A large part of the new features in DMP FLO Suite 4.0 are focused on production tools for printing companies. Input control of PDF files are an essential part of these tools. Next to that, we also wanted to create some workflows where advanced information about the contents of PDF files was needed. Callas supplied the technology needed for these new features with their pdfToolbox Server 4.
About callas
callas software GmbH, Berlin, is a technology innovator and industry leader in the development of software for the analysis and processing of PDF files. The callas product range contains some of the most highly regarded PDF
tools in the industry, including Acrobat plug-ins and command line tools. callas also license programming libraries to prefl ight, correct, color convert and optimize PDFs for print and online publishing, document management and
archiving.
callas plays an active role in supporting industry standards and participates in DIN, ISO, CIP4, the PDFXready initiative, the European Color Initiative and the Ghent PDF Workgroup. callas software is also a contributing member in organizations and associations of industry leaders and experts including AIIM, Fogra, VOI as well as being a founding member of PDF/A Competence Center.
Founded in 1995 by Olaf Drümmer, callas has become highly regarded throughout the publishing industry for the accuracy, reliability and ease of-use of its products. Whenever PDF fi les need to be prepared for print production, electronic distribution or archiving, callas software is known as the indispensable technology provider.
About pdfToolbox
callas pdfToolbox 4 gives all aspects of working with PDFs a massive boost with a greatly extended feature set no longer tailored just for prepress users. With pdfToolbox 4 you’ll get your tasks done better and in less time through a gorgeous new interface that makes mastering the most arduous tasks a breeze.
Powerful new features in pdfToolbox 4 include added functionality for imposing everything from business cards and booklets to N-up imposition; improved controls for creating great-looking PDF presentations; and easy creation of PDF versions for localized information or multiple-languages even when you don’t have the creator document or application.
pdfToolbox 4 also builds upon its predecessor's enviable reputation for professional high-end production tools with advanced color controls and an updated version of the same preflight engine used in Adobe® Acrobat® that now supports the latest ISO standards for PDF/A and PDF/E as well as the recently released PDF/X-4, PDF/X-4p and PDF/X-5. pdfToolbox 4 also provides PDF slicing and gluing to split or join PDF content; controls to scale, fit, move, extend, rotate and flip PDF content; and the ability to embed, subset, replace and convert fonts to outlines while maintaining correct character spacing and without bloating document sizes.
So when we tell you that performing all these once-complex tasks is now a breeze you might find it hard to believe, but with pdfToolbox 4 getting your PDFs right really is simpler than ever before.
Some feature include:
Powerful document manipulation tools for everyone
Prepares professional looking handouts and presentations for on-screen and printed delivery
Easily creates language or regional versions with extensive support for localization workflows
Imposes anything from simple booklets to fully-fledged Booklet, N-up and Step&Repeat impositions for digital printing
Options to scale, fit, move, extend, rotate and flip pages and content
Powerful layering features and the ability to slice pages into text and non-text
Selectively remove and import new content; double burn pages; insert empty pages or duplicate pages
Easy access to frequently needed tools through personal workspace
Appealing user interface that adds tremendous fun to dealing with PDF
Ability to contact support from within the user interface, vote on features and get updates
And production tools for the specialists
Font controls include embedding, subsetting already embedded fonts (saving up to 50% space over other subsetting tools); replacing fonts and converting to vector outlines
World-leading, easy-to-use color tools to make spot colors from process, convert to B&W, output documents created in Microsoft® Office, support for DeviceLink and more
Easy exporting of ICC profiles embedded in PDFs
Standards supported now include PDF/X-4, PDF/A-1 and PDF/E-1 as well as Ghent PDF Workgroup specifications and all PDF/X standards
Prepress pro companion: replace an incorrectly defined Output Intent, modify overprint and knockout for black and white, adjust TVI and more
Professional color management for non-experts
World’s most powerful color tools; adjust for type of output with a click; conversion to B/W that just works
Produces reports for numerous aspects in your PDF, including font usage or image overviews
Usability to the max!
Completely revamped user interface
Lets you place frequently needed tools in your personal workspace
Easily get in touch with callas software: contact support from within the user-interface, submit feature requests, get frequent updates
Get the most out of metadata
Intuitive browsing of document metadata including for images embedded inside the document
Support for all relevant industry metadata standards including Dublin Core, IPTC, PRISM, AdsML, PLUS, EXIF and Camera Raw
Facilitates metadata based researching in Yahoo, Wikipedia, Amazon, Google and AskMetaFilter
Supports GPS data for use with Google Maps, OpenStreetMap and Google Earth
XML export of all document and object level metadata for tracking image use and licenses
Backoffice integration
The integration of pdfToolbox follows our usual strategy. We start with a “generic” implementation in our own backoffice. In the case of pdfToolbox, this means (for now) that you can run profiles on selections of PDF files in assetFLO, and that you can specify profiles for input control. More implementations will follow over the next few months.
To check that existing PDF files conform to a certain standard, you add them to the search results in our digital asset management module and check them. In the resulting popup window, you can select any of the pdfToolbox profiles that exist on the server. After selecting the profile, a list with all of the PDF files is shown, and these are checked one by one. AJAX technology makes sure that you don’t have to wait for the entire set to be checked. After a few seconds, the first files are ready, and you can start examining the results.
If errors are found in any of the PDF files, you will get an overview of the number of errors in the list. Selecting one of the files will give you the option to view:
- the HTML report of the warnings
- a PDF file with layers (containing the pdfToolbox warnings)
- a PDF file with annotations (again containing the warnings)
- the PDF file with fixes (if applicable)
Besides the manual use and selection of profiles, it is also possible to use pdfToolbox for input control. Select the profile that the files need to conform to (and optionally apply the fixups to the incoming files), and any file that generates errors is blocked from input in a FLO Suite dropfolder. This way, you are sure that all PDF files conform to your quality requirements in your database publishing solutions.
Workflow integration
But as usual, we offer the possibility to integrators (or to your own technical people) to implement the new functionalities in custom database publishing workflows or web2print applications. Just a few lines of VB.NET code in your workflow will check the validity of a file against a pdfToolbox profile. The resulting object will give your programmers information about:
- the number of errors/warnings
- the complete XML report of pdfToolbox
- physical paths and URL’s to the generated reports (for use in a web interface)
This way, you can use the pdfToolbox functionalities in any of your database publishing or web2print workflows.
Interface integration
And undoubtedly some of those workflows will have interfaces. Again, a few lines of code can be used to check any file. Submission of PDF files for print is just a single example. As always, you can use our content management system to create any interface you want on top of these functionalities. If you don’t have any programmers, an integrator can create the workflow (and interface) for you. This is done completely based on standard HTML and VB.NET code, so the only limitation is your imagination.
The pdfToolbox features can also be used in a front site on top of an Enfocus Switch workflow. End users can upload a PDF file, which is immediately (and within seconds) checked by pdfToolbox. If the file contains warnings or errors, your integrator can decide how to visualize these. If no errors are found, the file is placed in the starting folder for the Enfocus Switch workflow, and processed as needed until it reaches production.