A Perceptual linear or radial gradient was always written as an image,
so a gradient of spot ink tints lost its plate, and no warning named the
spot ink.
PDF export now writes a Perceptual gradient whose stops are tints of one
spot color (and paper white) as a Separation shading in that ink. Its
tints follow the gradient's curve: at each stop the renderer places on
the curve, the tint with the OKLab lightness of the color there.
Dithered fills, freeform gradients and Perceptual gradients that mix a
spot color with other colors are still images, and the export now warns
when such a gradient has stops linked to a spot swatch that its spot
colors are written in process colors.