bobdobbs writes:

Hi all.

I'm using gimp 2.6.10 on ubuntu 10.10. I have a layered psd that has been edited using a CMYK colour profile. I'd like to open it. When I try, gimp gives me the error:

Error loading PSD file: Unsupported color mode: CMYK

Googling around gets me some interesting solutions. One is to use imagemagicks 'convert' to create each layer as a png. When I tried this, I got a whole bunch of generically named layers. Most of the conversions had failed, resulting in transparent png's with no content.

I found this thread, nearly three years old, on ubuntuforums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=958470

One of the solutions proposed in it is to use a seperation filter that that has been created as a plugin. I found the homepage for such a plugin. It had a warning that the plugin should not be used, with a broken link to a better one to use.

I also found this: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CMYK_support_in_The_GIMP#CMYK_color_and_The_GIMP

This provides some information on the issue, and a link to a plugin package to help remedy. However, the plugin is about four years old.

Is this a solved problem yet? Is it possible to open CMYK psd's in gimp?

Not having tried this myself,
http://en.sourceforge.jp/projects/separate-plus/ seems to be the official[1] download page of Separate+, also linked to from e.g. http://registry.gimp.org/node/471 which says it provides:

separate_import (bonus) CMYK TIFF import plug-in which generates the pseudo-composite image

So I would try

$ convert input.psd output.tif

and then open those tiff files in gimp with separate_import (unless separate_import can also open psd files?)

Hope this helps, Kevin Brubeck Unhammer

Footnotes:

[1] The official homepage http://cue.yellowmagic.info/softwares/separate.html seems to be down, however, the Arch Linux package also points to sourceforge.jp. The homepage of the "old" Separate plugin (without the plus) also recommends using Separate+:
http://www.blackfiveservices.co.uk/separate.shtml

bobdobbs gimpusers.com> writes:

Hi all.

I'm using gimp 2.6.10 on ubuntu 10.10. I have a layered psd that has been

edited using a CMYK colour profile.

I'd like to open it. When I try, gimp gives me the error:

Error loading PSD file: Unsupported color mode: CMYK

Is this a solved problem yet? Is it possible to open CMYK psd's in gimp? Thanks.

Not possible without a conversion to rgb

Use ImageMagick with the -colorspace switch ie.

convert .psd -colorspace rgb .xcf

saving in gimp xcf format will preserve the layers.

rich gmail.com> writes:

bobdobbs gimpusers.com> writes:

Hi all.

I'm using gimp 2.6.10 on ubuntu 10.10. I have a layered psd that has been

edited using a CMYK colour profile.

I'd like to open it. When I try, gimp gives me the error:

Error loading PSD file: Unsupported color mode: CMYK

Is this a solved problem yet? Is it possible to open CMYK psd's in gimp? Thanks.

Not possible without a conversion to rgb

Actually only true for a cmyk psd file. The separate-import plugin will import a cmyk tiff file. I trawled out an old-ish gimp-plugins-registry.deb file ( the latest seems to have some strange dependencies) and import does work. It is hidden away in the File -> Create menu.

On Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:26:42 +0200 bobdobbs wrote:

Hi all.

I'm using gimp 2.6.10 on ubuntu 10.10. I have a layered psd that has been edited using a CMYK colour profile. I'd like to open it. When I try, gimp gives me the error:

Error loading PSD file: Unsupported color mode: CMYK

Googling around gets me some interesting solutions. One is to use imagemagicks 'convert' to create each layer as a png. When I tried this, I got a whole bunch of generically named layers. Most of the conversions had failed, resulting in transparent png's with no content.

I found this thread, nearly three years old, on ubuntuforums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=958470

One of the solutions proposed in it is to use a seperation filter that that has been created as a plugin. I found the homepage for such a plugin. It had a warning that the plugin should not be used, with a broken link to a better one to use.

