1. Introduction
Print Data is checked when it is uploaded into the Workflow. Thereby, corresponding indications of possible errors or warnings in the data are already provided at the start of production. For the normalization of print data, however, standardized Fixups are to be applied to the Print Data. Thereby, on the one hand, the number of errors is reduced, on the other hand, the Print Data is optimally prepared for production.
Those responsible in the prepress department and in production management must decide in advance between the following two options of normalization:
- should certain Errors and Warnings be displayed so that they can be corrected manually afterward, or
- should Fixups immediately eliminate Errors and Warnings
Regardless of how you decide, the necessary options are available for both approaches in the Workflow.
Why are not all Fixups available for generating a Check-in Template?
In the Workflow, a clear distinction is made between normalizing Print Data and preparing Print Data for printing. With the normalization step, Print Data is brought to a uniform standard for Data Preparation. The corresponding Data Preparation for production is triggered at a later stage by applying individual Fixups or applying Fixup Chains.
The creation of the possibility to do everything in one step reaches the limits of feasibility in very many cases. The probable decisive reason is that in many cases the execution of Fixups has to be done in a certain order. Exactly this possibility is given to the user in Durst Workflow with the creation of a Fixup Chain.
2. Available Fixups
Normalization of the print file is based on the activated Fixups, as well as on the settings selected for the individual Fixup in a Check-in Template. Over 30 Fixups are available in the Workflow for configuring a product-specific Check-in Template. The number of available Fixups grows from version to version, depending on user requests.
Below, all available Fixups are listed and provided with additional information, category as well as recommendations. This allows you to quickly decide whether you want to use this Fixup for your Check-in Template or not.
2.1. Set initial view (if missing)
Category: Page Content
Description: Use this Fixup to determine how the PDF is displayed after the file is opened in Acrobat Pro or Adobe Reader. The document is fitted in the window and displayed with the sidebar open by default this way
Field of application: If PDF files from the Workflow need to be displayed frequently in Acrobat Pro or Adobe Reader, this Fixup helps standardize the Workflow by always displaying at the same zoom level in Acrobat Pro or Adobe Reader.
Figure 1: The settings area for the Fixup Set initial view (if missing)
2.2. Remove Hidden Layers
Category: Document, Layers, Object, Page Content
Description: Deletes all currently hidden layers of the print file including all objects on them.
Field of application: By deleting the hidden layers with the objects on them, you reduce the number of objects to be checked. Furthermore, you prevent unwanted activation of the hidden layers when Print Items are imposed in the Impose Editor.
Figure 2: The settings area for the Fixup Remove Hidden Layers
Always activate?
Activating the Fixup is generally recommended to avoid unplanned activation of hidden layers in the Imposition. If hidden layers are still needed in the process, make sure that Print Items with the same layer name and different visibility are not used together in an Imposition.
2.3. Downsample and/or Compress Images
Category: Image
Description: Recalculates the resolution to the selected resolution and compresses images with the selected compression for selected image types.
Field of application: On the one hand, use this Fixup to reduce the resolution of high-resolution images in print data to the maximum useful resolution and, on the other hand, compress images that were until now uncompressed. Obtain the content in print data lossless or lossy to reduce the file size of the print file.
By reducing the file size of print data, less storage space is used in the Workflow and the opening of print data in external tools such as OnPoint is shortened. Note, however, that this does not automatically reduce render speed, since compressed files must be decompressed during rendering, which also takes time.
Figure 3: The settings area for the Fixup Downsample and/or Compress Images
Recalculation only for original sizes
The recalculation of the resolution during check-in should only be applied to print data that is already available in the original size. If the dimensions of the print data have to be changed afterwards, recalculate the resolution to the final size that has already been adjusted. The identical Fixup is available in the Workflow for this purpose.
2.4. Remove BX…EX entries
Category: Page Content
Description: Removes BX...EX entries in the page description. BX...EX is sometimes used to bracket new page operators to create a certain degree of backward compatibility with old PDF rendering programs. A PDF renderer may ignore page operators bracketed with BX...EX if it does not support them. These entries are forbidden in many PDF standards.
Field of application: You can use this Fixup without hesitation because it only removes entries in the PDF that are suppressed during rendering. For some PDF files, it was possible to eliminate non-existent Spot Color entries with this.
Figure 4: The settings area for the Fixup Remove BX...EX entries
2.5. Unify Spot Color appearance
Category: Color
Description: Identifies similar Spot Color names with different spelling and consolidates the names. This Fixup uses the first occurrence of the Spot Color, regardless of the appearance, which may be different for similar names.
Field of application: Use it to correct the different use of upper/lower case or the use of spaces versus underscores in Spot Color names.
Figure 5: The settings area for the Fixup Unify Spot Color appearance
Note
Since the first occurrence of the Spot Color is used, it is possible that in unfavorable constellations the color value of different Spot Colors is made equal. For example, if there is a Spot Color "red" - a bright red - and a Spot Color "red" - a wine red - in the PDF file, this Fixup can make the two colors the same by unifying then. Thereby, only one red hue would be in the PDF file.
2.6. Set Title to filename
Category: Dokument, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-6
Description: Synchronizes the title entry in the document information of a PDF with the file name. The presence of a title entry is required for PDF/X compatibility.
Field of application: Some PDF viewers display the Title metadata entry in the document bar rather than the filename. Use this to synchronize the file name with the title entry in a PDF and thus ensure that a PDF/X check fails because of a missing entry in Title.
Figure 6: The settings area for the Fixup Set Title to filename
2.7. Make document XMP Metadata compliant with PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-6
Category: Page Content, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-6
Description: Removes XMP metadata entries in a PDF if they are not PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-6 compliant.
Field of application: Use this to correct the metadata entries in a PDF to make it PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-6 compliant. Use it to ensure that a PDF/X check fails because of an incorrect entry in the metadata.
Figure 7: The settings area for the Fixup Make document XMP Metadata compliant with PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-6
2.8. Discard embedded PostScript
Category: Page Content, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-6
Description: Removes existing PostScript commands in a PDF to create PDF/X-compliant print data on the one hand, and to make an output in print equal to the visual display in the PDF on the other.
Field of application: Existing PostScript commands in a print PDF can completely change the appearance of the subject in print.
Since you don't want to encounter any surprises in print, you should use this Fixup in any Check-in proofing Template. In addition, it will ensure that PDF/X checking fails due to the presence of PostScript commands in the PDF.
Figure 8: The settings area for the Fixup Discard embedded PostScript
2.9. Embed missing fonts
Category: Font
Description: Attempts to search for and embed missing fonts in the system. The search uses the default font directory of the system (where the Workflow is installed) as well as the additionally entered path to a directory. Example path: D:\PMS_DATA\ZuniComm\FONT_STORE
Field of application: Use this Fixup to correct print files where fonts were not embedded when the print file was created. Typical problem files are print files created from Office applications where the standard fonts such as Calibri, Arial, Times, etc. are not embedded when creating the PDF.
You should use this Fixup in every Check-in Preflight and Fixup template, so that the Workflow is interrupted by showing an error.
Figure 9: The settings area for the Fixup Embed missing fonts
Upload fonts in the Workflow
In the directory D:\PMS_DATA\ZuniComm\FONT_STORE those fonts are stored which are needed by the Workflow in general and also for rendering VDP text elements which have been created in a custom font.
If you want to upload additional fonts for access in the Workflow, do not copy the fonts manually to the above directory but use the Font Manager in the Workflow to provide fonts for the Workflow.
However, if you do not want to make your font pool accessible to the Workflow via the Font Manager, create a new directory on the workstation where the Workflow is installed and copy all fonts into it. Then enter the path to this folder in the Fixup. Note that no subdirectories will be searched. The list of fonts must be created in a flat directory in the newly created directory!
2.10. Discard hidden layer content and flatten to visible layers
Category: Layers, Object, Page, Page Content
Description: All objects on currently hidden layers are removed and all layers, including hidden layers, are flattened (removed from the document).
Field of application: Use this Fixup only if you do not need layers in your print data and thus never want to conflict with layers of the same name with different visibility in the Imposition.
Figure 10: The settings area for the Fixup Discard hidden layer content and flatten to visible layers
Alternative handling of layers
However, if you need to handle layers in your Workflow, we recommend using the Remove Empty Layers or Remove Hidden Layers Fixups, as this will keep all "valid" layers for you in production.
2.11. Discard all JavaScripts
Category: Page Content, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-6
Description: Removes existing JavaScript commands in a PDF, on the one hand to create PDF/X-compliant print data, and on the other hand to make an output in print equal to the visual display in the PDF.
Field of application: Existing JavaScript commands in a print PDF can partially change the appearance of the Print Item in print.
Since you don't want to encounter any surprises in print, you should use this Fixup in any Check-in Preflight Template. In addition, it will ensure that PDF/X checking fails because of existing JavaScript commands in the PDF.
Figure 11: The settings area for the Fixup Discard all JavaScripts
2.12. Lift ERP - Checks and Fixups
Category: Lift-ERP
Description: Allows access to special Checks and Fixups - automatic scaling of the Print Item to the expected size within a defined tolerance - from Lift-ERP.
Field of application: Add this Fixup to every Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template if you use Lift-ERP as the leading solution in your company.
Figure 12: The settings area for the Fixup Lift ERP - Checks and Fixups
2.13. Remove Empty Layers
Category: Layers, Object, Page, Page Content
Description: Deletes all currently empty and therefore unneeded layers of the print file.
Field of application: Deleting empty layers reduces the complexity of a PDF file, eliminating a user's uncertainty when visually checking a print file.
Add this Fixup to any Check-in Preflight Template. The Fixup can be applied safely to all print data.
Figure 13: The settings area for the Fixup Remove Empty Layers
2.14. Substitute characters using "notdef glyph" with space characters
Category: Font, Text
Description: The glyph .notdef should be used if no valid glyph can be found, and it should not be referenced directly. Some PDF-based ISO standards prohibit such direct references. These Fixups remove these .notdef glyphs without changing the appearance of the page.
Field of application: In most cases of using the notdef glyph, spaces are replaced by this glyph. Removing referenced notdef glyphs is mandatory for creating PDF/X-compliant PDF files.
Add this Fixup to any Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template if you want to generate PDF/X-compliant print data.
Figure 14: The settings area for the Fixup Substitute characters using "notdef glyph" with space characters
2.15. Discard OPI information
Category: Page Content, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-6
Description: Removes all OPI information as required by PDF/X and PDF/A.
Field of application: OPI information is information about the location of original images. Since print data should include the original images, such information should be removed to check the actual available image resolution as well as the used color space of the image.
Add this Fixup to any Check-in Preflight and Fixu Template if you want to generate PDF/X-compliant print data.
Figure 15: The settings area for the Fixup Discard OPI information
2.16. Discard private data from other applications
Category: Document
Description: Removes private data stored in a PDF file by other applications - Adobe Illustrator, ArtPro, Packz. This Fixup can help to significantly reduce file size in certain cases, but may affect functionality in other applications that rely on such private data.
Field of application: If an Adobe Illustrator file was saved as a PDF and the option Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities was used, the PDF file contains the PDF Content Stream and the Adobe Illustrator Content Stream - thus the same file is saved twice. If the PDF file is modified in the Workflow with a Fixup, this will only happen within the PDF Content Stream, which will eventually result in the Adobe Illustrator Content Stream no longer matching the PDF Content Stream.
Add this Fixup to every Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template if you want to remove private data - including the Adobe Illustrator Content Stream - from print data.
Figure 16: The settings area for the Fixup Discard private data from other applications
2.17. Apply Rotation Factor
Category: Object, Page, Page Content
Description: Apply the rotation factor defined for each side with this Fixup. After the applied rotation, the factor is set to 0°.
Field of application: Add this Fixup to any Check-in Preflight Template to ensure that the orientation of the subject in the PDF viewer should be the same as the orientation of the Print Item in print.
Figure 17: The settings area for the Fixup Apply Rotation Factor
2.18. Set Spot Colors to "Overprint"
Category: Color
Description: Sets the overprinting status for selected spot colors to "Overprint". If you are not too positive about the overprinting construct, you can alternatively set the Spot Color to Multiply instead of Overprint.
Field of application: Use this Fixup to set all objects that use a Technical Color or output as a color separation, such as Punch, Crease, Dieline, Kiss-cut, Thru-cut, or White, Varnish, etc. to Overprint.
Add this Fixup to any Check-in Preflight Template to use it to set all Technical Colors used in production to Overprint.
