Spotify in callas pdfToolbox

Spotify features are available in the following ways:

  • as an action, which works in the same way as the fixup, but offers access only to the two most relevant parameters and thus is easier to use
  • as a fixup, with access to most parameters that can be configured
  • as an inspection tool, with access to most parameters, offering a way to play around with the parameters in an ad hoc manner and immediately see the effect of each parameter
  • for command line versions of pdfToolbox in the form of a specific Spotify mode (providing access to the complete set of Spotify parameters)

Meaning of Spotify parameters

The description of the various parameter available in the different ways Spotify may be used are available in a separate article Spotify parameters.

Spotify action in the Switchboard

You can find Spotify action in Switchboard under the category 'Prepress'. 

Managing spot color libraries

By default, we use 'CSS Color Module Level 4' as the spot color library. More info like the list of web colors here. You can select spot color library to use for Spotify action using the dropdown as shown below.

Setting up your own spot color libraries

Set up your own spot color libraries by clicking on the options icon on the bottom left of the Switchboard window and then selecting 'Managing spot color libraries'. 

You can copy your own color libraries in 'SpotColorLibraries' folder (for example ASE files exported from Adobe Photoshop as in the next screenshot).

Export spot color libraries ("Swatches") from Adobe products

ACO (Adobe color file) and ASE (Adobe Swatch Exchange) files can be exported from Adobe products like Photoshop. These formats makes it easy to share colors between programs. 

Also, a file with the ACB file extension is an Adobe Photoshop Color Book file. They're used to provide an easy way to comply with particular color standards, like for if you're printing an image versus using it for on-screen purposes.

Editing spot color libraries

You can edit the spot color libraries (in json format) that are found under: 

C:\Users\admin\AppData\Roaming\callas software\callas pdfToolbox 11\Repositories\Custom\20200622_145335\SpotColorLibraries 

Color components in ASE files are stored using float values, for instance in RGB component values goes from 0 to 1 (instead of 0 to 255). For RGB and Gray colors, an convenient hex field with the HTML hex color format is included.

Please note:
RGB + L (Lab) values are from 0 to 1
a, b from Lab values are from -127 to 128

Spotify Fixup

To use Spotify in a Fixup, you can either create a new Fixup or edit an already existing Fixup. Find Spotify as the type of Fixup (under Fixup category 'Color spaces, spot colors, inks').

Spotify parameters

Explained here

Managing spot color libraries

You can select spot color library to use for Spotify Fixup using the dropdown as shown below.

Setting up your own spot color libraries

You can copy your own color libraries in 'SpotColorLibraries' folder (for example ASE files exported from Adobe Photoshop as explained above).

Spotify Inspector

Open Spotify Inspector via the menu at bottom of Spotify action in the Switchboard

Spotify Inspector window

Spotify mode in the CLI version

For a full list of options and parameters available for the Spotify mode of the command line, use

./pdfToolbox --help spotify
Click to copy

Please not that some of the parameters listed by --help spotify are specific to the Spotify mode, whereas others are general parameters applicable also to other modes.

Spotify usage in pdfToolbox Switchboard, Fixups and command line  here: