By default, most PDF-to-image conversions render files in RGB. If you need to preserve the original CMYK color space for professional printing, FolderMill can achieve this through Ghostscript integration.
You can make FolderMill preserve CMYK color space when converting PDF to TIFF/JPEG, thus making files suitable for professional printing. This guide describes how to convert PDF with CMYK content to TIFF or JPEG without intermediate CMYK to RGB conversion which is usually the default option.
Example
A design agency is preparing print-ready TIFFs for an offset printer that can keep colors consistent by applying a FOGRA39 ICC profile.
Step 1 — Install additional software
You will need an additional application called Ghostscript installed along with FolderMill. FolderMill leverages Ghostscript to ensure CMYK is preserved without unwanted RGB conversion.
Ghostscript is an interpreter for the PS (PostScript) and PDF files. You can freely download and install it from the official site. Here's the download link: https://www.ghostscript.com/releases/gsdnld.html
In the list of releases, we recommend downloading the "Ghostscript 10.04.0 for Windows (64 bit)" (or newer version) — if you have a 64 bit Windows system.
Step 2 — In FolderMill, configure 'Run custom application' Action
Open FolderMill Control Panel, create a new Hot Folder and add a Run custom application Action. Use the configuration outlined below.
Path to application or script file:
ExtraFeature
Command line parameters:
-action pdf2cmyk to:tif res:150 icc:"C:\ICC Profiles\USWebCoatedSWOP.icc" -options ini:"{ini}"
This is a sample command that can be tailored to your use case:
- Replace "jpeg" with "tif" to choose another output format
- res:150 means output image resolution (DPI). You can set it to 300 or a higher value if needed
- icc:"C:\ICC Profiles\USWebCoatedSWOP.icc" is a full path to an ICC profile that may be specified. Set path to a file containing an external ICC color profile, for example US Web Coated (SWOP) v2 or FOGRA39. Tip: Always verify your ICC profile matches your printing provider’s specifications. Specifying an ICC profile is optional.
| Parameter | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
to:tif | Output format | Replace with tif for TIFF |
res:150 | Resolution (DPI) | 300 for print quality |
icc: | ICC profile path | e.g. FOGRA39 for Europe or SWOP for US |
Also, make sure to enable Check return code in the Action's Advanced settings. Keep Run in hidden mode and Wait until process is finished enabled.
Step 3 — Start FolderMill Processor
Afterwards, start FolderMill real-time Hot Folder monitoring and place your files into the Incoming folder for conversion.
If you need further assistance, contact our development team and we will be glad to help.