Quick Fix overview

QuickFixes versus Fixups

 

QuickFix is a new type of PDF manipulation feature. Whereas Fixups are based on a powerful PDF analysis and modification engine with extensive customization capabilities, the QuickFix architecture is  based on a comparatively lean analysis engine combined with highly specialized modification modules. The main implications are

  • QuickFix is much faster than comparable Fixups
  • QuickFixes are less customizable than Fixups
  • QuickFixes exist only for certain PDF modification functions, there are many types of modifications that can only be achieved through Fixups
  • in some cases both a QuickFix and a Fixup are available for more or less the same functionality; one would choose QuickFix  if speed of the essence, and a Fixup, if customizability is more important.
  • in some cases the limited degree of customizability of a QuickFix as such can be overcome by using a QuickCheck based analysis and some JavaScript to set parameters for a QuickFix on the fly

Functional areas

QuickFixes exists for the following functional areas:

  • Spot color
  • Page geometry
  • Scale/rotate/flip pages
  • Create/duplicate/reorder/delete pages
  • Layers (including Processing Steps metadata)
  • Output intents
  • PDF/VT DPart

Where to find and use QuickFixes

QuickFixes can be used either as a step in Process Plan or on their own (they are listed in the Fixup view). As QuickFixes are based on a completely different architecture than Fixups, they cannot be included in a Profile. In addition, QuickFix can be executed directly on the command line, using JSON files.

QuickFixes as Process Plan steps

Standalone QuickFixes (in Fixups list)

JSON file based QuickFix mode for pdfToolbox CLI

On the command line, it is possible to execute a QuickFix directly, using a JSON file based QuickFix configuration. For details see the article Using QuickFix on the command line.

Example:

./pdfToolbox my_quickfix_config.json my_pdf_file.pdf
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JavaScript based QuickFix as Process Plan steps

The below shown JavaScript based configuration must return a JavaScript object that has a JSON serialisation according to the specification for the Quick Fix features in the form as documented here.

For more information and an example of a JavaScript based configuration Quick Fix can be found here.