Desktop Color Separations
{{Short description|Encapsulated PostScript file format}}
Desktop Colour Separation (DCS) is an enhanced Encapsulated PostScript file format that was introduced by Quark, Inc.{{cite web|url=http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/315865.html|title=OPI and DCS Desktop Color Separation Method Comparison|publisher=Adobe Systems Inc|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822065603/http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/315865.html|archive-date=2016-08-22}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://desktoppub.about.com/od/dcsopi/g/dcs.htm|title=DCS|last=Bear|first=Jacci Howard|publisher=About.Com|accessdate=2009-11-03|archive-date=2009-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826172458/http://desktoppub.about.com/od/dcsopi/g/dcs.htm|url-status=dead}}
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. 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/316726.html|title=Desktop Color Separation (DCS) General Information|last=Powers|first=Lynn|date=1993-12-10|publisher=Adobe Inc.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822053426/http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/316726.html|archive-date=2016-08-22}}
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.
References
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External links
- [http://printwiki.org/Color_Separation Colour Separation], PrintWiki.
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822053426/http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/316726.html |date=August 22, 2016 |title=Desktop Colour Separation (DCS) General Information}}, Lynn Powers, Adobe Inc., 1993-12-10