Color Processing

The Color Processing tool can be used to manipulate the colors of a PDF. Selected colors can be changed to other colors, color PDFs can be changed to grayscale or black and white, color properties like luminosity, saturation and hue can be manipulated, and transparent areas can be created in images.

Be aware that performing this action on a page containing flattened markups will prevent all markups on the page from being unflattened.

ClosedSetting the Process Type
  1. Go to Document > Process >  Color Processing. The Color Processing dialog box appears.
  2. Select the desired mode from the Process Type list. The options available will depend on your selection. More information on each mode follows:
ClosedModify Colors

Replaces selected colors found in the PDF with other colors.

 

Modify Colors only affects vector elements in the PDF file. Raster images are not affected.

Color Processing options in this mode are:

  • Source Color: Select color to change. Only colors present in the PDF are displayed.
  • To: Select replacement color.
  • Tolerance: Allow a tolerance range to match colors near the Source color.
  • Add New: Add a new replacement pair.
  • Remove: Remove the last replacement pair.

Note: Changes made with Modify Colors are only be applied to the currently selected page.

ClosedColorize

Converts all colors in the PDF to a single color scale.

The colorize process transforms the vector image data to a color range you define. This is useful for colorizing a grayscale document or changing a multi-color document to a single color while keeping lighter and darker parts of the file distinct.

Color Processing options in this mode are:

  • Select Color: Select the beginning of the color range. This color will replace the darkest colors.
  • To: Select the end of the color range. This color will replace the lightest colors.
  • Scale Color: Clear Scale Color to process all colors to a single color. For example: Clear Scale Color and select black to create a black and white PDF.
  • Process Images: Fill this check box to also process raster images.

  • Pages: Select from the following:

    • All Pages: Sets the range to all pages.
    • Current: Sets the range to the current page only. The current page number will appear in parentheses, for example, Current (2) if page 2 is the current page.
    • Selected: Sets the range to the current selection. This option only appears if pages were selected prior to invoking the command.
    • Custom: Sets the range to a custom value. When this option is selected the list becomes a text box. To enter a custom range:
      • Use a dash between page numbers to define those two pages and all pages in between.
      • Use a comma to define pages that are separated.

      For example: 1-3, 5, 9 will include pages 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9.

ClosedGrayscale

Converts all colors in the PDF to a grayscale.

Grayscale processes vector data by default with an option to also process raster images.

Color Processing options in this mode are:

  • Process Images: Check to also process raster images.

  • Pages: Select from the following:

    • All Pages: Sets the range to all pages.
    • Current: Sets the range to the current page only. The current page number will appear in parentheses, for example, Current (2) if page 2 is the current page.
    • Selected: Sets the range to the current selection. This option only appears if pages were selected prior to invoking the command.
    • Custom: Sets the range to a custom value. When this option is selected the list becomes a text box. To enter a custom range:
      • Use a dash between page numbers to define those two pages and all pages in between.
      • Use a comma to define pages that are separated.

      For example: 1-3, 5, 9 will include pages 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9.

ClosedBlack and White

Converts all colors in the PDF to monochrome black-and-white.

Black and White converts all vector data to black.

Color Processing options in this mode are:

  • Process Images: Check to also process raster images to monochrome.

  • Pages: Select from the following:

    • All Pages: Sets the range to all pages.
    • Current: Sets the range to the current page only. The current page number will appear in parentheses, for example, Current (2) if page 2 is the current page.
    • Selected: Sets the range to the current selection. This option only appears if pages were selected prior to invoking the command.
    • Custom: Sets the range to a custom value. When this option is selected the list becomes a text box. To enter a custom range:
      • Use a dash between page numbers to define those two pages and all pages in between.
      • Use a comma to define pages that are separated.

      For example: 1-3, 5, 9 will include pages 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9.

ClosedLuminosity, Saturation, and Hue

Transforms all colors in the PDF by luminosity, saturation, and hue.

Color Processing options in this mode are:

  • Luminosity: Move the slider to define the luminosity.
  • Saturation: Move the slider to define the saturation.
  • Hue: Move the slider to define the hue.
  • Process Images: Fill this check box to also process raster images.
  • Pages: Select from the following:
    • All Pages: Sets the range to all pages.
    • Current: Sets the range to the current page only. The current page number will appear in parentheses, for example, Current (2) if page 2 is the current page.
    • Selected: Sets the range to the current selection. This option only appears if pages were selected prior to invoking the command.
    • Custom: Sets the range to a custom value. When this option is selected the list becomes a text box. To enter a custom range:
      • Use a dash between page numbers to define those two pages and all pages in between.
      • Use a comma to define pages that are separated.

      For example: 1-3, 5, 9 will include pages 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9.

ClosedMask Images

Creates a transparent area in an image corresponding to a single color.

Choose a color of images on a PDF page to be transparent. Markups are not processed.

Color Processing options in this mode are:

  • Mask Color: Select the color that will become transparent.
  • Tolerance value: Click the up and down arrows to define the color tolerance.
  • Pages: Select from the following:
    • All Pages: Sets the range to all pages.
    • Current: Sets the range to the current page only. The current page number will appear in parentheses, for example, Current (2) if page 2 is the current page.
    • Selected: Sets the range to the current selection. This option only appears if pages were selected prior to invoking the command.
    • Custom: Sets the range to a custom value. When this option is selected the list becomes a text box. To enter a custom range:
      • Use a dash between page numbers to define those two pages and all pages in between.
      • Use a comma to define pages that are separated.

      For example: 1-3, 5, 9 will include pages 1, 2, 3, 5 and 9.

ClosedPreviewing the Result

The Preview section of the Color Processing dialog box shows "before" and "after" thumbnails, allowing you to preview the changes before applying them.

Related topics

Flatten Markups