Atomic regions are the smallest intersections of one or more objects involved in transparency, or zones, into which the Transparency Flattener divides the page being flattened. Individual vector, text, or image objects may be divided among several atomic regions.
Blend is an Illustrator feature that lets you create a series of intermediate objects and colors among two or more selected objects.
Blending mode is a specification for the ways that the colors of objects blend with the colors of underlying objects. Specifying any blending mode other than Normal (or applying opacity to the Normal blending mode) for an object causes it to be considered a source of transparency and requires it to be processed by the Transparency Flattener.
Clip is to use a vector object as a mask or window for other objects. Any portions of the clipped objects that lie outside the clipping object will be hidden. Because the clipping shape is a vector object, its edge will be rendered at the resolution of the output device.
Clip Complex Regions is a Transparency Flattener option that ensures the boundaries between vector artwork and rasterized artwork fall along object paths. By selecting this option, you can reduce stitching artifacts that result when part of an object is rasterized while another part of the object remains in vector form.
Color model is the dimensional coordinate system used to numerically describe colors. Some models include RGB, HSB, CMYK, and L*a*b*.
Color space is a variant of a color model and has a specific gamut (range) of colors. For example, within the RGB color model are a number of color spaces: Adobe RGB, sRGB, and Apple RGB. While each of these color spaces defines color using the same three axes (R, G, and B), their gamuts are different.
Color stitching is the visible color transition that appears between objects whose coloring would otherwise be identical. It most commonly occurs when the Flattener rasterizes only a portion of a vector object.
Complexity region is an area that is rasterized because of a complex transparency interaction. Complexity regions are typically made up of a large number of objects that interact with transparency. Flattening them would be time- or memory-intensive. Flattening a complexity region involves rasterizing all vector objects, images, and text inside the region using the Line Art and Text Resolution. Note that the Raster/Vector setting affects complexity regions. For example, it’s possible that you could have a rasterized complexity region when the Raster/Vector balance is set to 20, but not when the Raster/Vector setting is set to 80.
Convert All Strokes to Outlines is a Transparency Flattener option that converts all strokes to simple filled paths. This option ensures that the width of strokes stays consistent during flattening. Note that by choosing this option, you may cause thin strokes to appear slightly thicker than they otherwise would.
Convert All Text to Outlines is a Transparency Flattener option that converts all type objects to outlines and discards all type glyph information. This option ensures that the width of text stays consistent during flattening. Note that by enabling this option, you may cause small text to appear slightly thicker than it otherwise would .
CT/LW (Continuous Tone/Line Work) are the two file formats used by Creo (Scitex) Brisque and PS/M RIPs. Other dual resolution RIPs use similar file types.
Document color mode is an Illustrator CS3 setting that specifies the color space for a document. Illustrator CS3 does not support using elements in multiple color spaces (CMYK and RGB) in a document. In Illustrator CS3, the Transparency Flattener works in this color space.
Document Raster Effects settings are the settings Illustrator uses whenever you apply a raster-based effect to an object. The raster effects settings can have a large impact on the resulting artwork; therefore, it’s important to check the Document Raster Effects Settings dialog box before you export or output a document that contains raster effects.
Drop shadow is a live creative effect that you can apply to objects or type in Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop. Applying a drop shadow to an object makes it a source of transparency and requires the Transparency Flattener to process it.
Dual resolution RIP is a RIP in which each page is created in an intermediate, unscreened rasterized format consisting of two files—a relatively high-resolution file (the Line Work) that contains geometric shapes and text and a lower-resolution file (the Continuous Tone) that contains the images. See also CT/LW.
Fatten is the process of replacing low-resolution or omitted image data with high resolution image data. See Open Press Interface (OPI).
Feather is a live creative effect that you can apply to objects in Illustrator or InDesign. Applying a feather to an object makes it a source of transparency and requires the Transparency Flattener to process it.
Flattener presets are similar to paragraph styles for text; however, instead of containing text formatting, a Flattener Preset contains the settings the Flattener will use when flattening transparency. Custom Flattener Presets can be created and saved for reuse. In addition, a Flattener Preset created by InDesign can be used by Illustrator and vice versa. Both applications include three built-in presets that cannot be modified or deleted: Low Resolution, Medium Resolution, and High Resolution.
Flattener Preview in Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat 8 Professional can be used to highlight objects that are a source of transparency or that will be affected by the flattening process.
Flattener is also known as Transparency Flattener. See Transparency Flattener.
Glyph is a specific form of a character. Certain characters may be represented by a number of glyphs. For example, in certain fonts, the capital letter A is available in several forms, such as swash and small caps.
Gradient and Mesh Resolution is the Flattener setting that determines the resolution applied to any gradient meshes and gradients that are involved in transparency. In addition, InDesign CS3 applies this resolution to all InDesign drop shadows and feathered edges.
Gradient mesh is a single, multicolored Illustrator object on which colors can flow in different directions, and smoothly transition from one point to another, to simulate watercolor style effects.
Gradient is an Illustrator or InDesign object fill or stroke containing a graduated blend of colors.
Ink Manager is the InDesign component that lets the user control the output of each color in a document. You can use the Ink Manager to convert spot colors to process or to cause one spot color to be output with another color. Converting spot colors of placed graphics to process can cause unintended results if the Transparency Flattener processes those elements.
Interacts with transparency is a term applied to objects which themselves may not be transparent but will be affected by the Flattener during the flattening process.
