Desktop Color Separations

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Desktop Colour Separation (DCS) is an enhanced Encapsulated PostScript file format that was introduced by Quark, Inc. [1] It is now primarily used for specialised graphics work particularly images that use multiple channels, e.g. when applying different spot colours to each part of a greyscale image. [2]

Contents

Format

In DCS a CMYK graphic is separated into five files; a main file and four pre-separation files, one for each CMYK process colour. [2] [1] The main file contains an indication of which separation files are needed and where to find them, together with a composite image information which is used to print a composite of the image. [1] [3]

Operation

When output to a PostScript printer, the printer driver reads the information in the main file and assigns the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black files to their corresponding separation files.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "OPI and DCS Desktop Color Separation Method Comparison". Adobe Systems Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-08-22.
  2. 1 2 Bear, Jacci Howard. "DCS". About.Com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  3. Powers, Lynn (1993-12-10). "Desktop Color Separation (DCS) General Information". Adobe Inc. Archived from the original on 2016-08-22.