Error “Color Definition / Print Setting… is inconsistent…” when you print or update a book file (FrameMaker 7.x)

Issue

When you print or update a book file, Adobe FrameMaker returns one of the following error messages:

— “Color Definition for color [color] is inconsistent in [file name] .”

— “Print Setting for color [color] is inconsistent in [file name] .”

Solutions

Do one of the following solutions:

Solution 1: Ignore the error message if you are printing to a desktop printer.

If you are printing the book file to a desktop printer, you can ignore the error message; the file will print correctly.

Solution 2: Make the color definitions and/or printing plate settings consistent across all documents in the book.

1. Open the FrameMaker book file, and then open the first file in the book (or a file that includes all the correct settings).

2. Click the book window (or choose the book file from the Window menu) and select all other files in the book.

3. Choose File > Import > Formats.

4. In the Import From Document menu, choose the file you opened in step 1.

5. Select Color Definitions and Document Properties; deselect all other options.

6. Click Import, and then update the book file.

Background information

If you attempt to print book files with different color definitions, then you will receive the inconsistency error message. For example, if a color named “newgreen” is defined in document1 as 100% blue and 10% yellow, but defined in document2 as 90% blue and 20% yellow, you will see this error message.

The Print As Spot and Don’t Print scroll boxes in the Plate Assignment section in the FrameMaker Set Print Separations dialog box enable you to specify which colors to include when printing separations. When one or more colors have a different Plate Assignment setting in the first file in the book than in other files in the book, FrameMaker returns an error message when you print or update the book file. For example, FrameMaker returns an error if White is listed in the Print As Spot field in the first file in the book and is also listed in the Don’t Print field in a subsequent file in the book. However, if Print Separations is selected in the book file’s print dialog box, then FrameMaker does not return an error message; the book settings override individual document settings when you print separations.

If you print the book directly to a desktop printer, these warnings can be ignored safely. However, if you print color separations for use by a commercial printer, you should resolve this error before printing. When you print separations, inconsistent color definitions may cause more plates to print than expected.