How can I use a .csf file?

October 2, 2013 1:25 PM

Color management! How can I get Adobe Creative Suite (5 and 6) to recognize a .csf file?

I'm designing ads for a local glossy magazine, and I inquired if the printer had a custom profile for their press, for the purpose of accurate color management. I was, of course, expecting an ICC file, but what I got was a .CSF file, and I have no clue what to do with it.

FWIW, I'd only be using this profile in Photoshop and Illustrator. I looked around in Bridge, but could find no option to add a color profile anywhere. I'm not much of a Bridge user, though, so I may have missed something.

My intarwebs search-foo has failed me on this one. Hopefully the hivemind holds the answer.

posted by Thorzdad to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

If you only need the settings in InDesign, you can use the "Edit > Color Settings..."" menu option, and then press the "Load..." button to navigate to the .csf file, and load it into InDesign. If you are using any other CS app in this project (Illustrator, Photoshop,etc.), then you should probably load the settings into all the CS apps, by launching Adobe Bridge, and doing the same thing from the "Edit > Creatine Suite Color Settings..." menu option in Bridge.

From http://forums.adobe.com/thread/458069
posted by bensherman at 1:35 PM on October 2, 2013

Response by poster: L. I found that thread in my initial searches. It doesn't work. There isn't any way I can find to add the profile via the Creative Suite Color Settings panel. It's just a selection menu for Adobe's canned profiles.
Sorry to threadsit. I had a feeling I would have to answer questions.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:45 PM on October 2, 2013

In my copies of CS6 ( I checked Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign), all of them offer to let you load a .csf file. From the top menu go to Edit > Color Settings. There should be LOAD button in the top right area of the popup that lets you search for the .csf. It's in a slighly different place depending on which program you're in.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 2:31 PM on October 2, 2013

In my copies of CS6 ( I checked Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign), all of them offer to let you load a .csf file. From the top menu go to Edit > Color Settings. There should be LOAD button in the top right area of the popup that lets you search for the .csf. It's in a slighly different place depending on which program you're in.

That's what I was going to say.
posted by phaedon at 2:32 PM on October 2, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks guys. I just discovered that, too. Though, it isn't a permanent fix. And, after loading it, selecting "Save" doesn't give me any clue where I should save the setting. Or, if it's saving the csf file or just a preference setting.

I did more digging on my Mac, and found the folder where Adobe stores all the color settings (as opposed to color profiles) and, wouldn't you know it, it's a folder full of csf files. I dropped my file in there and now the setting shows up in all of my Adobe apps as a selectable color setting.

Whew!
posted by Thorzdad at 2:45 PM on October 2, 2013

Response by poster: For those on a Mac, the file path to the folder full o' csf files is...
Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Color > Settings
posted by Thorzdad at 3:09 PM on October 2, 2013

Or, if it's saving the csf file or just a preference setting.

I'm not sure I totally understand the distinction you're making but in Photoshop for example, if you add an RGB profile, the preference will save to the application and affect any image you open. It loads automatically when you start PS. I'm not entirely sure how you might not see this as a permanent fix. In my mind, it's probably as permanent as it should be.

In the same Color Settings window you can also set Profile Mismatches and Missing Profiles to "Ask when Opening" so that you will be prompted every time you open or paste to an image. I definitely do this.
posted by phaedon at 5:56 PM on October 2, 2013