Figure 18: The settings area for the Fixup Set Spot Colors to "Overprint"
Which Spot Color names to use?
This Fixup is executed in the Check-in process only after renaming the Spot Colors. Therefore, you only need to enter those Spot Color names in the Fixup to which you have renamed incoming Spot Color names in the Rename Spot Colors Fixup.
2.19. Remove Spot Colors outside PageBox
Category: Object, Color, Page Geometry Box
Description: Deletes all Spot Colors including objects which are completely outside the selected Page Geometry Box.
Field of application: Use this Fixup to remove Spot Color entries in the PDF file for Spot Colors that are entirely outside the selected Page Geometry Box. Reduce the effort for the user when visually checking print data, so that the user does not search for invisible objects with Spot Colors.
Figure 19: The settings area for the Fixup Remove Spot Colors outside PageBox
2.20. Convert Spot Colors with CMYK Alternative Colors to CMYK
Category: Color
Description: Use this Fixup to convert Spot Colors with CMYK alternate color value to CMYK. Spot Color names defined in Exclude Spot Color Names can be excluded from the conversion. Use RegEx (Regular Expressions) to define the spot color names to be excluded.
Field of application: This Fixups converts Spot Colors that have CMYK alternative color values to the assigned CMYK values. In practice, this can prevent color differences between CMYK colors and Spot Colors with the same CMYK alternative color values in the design.
Figure 20: The settings area for the Fixup Convert Spot Color with CMYK Alternative Colors to CMYK
Regular expressions for Fixups
For more information on regular expressions that you can use for Fixups in the Workflow, see the article Regular expressions (RegEx) for Fixups.
2.21. Rename Spotcolors
Category: Color
Description: Adding one or more Spot Colors renames these Spot Color names to the defined Target Spot Color Name.
Field of application: Use this Fixup to rename typical names for Dielines, Varnish, White or Primer to the internal naming convention when checking in print data in order to use uniform names for Spot Colors in production. You can also use RegEx (Regular Expressions) to search and replace.
Figure 21: The settings area for the Fixup Rename Spotcolors
Regular expressions for Fixups
For more information on regular expressions that you can use for Fixups in the Workflow, see the article Regular expressions (RegEx) for Fixups.
2.22. Convert Spot Color names to UTF-8
Category: Color
Description: Spot Color names that are not UTF-8 encoded are renamed to UTF-8 encoded characters.
Field of application: Some PDF-based ISO standards require that all Spot Color names are encoded in UTF-8. Use this Fixup if you need to create print data that must follow ISO standards.
Figure 22: The settings area for the Fixup Convert Spot Color names to UTF-8
2.23. Convert font names to UTF-8
Category: Font
Description: Font names which are not UTF-8 encoded will be renamed to UTF-8 encoded font names.
Field of application: Some PDF-based ISO standards require that all font names are encoded in UTF-8. Use this Fixup if you need to create print data that must follow ISO standards.
Figure 23: The settings area for the Fixup Convert font names to UTF-8
2.24. Remove page scaling factor
Category: Page, Page Content
Description: Removes page scaling factors from all pages.
Field of application: In a multi-page PDF file a different page scaling factor may be set for each page. Page scaling factors can only be present in PDF files with the entry PDF 1.6 or higher.
Use this Fixup if you want to remove existing scaling factors from print data because you want to set a specific page scaling factor at a later time to increase the size of the print data. Also use this Fixup if you need to create PDF/X 1a or PDF/X-3 print data.
Figure 23: The settings area for the Fixup Remove page scaling factor
2.25. Set User Unit
Category: Page, Page Content
Description: Sets the page scaling factor to the selected value. Attention: The displayed dimensions as well as the resolutions in the Workflow represent effective values. The set scaling factor is therefore already included for these values.
Field of application: Use this Fixup if you always receive data from the customer in the ratio 10:1 and you then want to scale them to the correct size for the workflow.
Figure 25: The settings area for the Fixup Set User Unit
2.26. Remove signatures
Category: Page Content
Description: Removes signatures from the document and optionally keeps the visual appearance of the associated objects unchanged.
Field of application: Use these Fixups to remove signatures, since visible signatures cannot be output during rendering.
