Using spot colors in SpectraProof is easy: Any CxF or CGATS file can be used to import measured spectral data into SpectraProof for precise spotcolor visualization. Or you can use the built-in measurement tool and directly measure spectral data in M0/M1/M2 mode in SpectraProof. All measured or imported spectral spot colors can be named and sorted into individual color libraries. These libraries can then be used in SpectraProof on a customer, project, printer, ink, or substrate scale.

Even ramps for all spot colors can be measured or imported in CxF or CGATS format.

What is CGATS and CxF?

CGATS (Committee for Graphic Arts Technologies Standards) and CXF (Color Exchange Format) are file formats and standards used in color management, particularly in the graphic arts and printing industries. Both formats are designed to represent color measurement data and color profiles, but they serve slightly different purposes.

CGATS (Committee for Graphic Arts Technologies Standards):

  • CGATS is a standard developed by the International Color Consortium (ICC) for storing color measurement data and device profiles.
  • It is commonly used to exchange data between different color management systems, software, and hardware devices.
  • CGATS files typically store information related to color measurements, such as spectral data or Lab color values, and related metadata.

CXF (Color Exchange Format):

  • CXF is a file format primarily used for the exchange of spectral color data, especially in the textile and apparel industry.
  • It is designed to represent spectral reflectance and transmittance data, which provides a comprehensive description of how a material reflects and transmits light across the visible spectrum.
  • CXF files are often used to create and share color recipes for dye formulation and color matching.

Key differences between CGATS and CxF:

The primary difference between CGATS and CXF is the type of color data they are intended to represent:

  • CGATS is more versatile and is commonly used for a wide range of color management tasks, including device characterization, color matching, and proofing. It can represent color measurement data in various forms, making it suitable for a variety of graphic arts applications.
  • CXF, on the other hand, specializes in representing spectral data. This makes it especially useful for industries where accurate color matching is critical. This is especially true for dyes and textiles. It is not as widely used as CGATS in the broader field of color management.

In summary, both CGATS and CXF are standards for representing color data, but their focus and use cases are different. CGATS is more general purpose and widely used, while CXF is specialized for specific industries with a strong emphasis on spectral color data. The choice of format depends on the specific requirements of the color-related tasks in a given industry or application.