For the Fixups to do what it promises, the following requirements must be met:

• The file path leads to a file that has been stored in the correct directory on the server.
• The Print Item that should be placed is available as a PDF.
• The file that should be placed is available in its original size.
• Files larger than 5.08 meters can also be processed.
• The file extensions .ps, .eps, .pn, .tiff, .tif, .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .gif, .psd (from version 8.1), .psb (from version 11), .html, .htm and .svg can be processed for the placed file.

Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Overlay PDF on Print Item/Article

To overlay a Print Item on a PDF select from the following options:

• Templates [1] – settings selected in the dialog can be saved as a template and thus applied to other Articles/Print Items.
• Place on Page [2] – for multi-page files, it is possible to select the desired pages on which the PDF is to be superimposed. Examples for entering the page selection are provided in the info box [12]. The following entries can affect the page selection:
  • All – the file is overlaid on all pages.
  • 8 – the file is overlaid on this page.
  • 1-6 – the file is overlaid on pages 1 to 6.
  • -3-1 – the file is overlaid on the last three pages.
  • even – the file is overlaid on even pages (page number).
  • odd – the file is overlaid on odd pages (page number).
  • 1-5,8,13-16 – the file is overlaid on pages 1 to 5, page 8 and pages 13 to 16.
• Origin [3] – select in the selection menu where the PDF should be placed. The following options are available:
  • Page Center – here, the center of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the center of the Print Items.
  • Top – here, the center of the top edge of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the center of the top edge of the Print Item.
  • Bottom – here, the center of the lower edge of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the center of the lower edge of the Print Item.
  • Left – here, the center of the left edge of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the center of the left edge of the Print Item.
  • Lower Left Corner – here, the lower left corner of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the lower left corner of the Print Items.
  • Lower Right Corner – here, the lower right corner of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the lower right corner of the Print Items.
  • Right – here, the center of the right edge of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the center of the right edge of the Print Item.
  • Upper Left Corner – here, the upper left corner of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the upper left corner of the Print Items.
  • Upper Right Corner – here, the upper right corner of the PDF file to be overlaid is placed on the upper right corner of the Print Items.
• Offset Horizontal [4] – the PDF file that should be overlaid is moved along the x-axis (horizontally) by the value entered. "+" values move the file to the right, while "-" values move it to the left. For the Variable Content [13], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the horizontal offset should be retrieved.
• Offset Vertical [5] – the PDF file that should be overlaid is moved along the y-axis (vertically) by the value entered. "+" values move the file up, while "-" values move it down. For the Variable Content [14], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the vertical offset should be retrieved.
• File Path [6] – enter the path that leads to PDF file that should be overlaid. Note that the file has to present on a Workflow server. For the Variable Content [15], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the file path should be retrieved.
• Rotate [7] – enter desired angle for the rotation of the PDF file. For the Variable Content [16], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the rotation should be retrieved.
• Layer Name [8] – enter desired name for the layer on which the PDF file should be created. For the Variable Content [17], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the layer name should be retrieved. IF no layer should be created remove the entry in the layer name field.
• Mark layer as non-printing [9] – by activating this option, the newly created Layer is marked as non-printing. This ensures that a watermark, for example, is displayed but not printed.
• Blend Modus [10] – select which blend mode the line should have in the selection menu. The following options are available:
  • Normal – a line which is set to Knockout with the entered color values is created.
  • Multiply – multiplies the colors of the Print Items with the line color to be created based on the color information of the individual channels. The line is thus overprinting.
  • Overlay – performs a multiplication. The light and dark colors of the Print Item are retained. The color in the Print Item is not replaced, but mixed with the line color to reflect the light and dark colors of the Print Item.
  • Screen – performs a negative multiplication. The result is always a lighter color. If black is used as the line color, the result remains unchanged. If white is used, the line becomes white.
  • Darken – the color of the Print Items is compared with the line color and the darker color is selected as the resulting color. In other words: If the color of the line is darker, it is used. If the color of the Print Item is darker in the respective area, the color of the Print Item remains unchanged.
  • Lighten – the color of the Print Items is compared with the line color and the lighter color is selected as the resulting color. In other words: If the color of the line is lighter, it is used. If the color of the Print Item is lighter in the respective area, the color of the Print Item remains unchanged.
  • Color-dodge – the color information of the line and Print Items is used to lighten the color of the Print Item by reducing the contrast. A mixture with black would therefore not result in any changes.
  • Color-burn – the color of the Print Items is darkened by increasing the contrast based on the color information of the line and the Print Item. A mixture with white would therefore not result in any changes.
  • Soft Light – the color is lightened or darkened depending on the color of the line. If the line color is lighter than a 50 percent grey, the color of the Print Item becomes lighter. If the line color is darker than a 50 percent gray, the color of the Print Item becomes darker. The effect corresponds to illuminating the image with spotlights.
  • Hard Light – the color is lightened or darkened depending on the color of the line. If the line color is lighter than a 50 percent grey, the color of the Print Item becomes darker. If the line color is darker than a 50 percent grey, the color of the Print Item becomes lighter. The effect corresponds to illuminating the image with diffuse light.
  • Hue – the color of the line is used from the hue of the line color and the saturation or luminance of the Print Item color.
  • Exclusion – the color information of the Print Item and the line with the lower brightness value is subtracted from the line with the higher brightness value. If the color white is selected for the line, the color of the Print Item is reversed. A black line results in no change.
  • Luminosity – a result is generated from the hue and saturation of the subject color and the luminance of the line color.
  • Saturation –  a result is generated from the luminance and hue of the subject color and the saturation of the line color.
  • Color – a result is generated from the luminance of the subject color and the hue and saturation of the line color. The gray levels are retained.
• Transparency Group [11] – in the selection menu select how transparencies should be handled in the PDF file. The following options are available:
  • Isolated – the transparencies of the placed file are isolated and therefore not calculated against the background of the Print Item.
  • Not Isolated – the transparencies of the placed file are not isolated and thus calculated against the background of the Print Item.

To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Overlay PDF.pdf". The file contains four Print Items that should be cutted out. The file "Sample_Overlay PDF Dieline.pdf" contains the matching Dielines. With the Fixup, both files should now be placed on top of each other.

After applying the Fixup, the file "Sample_Overlay PDF_End.pdf" is created, where the Dielines have been placed on the Print Item. The values from Figure 1 were used.

Figure 2: From left to right: initial file on which the Dielines should be placed; the Dielines of the file that should be placed; edited file where the PDF files were overlaid

Article update: Workflow 1.17.2 – 04/2024