Figure 26: The settings area for the Fixup Remove signatures
2.27. Apply transfer curves
Category: Page Content
Description: This Fixup applies transfer curves if transfer curves are present in the PDF file.
Field of application: Transfer curves were previously used to overlay a printing characteristic for output. Use this Fixup to ensure that transfer curves are not applied during rendering but that the change is seen early in the PDF viewer.
Figure 26: The settings area for the Fixup Apply transfer curves
2.28. Set transparency blend color space to DeviceCMYK
Category: Color
Description: Always sets the transparency blend color space to DeviceCMYK for all pages. This ensures PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-6 compliance.
Field of application: Use this Fixup whenever your Workflow offsets colors to an intermediate CMYK color space for output. This will flatten RGB and LAB colors into CMYK first in conjunction with transparencies and offsetting methods, resulting in fewer unwanted effects on colors in the output.
Figure 28: The settings area for the Fixup Set transparency blend color space to DeviceCMYK
2.29. Remove overlapping images
Category: Image, Object, Page Box
Description: Crops the image content for the selected image type while maintaining a safe zone to reduce the file's memory requirements.
Field of application: Use this Fixup to remove invisible image content to reduce the amount of memory required for the print file and to allow faster processing for downstream Fixups or rendering.
Add this Fixup to any Check-in Preflight Template to ensure faster processing in the Workflow.
Figure 29: The settings area for the Fixup Remove overlapping images
2.30. Remove overlapping vector paths
Category: Object, Page Box
Description: Crops overlapping vector paths and closes open paths to eliminate unneeded vectors outside the selected area - Page Geometry Boxes, Clipping Paths and FormXObjects.
Field of application: Add this Fixup to every Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template to ensure faster processing in the Workflow. Always add this Fixup to every Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template when creating Impositions with repeated Print Items in upstream Workflows - e.g.: ESKO Automation Engine. Also enable the Form XObject (BBox) option for this template.
Figure 30: The settings area for the Fixup Remove overlapping vector paths
2.31. Rename prohibited Spot Color Names
Category: Color
Description: Renaming prohibited Spot Color names ensures in production that these Spot Colors are also correctly converted to the assigned Output Color Space. If the renaming were not carried out, these Spot Colors would only be output in the pure Process Color available in the printer.
Field of application: If Spot Color Names are used in print data whose name is identical to the name of a Process Color in their printing systems, the color would not be output color-corrected, which is equivalent to a color shift in many situations.
Add this Fixup to every Preflight and Fixup Template and enter a corresponding substitute name for all Process Colors in your printing systems in order to output Spot Colors color-corrected during rendering.
Figure 31: The settings area for the Fixup Rename prohibited Spot Color Names
2.32. Auto-correct nesting of page geometry boxes
Category: Page, Pagengeometrierahmen
Description: TrimBox or ArtBox, BleedBox, CropBox and MediaBox (in that order) must be correctly nested for each PDF/X file. This Fixup makes adjustments where necessary to achieve correct nesting. However, the Fixup removes the ArtBox if a TrimBox is present.
Field of application: Add this Fixup to the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template if you need to create PDF/X-compliant print data in the Workflow.
Figure 32: The settings area for the Fixup Auto-correct nesting of page geometry boxes
2.33. Fix glyph width information
Category: Font, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3
Description: This Fixup matches the character width information of the PDF and the fonts as required by some ISO standards (for example PDF/X-4 as well as PDF/A).
Field of application: Matching the character width rarely results in overlapping glyphs during rendering where the run width cannot be mapped correctly.
Add this Fixup to the Check-in Preflight and Fixu Template if you need to generate PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-6 compliant print data in the Workflow.
Figure 33: The settings area for the Fixup Fix glyph width information
2.34. Remove additional encoding for TrueType fonts
Category: Font
Description: Some PDF-based ISO standards require that an embedded TrueType symbolic font uses no more than one encoding in its "cmap" table. This Fixup tries to remove all but one encoding without changing the appearance. This Fixup is also compatible with other PDF/X versions.
Field of application: Add this Fixup to the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template if you need to create print data according to the required ISO standard in the Workflow.
Figure 33: The settings area for the Fixup Remove additional encoding for TrueType fonts
Article update: Workflow version 1.15.0 – 02/2023