flattened hi-res file. It is 2400dpi right now, but I don’t have any experience using this format.
Can it be done with Photoshop CS or Illustrator CS. I can’t find any ‘how to’ directions anywhere.
thank you.
Mike

]]> By: D. Olson http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-36743 D. Olson Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:51:40 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-36743 DCS files are a pain in the rear for prepress operators. It basically means that the designer didn't trust the prepress operators. Just use the vector program - Illustrator and Photoshop are smart enough. Apparently DCS users have underlying trust issues. The author was right. DCS must die. Both Corel and Adobe have WORKED AROUND this old, antiquated format. DCS files are a pain in the rear for prepress operators. It basically means that the designer didn’t trust the prepress operators. Just use the vector program – Illustrator and Photoshop are smart enough. Apparently DCS users have underlying trust issues. The author was right. DCS must die. Both Corel and Adobe have WORKED AROUND this old, antiquated format.

]]> By: Alf http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-35190 Alf Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:22:24 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-35190 Thanks for the concise and straight-forward inf Alf Thanks for the concise and straight-forward inf
Alf

]]> By: J. Brooks http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-34169 J. Brooks Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:12:04 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-34169 If you knew anything about print and how a press operates then you would understand the importance of a DCS file. The fact that when printed on a small digital print machine it prints lo-res matters not. The DCS conversion tells you that the composite will be 72 dpi... So don't use it. Make a CMYK version of the file you wish to proof. Also make a proof layer for it (for hi res printing purposes) and also create at the same time a DCS layer for the pre-press operators to use in separation. The DCS file should only be used for a six color separation (Hexachrome) and that's it... period. This really helps when you are printing on strange surfaces or your vector based graphics cannot create the proper effect you want but you still want to preserve the PMS color you are using. (i.e. Using graphics with any sort of transparency. Most vector graphics programs will warn that it may cause problems using transparency when separating the file.) And yes you can print straight from vector programs but be warned if you use any gradation or special feather affects it may print warped on a press. So that is the purpose of the DCS file. And most designs, at least print wise, are not simple CMYK files. If you want your design to print right PMS colors are the way to go. Ask any major pre-press or flight-check operator or printer. Yes there are new ways to separate colors and new digital presses that go straight to plate but not many companies out there can afford a machine like that. Plus most companies for 'HIgh Quantity Output' won't use a digital press. While they may be faster than digital copiers and machines. They are slow and in-efficient in higher quantities and are better used for short-run printing. Don't knock the DCS file until they come up with a better way to separate PMS colors in vector based programs. If you knew anything about print and how a press operates then you would understand the importance of a DCS file. The fact that when printed on a small digital print machine it prints lo-res matters not. The DCS conversion tells you that the composite will be 72 dpi… So don’t use it. Make a CMYK version of the file you wish to proof. Also make a proof layer for it (for hi res printing purposes) and also create at the same time a DCS layer for the pre-press operators to use in separation.
The DCS file should only be used for a six color separation (Hexachrome) and that’s it… period. This really helps when you are printing on strange surfaces or your vector based graphics cannot create the proper effect you want but you still want to preserve the PMS color you are using. (i.e. Using graphics with any sort of transparency. Most vector graphics programs will warn that it may cause problems using transparency when separating the file.) And yes you can print straight from vector programs but be warned if you use any gradation or special feather affects it may print warped on a press.
So that is the purpose of the DCS file. And most designs, at least print wise, are not simple CMYK files. If you want your design to print right PMS colors are the way to go. Ask any major pre-press or flight-check operator or printer. Yes there are new ways to separate colors and new digital presses that go straight to plate but not many companies out there can afford a machine like that. Plus most companies for ‘HIgh Quantity Output’ won’t use a digital press. While they may be faster than digital copiers and machines. They are slow and in-efficient in higher quantities and are better used for short-run printing. Don’t knock the DCS file until they come up with a better way to separate PMS colors in vector based programs.

]]> By: Tim Schoeller http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-19046 Tim Schoeller Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:48:38 +0000 http://www.prepressure.com/library/file-formats/eps-dcs#comment-19046 DCS renders a smaller file for some reason reducing bandwidth. I have found that DCS 2.0 files are smaller than regular EPS - maybe the size of the preview differs? I notice this difference in filesize between .psd and .eps has not been discussed in your article. I think an explanation would add greatly to your informative discussion of DCS. Best, Tim DCS renders a smaller file for some reason reducing bandwidth. I have found that DCS 2.0 files are smaller than regular EPS – maybe the size of the preview differs? I notice this difference in filesize between .psd and .eps has not been discussed in your article. I think an explanation would add greatly to your informative discussion of DCS.
Best, Tim

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