topic Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code in ArcGIS Pro SDK Questions

Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 15:33:45 GMT

I am encountering a problem when exporting a layout to a pdf through code at 2.5. The output pdf colors are seriously washed out. The same code has successfully worked in prior Pro Versions. The code itself, is quite simple and in fact was mostly lifted from ESRI. If I export the layout interactively through Pro itself, the output PDF is correct and does not have the washed out effect.

I understand at 2.5 'Color Management' has been introduced. I have not touched any of those settings in Pro so it is running in 'default' mode. However, in code I notice the PDFFormat object has the property 'HasColorProflile'. In code I test this value and it returns true that the PDFFormat does have a color profile. As I am new to the 'Color Management'
bit, I am not sure if this is related to this or not.

I have looked at the available methods for the PDFFormat object and have not found anything that appears to allow me to intervene.

Regardless, the output I am getting is not correct. The attachments illustrate the problem:

Any input would be appreciated.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 15:46:04 GMT

I have checked the attachments and the 2.5 Version does not reflect the 'washed out' look I am getting. Not sure why it is not rendering the same once I post it to this forum.

Hopefully this screen shot render properly and illustrate what I am encountering.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 19:08:59 GMT

Thomas,

What application (and version) are you viewing the export PDF in where it appears washed out?

Regards,

Jeremy W.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeffBarrette — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 19:13:08 GMT

I have reproduced the issue in 2.5. For me I see a difference when Color Management is enabled or disabled in the Application (so changing the state in one project will affect another project). To confirm, goto Project--> Options--> Color Management. For me, when Color Management is disabled, I see the 'washed out' effect. When enabled, setting HasColorProfile = true/false has no difference in the visible output. When CM is disabled, HasColorProfile is ignored.

Is it possible this setting has changed within the project?

Thanks

Jeff - Layout Team

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:05:22 GMT

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for your inquiry.

On the machine where I am running Pro 2.4 where everything works, I am running Adobe Acrobat Version 11.0.23

The Pro 2.5 version was relying on Adobe Acrobat Version 11.0.17. Following your question, I went ahead and updated my Adobe installation on this machine to the latest Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, version 2020.006.20034. Unfortunately, I am still getting the washed out results with 2.5 ,regardless of the color setting.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:07:27 GMT

Can you check the status of the color management setting on your 2.5 machine, as per Jeff Barrette's recommendation below?

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:27:35 GMT

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for you input. I just replied to Jeremy's inquiry about the version of Adobe. Unfortunately, the washed out results were the same regardless of the Adobe version.

I have tried enabling/disabling the Color Management option, but encounter the same results in the pdf regardless.

However, I do see a difference in the Pro 2.5 Interface regarding the CM. When I disable the CM option, the layouts within Pro on the screen show fully saturated colors. When I enable the CM, the layouts have the washed out look within Pro itself as well.

As I mentioned in my note to Jeremy, the pdf outputs carried the washed out results regardless of the CM setting or the versions of Adobe.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:30:50 GMT

OK - the "washed out" appearance is perhaps reflecting the effect of the layout being set to CMYK?

Check under the layout properties->color management and see if the Color Model is set to CMYK or RGB.

Change it to RGB, and try your export again.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:39:18 GMT

The option was set to RGB. I haven't altered any of the default CM Settings. I am including this to display the other default values of the CM options.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 21:42:52 GMT

Sorry for the confusion. Check the layout itself's properties (right-click on the layout node in the Table of Contents, choose properties, go to the Color Management tab). There you'll find the color model assigned to the layout itself. This is used to render the layout whether or not color management is enabled (reflecting for example, the color reproduction capabilities of a printer vs. a monitor)

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 22:55:50 GMT

My apologies for not reading your last response more carefully regarding checking the layout's color management properties rather than the project's. Once again I ran the application twice, one time with project cm set to enabled and once with cm disabled. I have included some screen shots showing the layout's cm. In both instances, the layout CM is set to the RGB Color Model.

The first screen shot shows the washed out look of the layout in Pro with the Project CM Enabled. This results in the washed out PDF export result.

The second screen shot shows the fully saturated layout in Pro with the Project CM disabled.

The layout CM properties in both instances are the same.

The PDF output from both carries the washed out look.

Thanks again for your input.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 23:03:30 GMT

Next thing to check is the map itself - does it have the color model set to RGB, or CMYK?

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 23:27:41 GMT

Map color model is set to RGB

Map Properties with Project CM Enabled

Map with Project CM Disabled

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 23:29:59 GMT

and you are getting the washed out appearance from both UI and from API, or only from API? Sorry all the questions - this is probably better addressed via a tech support call but I'm invested now .

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeffBarrette — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:45:49 GMT

Hello Thomas. Would it be possible for you to send me a project package (ppkx) of your project?

If possible, send to jbarrette@esri.com

Jeff

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 16:14:02 GMT

When Project CM Enabled:

Map in Pro - Washed Out

Layout in Pro - Washed Out

API Generated PDF of Layout - Washed Out

Native Generated PDF of Layout - Washed Out

When Project CM Disabled:

Map in Pro - Fully Saturated

Layout in Pro - Fully Saturated

API Generated PDF of Layout - Washed Out

Native Generate PDF of Layout = Fully Saturated

Additionally, the PDF output carries errant 'lines' in all combinations

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeremyWright — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 17:30:09 GMT

Thomas, the lines issue is an artifact in the PDF reader's display caused by partially transparent raster content (the heat map in this case). We are in contact with Adobe about this.

From your testing, core export from UI is working as designed, so Jeff is investigating this from the API standpoint now.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

ThomasCox — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 17:37:48 GMT

Thanks Jeremy.

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

JeffBarrette — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 00:15:06 GMT

Thomas, this issue should be addressed in Pro 2.7 when exporting to PDF using the SDK.

Jeff - Layout Team

Re: Encountering WashedOut Colors exporting Layout in 2.5 to PDF through code

IanLadd_Tourmaline — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 20:18:45 GMT

I'm having the same issue, I've adjusted the CM settings, the layout settings, and still it is exporting washed out. In my experience, Pro has always been terrible with color. I built a map with CM on, then when I sent the aprx. to a client, they had CM turned off and the colors were dramatically different. Any solution to getting the export to display properly?