If you're sending PDFs to a publisher or printer, they'll probably need to be verified as PDF/X. Here are a few tools you can use to get the job done.PDF/X is a subset of Adobe's PDF specification created for high-resolution print output and file exchange.
It's the de facto document standard for sending files ready-to-print to press. If you need to produce PDF/X-compliant docs, here are some of the more popular and accessible options.
Exporting Directly from Desktop Applications
Adobe Systems invented the Portable Document Format, so it makes sense it would offer the premier PDF creation tool. Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional ($499.00) lets publishers create and verify PDF files that are compliant with the PDF/X print production standards.
However, some desktop applications can directly export PDF/X files, and this option may circumvent Acrobat as it becomes more prevalent.
"There are now many products where the creation of PDF/X-1a files is getting close to the 'single-click' approach that we envisaged while writing that standard," said Martin Bailey, senior technical consultant at Global Graphics and vice chairman for the Committee for Graphic Arts Technologies Standards (CGATS), in an e-mail interview.
"Some of the big names still have some real improvements to make, but we're definitely making progress."
Adobe Creative Suite 2 applications InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator can export PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3 files.
The Adobe apps also share common PDF presets. Adobe actually recommends creating PDF files by exporting them out of the CS application instead of distilling a PostScript file via Acrobat Distiller.
PostScript, a two-decade old file format, tends to leave out newer PDF information (such as Job Definition Format information).
Stephan Jaeggi, PDF expert from Switzerland-based PrePress-Consulting, notes that Acrobat 6 and 7 Professional can handle PDF/X very well. However, QuarkXPress 6 does not support PDF/X.
Among the new features announced to be in the upcoming QuarkXPress 7 is printing with PDF/X compliant output.
Producing PDF/X-Compliant Docs with Specialized Software
There are a handful of third-party PDF/X creation and preflight applications available. With page-layout application makers including PDF/X creation and correction support built-in, this number may grow smaller.
For the purposes of this article, we'll focus on desktop software solutions. However, PDF/X output options are typically included in PDF workflow server products.
Jaws PDF Creator can create PDF/X documents by printing a PDF file directly from any application or performing a drag-and-drop conversion of EPS or PostScript files.
The PDF/X functionality was added when plug-ins by parent company Global Graphics were included in late in 2004. Global Graphics, $84.
Instant PDF is an XTension/Plug-in for QuarkXPress 6.5 and InDesign CS 3.0. PDF/X documents can be created by direct PDF export and errors are automatically corrected during preflight. Enfocus Software, $199.
PitStop Professional is a PDF preflight, auto-correction and editing tool. Also available in a server-based version, PitStop Professional automatically corrects over "100 of the most common errors encountered" in PDF files. Enfocus Software, $599.
PDF Enhancer Professional has PDF/X support but will convert PostScript and EPS to PDF only on MacOS. Apago, $399.
PDFCorrect is an Adobe Acrobat plug-in that can output to PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3 standards. Callas Software, $194.
FlightCheck Professional is a prepress preflight application that checks for accredited file format standards including PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3. FlightCheck is also available in a server version. Markzware, $499
Mac OS X Quartz Filters give the native OS X 2D drawing engine new functionality including the ability to produce PDF/X-3 files. This additional functionality is accessible in the ColorSync Utility. Apple Computer, $129 for Mac OS X "Tiger."
