Find out in this article,
- which requirements must be met to carry out this Fixup and
- how to apply the Fixup.
1. Introduction
The Fixup Create Outline to Vector Objects is available in the Workflow. This Fixup aims to create a contour for searched vectors.
2. General
The Fixup Create Outline to Vector Objects can be used to create an outline for vector objects in the specified width and alignment. The outline has the same color as the object itself. The Fixup can be used, among other things, to visually enlarge texts and areas that have been converted into outlines.
Find the Fixup in the Data Preparation tab of an Article, Order or Production Job by:
- entering the name of the Fixup in the Filter area,
- activating the option Color in the Category area,
- activating the option Add in the Action area,
- activating the option CMYK, Spot Color and Outline in the Search area.
3. Description
This Fixup can be used to create an outline for selected vector objects. To find the vector objects, it is possible to fill them with CMYK or with a Spot Color. In addition to adding the outline, determine the alignment, and the Overprint State for the outline.
Several layers are created!
When the Fixup is used for more than one vector group - i.e. vectors of the same color value - a separate layer is created for each vector group.
Example: First, an outline is created for vectors with the color values 100/0/0/0. This vector group is placed on a specially created layer. Then an outline is created for vectors with the color values 0/100/0/0/0. This vector group is again placed on a newly created layer.
3.1. Requirements and Functionality
For the Fixup to do what it promises, the following requirements must be met:
- The file contains vector objects.
- The vector objects do not have an outline.
- An additional outline within the vector object can be present.
Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Create Outline to Vector Objects
The following options can be selected to create an outline for vector objects:
- Templates [1] – settings that are selected in the dialog can be saved as a template and thus applied to other Articles/Print Items.
- Spot Color [2] – by clicking on this option, a system-wide defined Spot Color as well as Spot Colors in the currently loaded Print Item can be selected for the searched and filled vector objects.
- CMYK Color Values [3] – click on this option to enter the color values in CYMK for the filled vector objects to be searched. The color entered is displayed in the preview image.
- Line Width [4] –enter the value of the desired contour thickness here. For the Variable Content [7], select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the line width should be retrieved.
-
Stroke Alignment [5] – select how the outline is aligned or placed in the selection menu. The following options are available:
- Midline – the outline is centered on the edge of the vector object. In other words: With an line width of 2 mm, 1 mm of the outline is created outside the edge and 1 mm inside the edge. In graphic applications - such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign - this setting is used by default to create an outline.
- Outside – the outline is placed on the outside of the edge of the vector object. In other words: With a line width of 2 mm, the entire outline is created outside the margin.
- Inside – The outline is placed on the inside of the edge of the vector object. In other words: With a line width of 2 mm, the entire outline is created inside the margin.
-
Variable Content [8] – select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for selecting the outline alignment should be retrieved. The following values must be found in the selected field for the alignment to work:
midlineoutsideinside
- Overprint State [6] – click on the respective option to select whether the created outline should be overprinted or set to Knockout.
Figure 2: Values in the selected field for the option Stroke Alignment
3.2. Before/After
To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Outline Vector.pdf". The text in this example has already been converted to an outline. This outline has a color value of 0/0/0/100.
After applying the Fixup, the file "Sample_Outline Vector_End.pdf" is created, where the text has been made slightly thicker by the Fixup. The values from Figure 1 were used.
Figure 3: Left: initial file; Right: edited file where an outline was created for the font
Artikel update: Workflow 1.17.1 – 04/2024