PDF/X Checkup 3.0 includes two additional plugins: ImageAlter and BoxEditor. ImageAlter allows the user to modify the resolution, compress the image, and change the image color of the PDF file. BoxEditor is a plug-in that quickly edits the bleed and cut frames required by PDF/X. It has a library for storing published specifications at any time. When the user clicks the "Fix All" button, Checkup automatically corrects most errors to produce a correct PDF. The /X file also adds any missing tags required by the PDF/X standard. In addition, Checkup can add or modify output intents, either using a registered name or using an ICC profile, as required by PDF/X. The Checkup Details window lists all the errors or warnings found during the preflight and stores the complete report as a text file. PDF/X Checkup can detect TrueType fonts, JPEG images, spot colors, image resolution, and more.
3. ARTS PDF ImageWorks 2.0 and Crackerjack 4.2
Both products provide some preflight features, although they are not considered as true preflight products, but they can be used as image editing and color separation tools, respectively.
ARTS PDF's ImageWorks allows you to perform color transformations, image modifications, and image resampling, all without having to leave Acrobat. ARTS PDF's Crackerjack allows you to examine PDF documents with embedded or unembedded fonts, with options for correcting, printing, or eliminating print jobs. ARTS PDF Print Suite Plus bundles these two products.
4. Creo's Synapse Prepare Pro 2.0
Synapse Prepare Pro 2.0 is a process tool for generating and preflighting upstream PDFs (targeted to high-end users), allowing users to quickly generate PDF files and precisely match the technical specifications of a specific printing environment. The product specifications provided by the printing press are given in the form of "instructions". Users can generate accurate PDF files from original applications such as QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign. The PDF can also include preflight information, and the press runs its customer's PDF files via Synapse Prepare Pro to perform preflight checks and generate reports. These reports are called log files and list general information, errors and warnings as well as fonts, colors, images, etc. Some errors can be automatically corrected (such as RGB conversion to CMYK), and some errors require the user to return to the original file for modification.
5. SWiNG ​​ViSA 1.0 for DALiM
SWiNG ​​ViSA 1.0 is a new server-based tool for generating, preflighting, and optimizing PDFs, using a "soft interpolation" strategy to preflight PDFs at generation points. As a Linux-based full contract server sold to Macintosh customers and installed on the client. SWiNG ​​ViSA can generate PDFs accurately. The output options are locked directly in the Macintosh Print dialog box, or can be assigned to the desktop hot folder according to the exact specifications of the printing supplier. Prints in the background according to the predefined settings (it appears in the Print dialog drop-down menu item) and executes the Postscript to PDF conversion process. If printing fails, Auto-preflight generates a report that needs to be modified. If passed, a PDF is generated and automatically sent to the printer via any number conversion method (FTP, VPN, etc.). SWiNG ​​ViSA can perform PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-3 specifications, or any set of specifications attached to the printer.
6. Enfocus Instant PDF 2.2, StatusCheck 1.2, PitStop Professional 6.0, PitStop Server 3.0
Enfocus's products have powerful upstream and downstream settings and provide instructions for all stages of PDF generation, preflighting, editing, and printing, and are called Certified PDF Workflows. When the certified PDF encounters PDF/X or other domestic and foreign standards, the certified preflight profile is enforced.
In the Enfocus certified workflow, the PDF generation process can be started with an instant-executed PDF, and the Adobe Acrobat plug-in defines the correct settings for the target PDF in the Adobe Acrobat Distiller (such as encountering the PDF/X Plus specification), which is defined in the print queue. Enfocus PDF generates a preflighted PDF for immediate execution. If an error is found, the producer returns to the original file, corrects the error and resends it to the PDF print queue. StatusCheck is a plug-in for both Adobe Reader and genuine Adobe Acrobat. StatusCheck allows anyone to check the status of a document's certified PDF, and is widely used to pre-install PDF standard feature files such as PDF/X-1a, PDF/X Plus, and PDF/X-3, as well as native PDF specifications such as Ghent PDF Workgroup members PDF feature files.
A more sophisticated PDF workflow, including PitStop Professional, passes preflights and edits interactively. The PitStop Professional tool allows you to check and automatically or manually correct the most common 100 errors in your PDF file, making text, images, line drawings, colors, and other PDF properties change. When pre-screening PDF files, Enfocus Certified PDF technology is embedded in reports in PDF profiles, preflight files. When the user edits, visual feedback is immediately available, all editing and timestamping can be tracked, version editing and rollback are allowed. Enfocus also offers the PitStop server for automatic confirmation, preflighting and correction of PDFs.
Enfocus also created CertifiedPDF.net, an online PDF specification resource. The distributor can be loaded with certified profiles and other specifications of the printing customer for download and installation by the user to ensure that the PDF is generated based on the user's printing requirements.
7. Jaws PDF Courier 1.4 by Global Graphics
Jaws PDF Courier is a web software development kit (SDK) for upstream preflighting for customer sites to ensure that customer-generated PDF files can be printed. Using servers and customer-based applications, users of printing companies can build custom web publishing and PDF workflow document delivery services. With Jaws PDF Courier, generating custom PDFs can be previewed and pre-screened. For the sake of security, it can be automatically encrypted and then automatically transmitted to the location of the printer for decryption. The file is confirmed here and ready to print a report to the customer. The Enfocus PitStop library is used during preflighting to correct errors automatically. Browse-based job ticket information can be integrated into the Jaws PDF Courier workflow.
8. MarkChecker's FlightCheck Professional 5.0
Markzware's FlightCheck Professional 5.0 is the latest version of the universal preflight tool. FlightCheck Professional uses a simple drag interface to scan all types of files, including InDesign, QuarkXPress, PageMaker, Multi-Ad Creator, Illustrator, Photoshop, FreeHand, CorelDRAW, PDF, and other formats. FlightCheck checks a file hundreds of times and warns the operator of possible problems in the digital file, including incompatibility of fonts and graphics, as well as problems with color space and resolution, ensuring the validity of the file. After confirmation, FlightCheck Professional generates a detailed report explaining whether or not the included document passes the pre-test, etc., before the document is ready to be printed. In addition to OS X compatibility, the new PDF features in FlightCheck Professional include a specific PDF target model that allows access to more complex details within the PDF file, depending on Adobe's specifications and the new PDF FlightPlan. Used to check precise file format standards, including PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, Medibel, etc.
9. Quite a Box of Tricks 1.5 and Quite Revealing 1.0
Quite a Box of Tricks 1.5 is a plug-in for Acrobat that provides a large number of preflight tools that allow the user to get detailed information about the PDF, such as whether the font has been embedded, and to check error conditions, perform various edits, and so on. In addition, it also includes the ability to compress images, convert RGB and LAB color spaces to CMYK, fix fine lines, and remove tables. Quite Revealing 1.0 is a PDF inspection tool that allows you to preview the main details about a PDF, including the colors and fonts used, overprint and transparency settings, image resolution, transformation capabilities, and mesh tuning. These two products are sold separately, or they can be combined into a package called "Quite Suite 1."