Offending command: bitspercomponent

The PostScript operator BitsPerComponent is used to describe how many bits are used to represent each color component in a sample. For example: in a greyscale image 8 bits are typically used, allowing for 256 different shades of grey.

This operator can cause problems if you manipulate images created in one application within other applications, because the manipulation may affect the number of bits that should be defined. Andy from the New York State Senate Mail and Printing Services reported the following: “This error is caused (mostly in Pagemaker) by attempting to colorize an EPS file (raster or vector) and ripping/distilling/normalizing it in a composite color environment”.

Solutions
– Send the file pre-separated to the output device. This forces the layout application to handle the color separation itself, instead of letting the RIP do it.
– Check whether your document contains colorized EPS graphics and convert them to an acceptable format for colorizing (TIFF) or colorize the images in PhotoShop instead of the layout application. If you save the graphics as TIFF images to colorize them in QuarkXPress, make sure to send either preseparated to the imagesetter or install an xtension that enables the use of colorized TIFFs in a composite workflow.