Images

Owned by Jules DELEUZE (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Nov 13, 2019
4 min read

Supported image formats

Here is the precise list of images format you can use in Wedia:

  • Bitmap images

    • Bitmap (.bmp)

    • Flashpix bitmap (.fpx)

    • Paintbrush (.pcx)

    • Wireless bitmap (.wbmp)

    • Jpeg, Jpeg 2000 (.jpg, .jpeg)

    • Gif (.gif)

    • PNG (.png)

    • Native file Photoshop® (.psd)

    • Photoshop® EPS or DCS (.eps)

    • TIFF (.tif, .tiff)

    • BRL-CAD Raw image (.pix)

    • DICOM (.dcm)

    • Targa graphic (.tga)

    • Windows Metafile (.wmf)

    • Natural file RAW (.raw)

    • X11 Pixma Graphic (.xpm)

    • Portable anymap (.pnm)

  • Vectorial images

    • Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg)

    • Native file Illustrator® (.ai)

    • EPS file (.eps)

    • Postscript file (.ps, .ps2, .ps3)

    • PDF file (.pdf)

Recommended image formats

For classic use, we advise the following formats:

  • Bitmap images in four-color process (CMYK):
    TIFF format (.tif) flattened (only one layer)

  • Bitmap images in RGB:
    JPEG formats (.jpg or .jpeg) or PNG (.png)

  • Vectorial images:
    EPS format (.eps) or PDF (.pdf)

Image naming convention

The name of the images such as their path (volumes & folders) mustn’t have any special character, any accented character or space. This rule must be applied for images aimed to be inserted in the document from the web interface of the platform or from the desktop-publishing software.

Caution with vectorial images

Before inserting a vectorial image (.eps or .pdf) in a file aimed to be uploaded to the platform, you have to flatten the transparency, and convert your image in four-color process (CMYK) or RGB. Then, saving, make sure to generate the embedded page thumbnail.

Missing / modified images

Before uploading a file to the platform, you must check there is no missing or modified image. To check if any image is missing click on File > Package in Adobe InDesign. In the dialogue box, select the section Links and Images.

Figure 1. Images list display in InDesign

Scaling contents (sampling)

Not recommended practice

Some graphic designer are used to insert their images without resizing them; they rescale them directly in the desktop-publishing software. This method is not recommended in documents aimed to be uploaded to the platform because it makes heavy file, which will overload the server when it will compose the page or generate the PDF. This remark concerns rasterized images only, not vectorial images. Vectorials elements created with Adobe Illustrator® are working properly in Wedia.

Rasterized images in a file must be resized from 90 to 120% of their original size. Beyond, the scaling must be done in an appropriate software, such as Adobe Photoshop®.

Scaling frames

InDesign allows the resize of a frame and its content applying a scaling factor. This feature is to be use carefully: it can generate, in some cases, image placing issues in the frames after uploading it to the web server. We recommend you run some tests before launching your production.

Unique colorimetrical environment

Technically, nothing stops you from mixing RGB and CMYK images in your publication. However, issues may appear when the file is sent to the printer. To avoid any problem, we recommend you to choose and only use one colorimetrical environment in a publication:

  • for a publication aimed to be printed, we recommend to use CMYK images

  • for a publication aimed to be emailed or published online (or for office printers), we recommend to use RGB images

Deep-etching: Alpha coat or deep-etch path

If you use deep-etched images to wrap the text of a paragraph, we recommend you to choose between one of the two following solutions:

  • either use an image format supporting transparency (ALPHA coat): PSD format, TIFF format or PNG format. Inserting it, the desktop-publishing software will detect the transparency limits (ALPHA coat) to wrap the text.

  • or create a deep-etch path in Photoshop®, then export the image in TIFF or EPS format. Once you insert the image, the desktop-publishing software will detect the deep-etch path to create the text wrap.

Image effects: mirror, Photoshop® effects, shadows…

Last generations of desktop-publishing software offer many image effects which used to be exclusive features of retouch softwares: hue saturation, blur, shadow, glow…

You can use these effects in file prepared for the Wedia platform.

OPI – Open Prepress Interface

Generally, you must, when possible, activate the OPI option when importing an image. However, using an OPI system with a Wedia platform requires approval of our technical service.

In Adobe InDesign, this option is only available when importing EPS files. To activate it, select a frame, click on File > Place…​ In the dialogue box of importation, check the box Show Import Options. After selecting your EPS file, this will open a new dialogue box in which you will access to the OPI option activation.

Layer option when placing a Photoshop® image (.psd)

When you place a Photoshop® image with several layers, Adobe InDesign allows you to change the visibility of the layers in the frame, without needing to open Photoshop® again. Please check with your project manager if your production version of InDesign server will support this feature beforehand.

Anchored objects

We call “anchored objects” any image frame inserted in a text paragraph. The frame reacts like a character, which can be centered, have a line break,…​

Anchored objects are used a lot in long documents as they allow to display illustrations within paragraphs. This way, any line or column break will move simultaneously the text and its illustrations linked.

If your document has anchored objects, you must run tests and have Wedia approval before to launch your production.