Photoshop DCS 2.0...What's the purpose?

[agentphish]

Hello-

I'm a graphic designer, but I never heard of anyone ever actually using a Photoshop DCS 2.0 or 2.5 EPS file before.

I have recently picked up a freelance client who has specifically requested that I use the Photoshop DCS EPS files that they provided to me, explicitly telling me not to convert them.

When I was in school years ago, no one ever talked about DCS files, and even at the agency I worked at (I'm a corporate design guy now) we never used or even talked about DCS files...

So I'm looking for someone to shed some light on this for me.

Thanks!

 

[shecky]

i think dcs (desktop color separation) format is for saving the separations in one file. something like that. it may have to do with the specific output device your client is using.

just a guess.

edit: from adobe:

Desktop Color Separations (DCS) format is a version of the standard EPS format that lets you save color separations of CMYK images. You can use DCS 2.0 format to export images containing spot channels. To print DCS files, you must use a PostScript printer.

 

[agentphish]

So is there truly a reason that I/they would NEED to use them...

 

[Claytoniss]

So is there truly a reason that I/they would NEED to use them...

I just did a project with these files! LOL!!! Why can't everything be full color!

 

[MacLeod71475]

Are there PMS, hexachrome or metallic spot colors needed for the job? That is why I will/need to use the DCS format from time to time.

 

[Jim Campbell]

So is there truly a reason that I/they would NEED to use them...

If you want to get a PANTONE into a Photoshop bitmap without it getting separated to CMYK, then DCS is the way to go ...

Cheers!

Jim

 

[jecapaga]

I use dcs when creating spot colors in channels in pshop for separations.

 

[cordovazart]

Dcs

Hello-

I'm a graphic designer, but I never heard of anyone ever actually using a Photoshop DCS 2.0 or 2.5 EPS file before.

I have recently picked up a freelance client who has specifically requested that I use the Photoshop DCS EPS files that they provided to me, explicitly telling me not to convert them.

When I was in school years ago, no one ever talked about DCS files, and even at the agency I worked at (I'm a corporate design guy now) we never used or even talked about DCS files...

So I'm looking for someone to shed some light on this for me.

Thanks!

DCS files are for printing your spot separations that you have created in channels from photoshop in illustrator. Its like manually creating a "screenprint separator". Your file has to be placed in illustrator in order to output film in separate colors.

 

[Jim Campbell]

Your file has to be placed in illustrator in order to output film in separate colors.

A Photoshop DCS will separate just fine when placed in Quark or InDesign documents, too.

Cheers

Jim