[NTG-context] intent in \setupbackend

[NTG-context] intent in \setupbackend

[jbf]

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I have a 2022 version of ConTeXt which I have used for the last 3 years. 
It has no problem with:

\setupbackend

[format=PDF/X-1a:2001,

intent=SWOP2006_Coated3v2.icc]

Recently I set up a separate more recent 2025 version of ConTeXt, and I 
get an error with the above intent statement. If I remove intent 
entirely, everything compiles correctly. I don't understand a great deal 
about the 'intent' statement, so bear with my ignorance. For the most 
part, whatever I produce is printed in BW/grayscale, not color.

Two questions:

(1) what has changed with the latest ConTeXt that causes this error with 
that color profile?

(2) If preparing for BW/grayscale printing only, should I be using a 
different profile? I am assuming I cannot simply omit intent= completely.

Julian

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[NTG-context] Re: intent in \setupbackend

[Pablo Rodriguez via ntg-context]

On 5/17/25 07:00, jbf wrote:
> [...] 
> Recently I set up a separate more recent 2025 version of ConTeXt, and I
> get an error with the above intent statement. If I remove intent
> entirely, everything compiles correctly.

Hi Julian,

I think this is intended.

> [...] 
> Two questions:
> 
> (1) what has changed with the latest ConTeXt that causes this error with
> that color profile?

https://www.pragma-ade.com/general/manuals/standards.pdf#page=2 (also
included in the distribution).

This includes the explanation of the automatic configuration of intents.

Just in case it might help,

Pablo
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[NTG-context] Re: intent in \setupbackend

[Pablo Rodriguez via ntg-context]

On 5/17/25 09:00, jbf wrote:
> Thanks Pablo, I had not seen that document. If I understand it 
> correctly, I could probably just leave intent=, and leaving it blank?

AfaIk, according to page 3 of that document this prevents inclusion, but
this is normally fine.

I have tested this with a single file and even veraPDF (a validator)
doesn’t complain about this.

But you have to check first whether this is the right thing for you.

Just in case it might help,

Pablo
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[NTG-context] Re: intent in \setupbackend

[jbf]

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intent=cmyk produces the following in the log file:

backend > profiles > setting format 'PDF/X-1a:2001' to 'PDF/X-1a:2001'

backend > profiles > using color intent 'CGATS001Compat-v2-micro.icc'

backend > profiles > using icc profiles 
'sRGB-v4.icc,CGATS001Compat-v2-micro.icc'

backend > profiles > forcing pdf version 1.3, compression level 3, 
object compression disabled

backend > profiles > permitted colorspaces: rgb 'yes', cmyk 'yes'

colors > defining > supported models: gray 'true', rgb 'true', cmyk 
'true', spot 'true'

transparencies > support > transparency is supported

I guess my question can be reduced to something very simple: is the 
result above acceptable for sending this pdf/x to a printer, given that 
we are printing only in BW/grayscale and that IngramSpark insist on 
pdf/x-1a?

Julian

On 18/5/25 18:10, Pablo Rodriguez via ntg-context wrote:
> On 5/18/25 06:46, jbf wrote:
>> I have to say that I remain confused about the intent statement. Let me
>> explain my confusion. Let's say my preamble says:
>>
>> \setupbackend
>> [format=PDF/X-1a:2001,
>> intent=default]
>>
>> (or I leave the intent blank), using the latest Context version
>> 2025.04.28 14:29 LMTX, my log file tells me, amongst other things:
>>
>> backend         > profiles > using color intent 'sRGB-v4.icc'
> Hi Julian,
>
> this is exactly what
> https://www.pragma-ade.com/general/manuals/standards.pdf#page=3 (near
> the end of the page) explictly states.
>
>> *but I thought that rgb and transparency were not appropriate for PDF/X.
>> Am I right about that?*
> According tohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF/X, colors in PDF/X-1a
> should be CMYK or solid ones (no color composing points of different
> basic colors).
>
> I think RBG and transparencies were adopted in later versions.
>
>> If I change intent to one of the color profiles listed on https://
>> wiki.contextgarden.net/Input_and_compilation/PDF/PDFX all of them cause
>> an error,
> And what happens if you set "intent=cmyk" (from the same page as above)?
>
>> There is clearly something I do not understand about how I should
>> indicate the intent. If the items on the web page indicated above are
>> 'pre-defined output intents', then why don't they work for me? Can
>> someone show me exactly how I should fill out the intent= part of
>> \setupbackend so that I get a valid PDF/X, or indeed can I simply ignore
>> it and just put in default?
> "intent=cmyk" should add a CMYK color profile:
> CGATS001Compat-v2-micro.icc
> (https://github.com/saucecontrol/Compact-ICC-Profiles?tab=readme-ov-file#cmyk).
>
>> Anything I send to print is for grayscale or BW printing, not color.
>> What I currently do is to use an older 2022 version of ConTeXt where I
>> have the SWOP profile, and I think it is simply ignored. It certainly
>> does not cause compilation issues. but the more recent versions do.
> According to
> https://www.pragma-ade.com/general/manuals/standards.pdf#page=3, with
> "intent=cmyk" there is also a gray scale profile added: sGrey-v4.icc
> (https://github.com/saucecontrol/Compact-ICC-Profiles?tab=readme-ov-file#greyscale).
>
> BTW, there might be a minor issue with this in the source. But I’m going
> to ask in a new thread, since it is really independent.
>
> I hope it helps,
>
> Pablo
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