Line Art and Text Resolution is a Flattener setting that determines the resolution applied to areas that need to be rasterized because they are too complex for the current Raster/Vector Balance setting. The Line Art and Text setting is intended primarily for vector objects, but in some cases, you can apply it to type or images. Typically, this resolution should be set to match the resolution of your output device.
Live effects are Illustrator operations applied using the Effects menu that have specified properties, which remain editable. You can apply an Effects command to an object and then continue to modify the effect’s options or remove the effect at any time by using the Appearance panel. Applying certain Illustrator effects, like drop shadow, feather, and glows, makes an object a source of transparency.
Live transparency refers to any transparent attributes that are specified but not yet executed (flattened). Keeping transparent attributes live lets their properties be changed at any time before output, or in the case of Illustrator, explicit flattening.
Object flattening is an Illustrator option that lets you flatten individual objects while you edit the file. Select the objects you want to flatten and choose Object > Flatten Transparency. Object flattening is not available in InDesign or Acrobat.
Opaque is the color attribute of an object that totally obscures any underlying objects. With the exception of overprint, the PostScript imaging model creates opaque objects.
Open Prepress Interface (OPI) is an industry-standard mechanism for you to use low-resolution proxy images in a page layout application that are replaced with their high-resolution counterparts by a RIP or by an OPI server. You must be careful not to use OPI proxy images if they interact with transparency, or the proxy image will be processed into the final output by the Transparency Flattener, preventing high-resolution substitution at the RIP.
Overprint is a color attribute that specifies that the colors (inks) of an object to which it is applied should not erase (knockout) other inks in underlying objects. Because the Transparency Flatteners in Adobe products may rely on overprint for proper rendering of the flattened output, it is important that viewing applications, as well as proofing and final output devices, implement and honor this attribute.
Overprint Preview is a display option in Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat 8 Professional that shows the effects of any object overprint attributes. Because the Transparency Flatteners in Adobe products may rely on overprint for proper rendering of the flattened output, it is important that you view flattened output in an application that provides this capability and that you enable it.
Pages panel is the InDesign panel that shows the document’s pages and spreads. One feature of the Pages panel is that each page that contains any transparency is displayed with a distinctive checkerboard background, which gives you a quick visual confirmation of the pages that the Transparency Flattener will process.
Preserve Alpha Transparency is an Illustrator Object Transparency Flattener option that only takes into account the attribute of opacity. It does not include blending modes. After a user flattens artwork with this option chosen, alpha transparency remains, and the resulting artwork is suited for SVG and SWF web formats. All objects with blend modes other than Normal are flattened and the appearance of artwork is preserved. In general, you should not use this setting in the context of print workflows.
Preserve Overprints and Spot Colors is an Illustrator Object Transparency Flattener setting that is only applicable to explicit flattening by using Object > Flatten Transparency. This option produces the same effect as Preserve Overprints in the Advanced pane of the Print dialog box.
Process color is one of the four subtractive primary colors used in four-color process printing—Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black.
Proxy image is a low-resolution placeholder image that you can use in page layouts in conjunction with OPI systems. Be sure not to let proxy images interact with transparency or the low-resolution data will be processed into the final output by the Transparency Flattener.
Raster/Vector Balance is a Transparency Flattener setting that specifies the desired degree of rasterization. The higher the setting, the less rasterization is performed on the artwork. Select the highest setting to keep as much artwork as possible as vector data; select the lowest setting to rasterize all of the artwork.
Seam stitching is the appearance of visible artifacts (white or black lines displayed in the flattened image) or differences along the borders of atomic or complexity regions.
Separations Preview panel is a panel in Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat 8 Professional that dynamically shows color separations individually or in any combination along with a dynamic densitometer that measures and displays separation values at the current cursor location on the page.
Simulate Overprint is an output option in various print and export dialog boxes in Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat 8 Professional. If you choose this option, the Transparency Flattener will preprocess all overprint attributes and render them without reliance on overprinting. This option can be useful for creating proofs that will be viewed or printed on devices that do not have support for overprinting, but it is generally not advisable for final production output. Note that choosing this option converts spot colors to process in any affected area.
Source of transparency is any object that has one or more of the following characteristics: opacity less than 100%, non-Normal blending mode, drop shadow, or feather. See also Live effects.
Spot color is a nonprocess color that you may use alone, with other spot colors, and with one or more process colors.
Stacking order is the front-to-back or top-to-bottom order of objects on a page, both within and between layers. Objects that are beneath transparent objects in stacking order may be unnecessarily and unfavorably affected during transparency flattening.
Transparency is an effect applied to an object that causes it to appear transparent. A transparent object lets objects that lie underneath it to show through.
Transparency Blend Space is used when blending the colors of transparent objects. The setting controls whether the Transparency Flattener uses CMYK or RGB color space in making its color calculations. The colors of the transparent objects are converted to a common color space using either the CMYK or RGB color profile for the document. This blending space enables objects of multiple color spaces to blend when interacting transparently. To avoid unintended color shifts during flattening, it is important to properly set the Transparency Blend Space.
Transparency Flattener is the software component of Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat 8 Professional that processes objects with live transparency effects, along with objects with which they interact, and recreates their visual appearance by using opaque objects that can be rendered in the PostScript imaging model.
Transparency interaction is the relationship between a source of transparency and any other object that is a source of transparency, is overlapped by a source of transparency, or is very close to (usually within one point of) a source of transparency, and is beneath it in stacking order.
