For the Fixup to do what it is supposed to do, the following requirements must be met:

• The file contains vector or text elements.
• The elements can be created as CMYK or as Spot Color.

Figure 1: The Basic Settings tab as well as the Advanced tab of the Fixup Add White Outline for Colored Areas

The following options can be used to create a white Outline for colored areas:

Basic Settings

• Apply to [1] – select the objects for the creation of the white Outline in the selection menu. The following options are available:
  • Vector only – a white outline is only created for vector areas of the selected color.
  • Text – a white outline is only created for texts of the selected color.
  • Text and Vector – a white outline is created for texts and vector areas of the selected color.
  • Variable Content [8] – - select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the object type should be retrieved. The following values must be found in the selected field so that the selection is executed:
    • Vector
    • Text
    • VectorAndText
• Use Spot Color [2] – activate this option if you want to add a white outline to a Spot Color object. All Spot Colors and Technical Colors from the Print Item as well as all system-wide defined Spot Colors are available.
• CMYK color value [3] – activate this option to enter the CMYK color values of the object for which you want to create the white outline. The entered color is displayed in the preview image.
• Line Width [4] –enter the desired Line Width of the white Outline here. For the Variable Content [8], select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the Line Width should be retrieved.
• Stroke Alignment [5] – in the selection menu, select how the Outline is should be aligned with the edge of the object. The following options are available:
  • Midline – the outline is centered on the edge of the selected object. When you e.g. enter a Line Width of 2 pt, 1 pt will be on the outside of the object edge and 1 pt inside the object edge.
  • Outside – the outline is placed on the outside of the edge of the selected object. When you e.g. enter a Line Width of 2 pt, the entire outline will be on the outside of the object edge.
  • Inside – the outline is placed on the inside of the edge of the selected object. When you e.g. enter a Line Width of 2 pt, the entire outline will be placed on the inside of the object edge.
  • Variable Content [9] – select the desired placeholder - database field or user-defined field - from which the value for the stroke alignment should be retrieved. The following values must be present in the selected field so that thee selection is executed:
    • midline
    • outside
    • inside
• Reduce to outer border [6] – activate this option in case you only want to add a white outline to the outer edge of the selected object.

Advanced

• Layer Name [10] – enter the name of the Layer on which the white Outline will be created. If no separate layer should be created, remove the name from the input field. For the Variable Content [12], select the desired placeholder - Database field or User-defined field - from which the value for the layer name should be retrieved.
• Conformity of the processing steps according to ISO 19593-1 [11] –  a white outline should be created by default according to ISO 19593-1 on the Outline layer in the Structural group of the InkFree type. Find further information on the ISO standard in the description Processing Steps ISO 15931-1.

Figure 2: Left: values in the selected field for the option Apply to; Right: values in the selected field for the option Stroke Alignment

To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Sample_Add White Outline for Colored Areas.pdf". The file shows a rose on a pink background. A white outline is now created for the rose.

After applying the Fixup, the file "Sample_Add White Outline for Colored Areas_End.pdf" is created. A white outline was created for the rose. The values from Figure 1 were used.

Figure 3: Left: initial file; Center: edited file where a white outline was added; Right: close-up view of the rose with added white outline in the Print Item Editor

Article update: Workflow 1.17.2 – 08/2024