I also found this: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CMYK_support_in_The_GIMP#CMYK_color_and_The_GIMP

This provides some information on the issue, and a link to a plugin package to help remedy. However, the plugin is about four years old.

Is this a solved problem yet? Is it possible to open CMYK psd's in gimp? Thanks.

Scribus will import PSD and export e.g. png or tiff in RGB model. However once you are in Scribus you may find that most of what you need to do can be done in CMYK in that program. My rule is: if headed toward web presentation work in RGB, if headed for print work in CMYK.

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 8:35 PM, john Culleton wrote:

Scribus will import PSD and export e.g. png or tiff in RGB model. However once you are in Scribus you may find that most of what you need to do can be done in CMYK in that program. My rule is: if headed toward web presentation work in RGB, if headed for print work in CMYK.

If working with photographs, you should be converting to device specific CMYK as late as possible in the process and keep things in more device independent color spaces like RGB for as long as possible. Similar to how you should not be saving intermediate copies to very lossy JPG.

/

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 8:35 PM, john Culleton wrote:

If working with photographs, you should be converting to device specific CMYK as late as possible in the process and keep things in more device independent color spaces like RGB for as long as possible. Similar to how you should not be saving intermediate copies to very lossy JPG.

/

If working in advertising company, where most media are printed, photographs have to fit in CMYK color range. RGB files are only source images. Some works needs extra colors like CMYK+1, CMYK+2. Problem is that Adobe divided it's suits pack's into web and printing design, and GIMP is now pointing into photography, not into all professionals needs. I would like to say my boss that there is open source software that can be run into production process, with great abilities, but since it can not make such simple thing like multichannel or even CMYK editing I can not do it.

On Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:10:47 +0100 Tofi wrote:

On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 8:35 PM, john Culleton wrote:

If working with photographs, you should be converting to device specific CMYK as late as possible in the process and keep things in more device independent color spaces like RGB for as long as possible. Similar to how you should not be saving intermediate copies to very lossy JPG.

/

If working in advertising company, where most media are printed, photographs have to fit in CMYK color range. RGB files are only source images. Some works needs extra colors like CMYK+1, CMYK+2. Problem is that Adobe divided it's suits pack's into web and printing design, and GIMP is now pointing into photography, not into all professionals needs. I would like to say my boss that there is open source software that can be run into production process, with great abilities, but since it can not make such simple thing like multichannel or even CMYK editing I can not do it.

I use Gimp all the time to provide material for the final book cover or interior. But the final assembly is done in Scribus. Scribus with a good ICC profile will convert the RGB components to CMYK automatically. The developmental version of Scribus, 1.5.0, will also convert to the PDF X/1-a:2001 format required by LSI and other printers.

For years I have been asking the Gimp developers to make the CMYK color model an option but apparently that is not a priority with them. Apparently it would be a huge undertaking.

So other programs have to be used subsequently, such as Scribus, ImageMagick or even a drawing program called Krita.

I note also that the Open Source tradition follows the Unix method of several programs used in a string, rather than one mega-program that does everything. So Gimp can do all the sophisticated editing and something else can convert to CMYK. Ultimately the output PDF can be viewed in Acrobat Reader. If color shifts are not acceptable Gimp can be used to increase saturation etc. Then the conversion/production cycle can be run again.

Photoshop does CMYK internally. Photoshop costs money. Gimp needs an external program to produce the final file in CMYK. Both Gimp and the external programs are free.

Make your choices based on cost/effectiveness.

In my business I use nothing but Open Source software, including TeX, Gimp, Scribus and ImageMagick.

Hi,

there was a discussion going on some days ago about an other programm, vector based...

What was the name again of this programm?

Thank you :)

Noreen

Hi,

why do you actually publish the names and emailadresses of the users subscribed to the list online?

http://www.google.de/search?q=%22noren.mouton%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&client=firefox-a Just the first link.

PLease unsubscribe me and delete my name from your webpage.

Thank you.

noren Mouton