Using soft masks during OPI

You can create soft masks in refined PDF files during OPI.

1. Using the Channels palette in the Adobe Photoshop software, create soft masks.
   Note: In Photoshop, do not confuse soft masks with the masking or transparency features that are part of the Layers palette.
2. Save the image as TIFF, and place it in a page layout software that generates OPI comments on output.
3. Make sure that black text is on top of all other objects in the layout.
   Prinergy preserves text as vector objects as long as the text is not "under" any other objects. Make sure the entire text box is on top—even the corners—because Prinergy looks at the bounding box of the text.
4. Make sure that spot colors have been defined as desired before writing the PostScript files.
   The way that Prinergy treats objects depends on the color space definition. If you want objects to appear only as CMYK, adjust the color definition in the layout software, not when you refine.
   If spot color conversion is unavoidable, use color management. In the ColorConvert section of the refine process template, select the Overprint Handling (CPU Intensive) check box and clear the Set Colors to Knockout check box in the Overprint Conversion area.
5. Create thin PostScript from the layout software.
6. When refining the thin file, perform these actions in the Image Replacement area of the Fonts and Images section of the refine process template:
   1. Select the Search for High-Resolution Images in Image Search Paths check box to enable OPI.
   2. Select the Create Soft Masks from Photoshop TIFF Alpha Channels check box.
7. Refine the files.