Select similar color

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Kalle Rajand
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:52 pm

Select similar color

Post by Kalle Rajand »

Hi,

I would like to select automatically line art using specific colour from previous selection. Problem is, previous selection is a line art selection combined with region selection. I am trying to create an action for not properly specified die lines.

Main task is to separate cut from crease and rename both lines for automatic imposition in situation where I dont know cut and crease color values, names, layers etc. Unfortunately customer send files with wide variety of spot color names, RGB and even CMYK values.
I believe I could find automatically main cut line by selecting lineart close to the page edge. But I want also check if die lines with same colour are used in other areas. These should be also cut lines. If I could select all these and rename colour as Cut spot, I could easily find all other lines and rename as Crease.
I know there are more difficult situations and die forms with multiple different lines and technical information but this iwould be for basic files, something I still would like to automate.

Any ideas? I think I know how to do it with PS + Switch but I wonder if it could be done with using only PS?
freddyp
Advanced member
Posts: 1008
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:53 pm

Re: Select similar color

Post by freddyp »

The only idea I have is that you should visit people who use RGB/CMYK values for cut and crease lines instead of properly named spot colors or layers with a whip and threaten to come back and use it if they do that again.

Selecting stroked objects in a certain region seems like a reasonable approach for detecting what the color of the cut lines might be. That is why I submitted a feature request for a "Select similar objects" Action (as usual this is not a guarantee it will get implemented!).

Theoretically speaking it is not completely safe and accurate. You could be selecting stroked rectangles in the legend/description of the file, the lines might not be stroked, e.g. when the file has been flattened and strokes were converted to outlines, the colors used for the cut and crease lines could be used for "normal" lines, ... Practically speaking it could be acceptable.

I am curious to learn how you would approach it with the PS + Switch combination.
Kalle Rajand
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:52 pm

Re: Select similar color

Post by Kalle Rajand »

Thank you Freddy,

:lol: I sent my whip to another country, it may have better use there.

Select similar object action would be nice to have, hope it will get implemented one day.

If there are no better ideas beside whip, I will try Switch + PS combination I have in my mind.
I believe it should go as follows.

1. PS: select line objects close to page edge, copy, paste on second page
2. SW: split pdf, analyse second page and collect colour values as xml report and attach found color value as variable
3. PS: as I have now colour value as variable, I can select all stokes with specific value and rename them as Cut spot color. After that I can select all the rest and rename as Crease. Done :)
I left some workflow details unmentioned but in general it may work as I described.

I know it is not completely safe and cannot be used with files as you described. But I may not need it at all with files like that. If file contains already a legend, I believe it may have properly named die line colors and trim box as well. But again, this is not the problem I am trying to solve right now. I will deal with it later if needed.
Solution is needed for die form production and luckily the files we expect from customers should contain only lines, no artwork. Having CMYK artwork included with die lines with CMYK values would be probably impossible to solve.

But I will try my approach and let you know. Thanks again.
Kalle Rajand
Newbie
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:52 pm

Re: Select similar color

Post by Kalle Rajand »

Well, I have to admit it is a bit more challenging than I thought. Some functions I think as obvious ones are not available. Freddy, I didnt get the date when "Select similar objects" action will be available? Was it next month or next week? :D
freddyp
Advanced member
Posts: 1008
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:53 pm

Re: Select similar color

Post by freddyp »

I am always open to learning something new, but I was really wondering how you were going to get hold of the color values to use for selecting the line-art.

Availability of the Action? It is not my privilege to determine this. What I can say is that the 2023 release will introduce a new concept that can be useful for this use case too. To avoid misunderstandings: it will not be possible yet to solve your use case with the 2023 release but the groundwork will be there to hopefully have it in a next version. Curious? Stay tuned for more info as the release approaches.
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