In this article, you will learn
- which requirements must be met to carry out this Fixup, and
- how to apply the Fixup.
1. Introduction
In the Workflow, the Create Bleed by Mirroring Fixup is available. This Fixup is designed to generate a Bleed for the document by mirroring content from the ImageBox or ImageBox + Bleed.
2. General
The Fixup Create Bleed by Mirroring can be used to generate a Bleed for the print file by repeating pixels, mirroring or stretching the document content.
The Fixup can be found in the footer of the Document information and user-defined fields section within the Print Data tab of an Article, Order or Production Job or in the Data Preparation tab.
3. Description
This Fixup can be used to create a Bleed or extend an existing Bleed. Based on the ImageBox or ImageBox + Bleed, the desired Bleed can be generated by repeating pixels, mirroring or stretching the print file. The BleedBox, CropBox and MediaBox are automatically adjusted to the newly created Bleed.
3.1. Requirements and Functionality
For this Fixup to function as intended, the following requirements must be met:
- A TrimBox must be present in the Print Item. The MediaBox is always present in every PDF file.
- The BleedBox may be present.
- A Bleed for the Print Item may already exist.
To create a Bleed, refer to the following options:
- Templates [1] – settings selected in the dialog can be saved as a template, allowing them to be applied to other Articles/Print Items and used in the Apply Fixups operation.
3.1.1. "Basic Settings" Tab
In the Basic Settings tab, the following options are available to the user:
-
Create Bleed on [2] – select from the dropdown menu where the Bleed should be created. The following options are available:
- ImageBox – the Bleed is created from the ImageBox, which is typically the TrimBox.
- ImageBox + Bleed – the Bleed is generated from the ImageBox + Bleed, which is usually the BleedBox.
-
Method [3] – select the method by which the Bleed should be created. The following options are available:
- Repeat last pixel as Image – the page margins are extended by repeating pixels to create the Bleed. This means that the last pixel at the edge of the Print Item is repeated until the defined Bleed is filled. The Bleed is thus an image at a specific resolution, selected based on the dimensions of the Print Item.
- Mirror page objects – the Bleed is created by mirroring the entire Print Item along the respective page edges and corners, and then cropping the entire Print Item according to the selected area. To prevent the file size from increasing by up to eight times, the mirrored area is created in the PDF as XObjects. As a result, doubling the file size is normal. This method ensures that vectors, text, and images are retained in the Bleed.
- Stretch border area as Image – the Bleed is created by stretching a border area of the Print Item. The Bleed thus becomes an image at a specific resolution, selected depending on the dimensions of the Print Item.
-
Variable Content [6] – select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the method should be retrieved. The following values must be present in the selected field for the Bleed to be generated:
LastPixelCornersPageContCornersImgStretchCorners
- Bleed [4] – enter the size for the Bleed to be generated. By clicking the lock symbol, the values can be entered separately for all pages. For the Variable Content [7], select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the respective Bleed should be retrieved.
- Create Bleed behind existing page content [5] – activating this option will apply the Bleed behind any existing Bleed.
Figure 1: Left: The Basic Settings tab of the Fixup Create Bleed by Mirroring; Right: The default values in the selected Method option field
Consider the figure in the Fixup dialog
Take into account the changing schematic figure in the Fixup dialog when selecting a different method. This allows you to immediately observe the potential advantages and disadvantages that may arise when cropping a Print Item.
Used Resolution
Since the Bleed is created as an image for the methods Repeat last pixel as Image and Stretch border area as Image, a resolution must be specified internally for rendering the Bleed. By default, the resolution is set to 300 dpi for both methods.
3.1.2. "Advanced" Tab
In the Advanced tab the following options are available:
- Auto Bleed Detection and Creation [8] – activating this option automatically generates the specified Bleed. If a Bleed already exists for the Print Item, it will either be extended to meet the specified values, or no additional Bleed will be generated if the desired Bleed is already present.
- Stretch factor [9] – enter the desired stretch factor if you have selected the Stretch border area as image method is selected. A smaller Bleed will result in a lower stretch. The "stretch curve" increase is controlled by the stretch factor, which describes the increasing stretch of an exponential function. Select the desired placeholder for the Variable Content [13] – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the stretch factor should be retrieved.
- Start Point for "Stretch border area as Image" [10] – enter the starting value from which the Image stretching should begin. The values can be entered separately by clicking on the lock icon. For the Variable Content [14], select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the starting point should be retrieved.
- Layer Name [11] – enter the name of the Layer on which the Bleed should be created. If you do not want to create a separate Layer, simply leave the input field blank. For the Variable Content [15], select the desired placeholder – database field or user-defined field – from which the value for the layer name should be retrieved.
- Conformity of Processing Steps according to ISO 19593-1 [12] – by default, the Bleed is created in compliance with ISO 19593-1 on the Bleed layer within the Structural group of the Bleed type. For further information on the ISO standard, please refer to the description Processing Steps ISO 15931-1.
Essential for Automation
The Option Auto Bleed Detection and Creation is not particularly relevant when manually applying the Fixup, as you would not access the Fixup if a Bleed already existed in the Print Item.
However, this option is highly important in the context of Automation. It is also available in other Fixups that create a Bleed, as it ensures that Bleed is not created automatically if one already exists in the print file.
Figure 2: The Advanced tab of the Fixup Create Bleed by Mirroring
3.2. Before/After
To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Beschnitt erzeugen.pdf". This file has a size of 500 x 500 mm and does not include a Bleed.
When applying the Fixup using the pixel repetition method, the file "Sample_Beschnitt erzeugen_Pixelwiederholung" is generated. This file has a Bleed of 25 mm.
Figure 3: Left: Initial file; Right: Edited file with the method Repeat last pixel as Image and a Bleed of 25 mm
By applying the Fixup using the Mirror page object method, the file "Sample_Beschnitt erzeugen_Seitenobjekte spiegeln" is generated. This file has a Bleed of 25 mm.
Figure 4: Left: Initial file; Right: Edited file with the method Mirror page objects and a Bleed of 25 mm
By applying the Fixup using the Stretch border area method, the file "Sample_Beschnitt erzeugen_Randbereich dehnen" is generated. The file has a Bleed of 25 mm.
Figure 6: Left: Initial file, Right: Edited file with the Stretch border area as Image method and a Bleed of 25 mm
Article update: Workflow 1.19.2 – 03/2025