Checks and Fixups

With callas pdfToolbox you can use Fixups and Checks. Checks can be used to search PDF files for specific factors, and Fixups allow you to alter files in line with specific criteria. That means that Checks inspect PDF documents, but do not alter them. Fixups allow you to correct or modify your PDF file according to certain criteria. For example, if you want to flatten transparencies, do a color conversion or place content on the PDF file, you can do this with the corresponding Fixup. 

Checks and Fixups are set up in a similar way in pdfToolbox. There are three different ways to apply Checks or Fixups in pdfToolbox:

  1. A predefined Check/Fixup corresponds exactly to the requirements and only needs to be executed.
  2. A predefined Check/Fixup only requires a few parameters to be adjusted.
  3. A Check/Fixup is created from scratch and all parameters are set individually.

Where can I find Checks and Fixups?

To access Checks and Fixups you can use the sidebar on the left side of the main window. Otherwise, the "Tools" menu can be used. Click either on Checks or Fixups. This will open the Profile window. The highlighted icon on the top shows you in which tab you are:

  1. The highlighted icon indicates that we are in the "Checks" section of the profile window.
  2. The highlighted icon indicates that we are in the "Fixups" section of the profile window.

The Profile Window with predefined Checks

The Profile window contains all predefined Checks. Let's take a closer look at the Checks section:

  1. A number of different Checks are supplied as standard. Clicking on an entry in the list will provide a short description of the Check.
  2. After clicking on this button the "Edit Check" Window will be opened. In this window you can adjust the predefined Check.
  3. This button will execute the selected Check on the currently displayed PDF document.
  4. Checks can be created from scratch (see the section "Create a new Check" below).
  5. It is possible to duplicate an existing Check and alter specific elements as necessary (for example changing the resolution or color space). The next article explains how this works.
  6. Users can also delete Checks.
  7. Checks can also be exported and imported. This may be of interest if you need to forward or distribute them within your organization, or if you work with external partners.

Create a new Check

  1. A name for the Check can be defined here.
  2. A short explanation for the Check can be defined.
  3. All Check properties are divided into several groups.
  4. List of all Check properties of the selected group. 
  5. In the search filed you can look for a specific Check property.
  6. After clicking the "Add" button of a Check property, this area displays all the possible options and parameters for the selected Check property.

The Profile Window with predefined Fixups

The Profile window contains all predefined Fixups. Let's take a closer look at the Fixup section:

  1. A number of different Fixups are supplied as standard. Clicking on an entry in the list will provide a short description of the Fixup.
  2. After clicking on this button the "Edit Fixup" Window will be opened. In this window you can adjust the predefined Fixup.
  3. These buttons will execute the selected Fixup on the currently displayed PDF document.
  4. Fixups can be created from scratch (see the section "Create a new Fixup" below).
  5. It is possible to duplicate an existing Fixup and alter specific elements as necessary (for example changing the resolution or color space). The next article explains how this works.
  6. Users can also delete Fixups.
  7. Fixups can also be exported and imported. This may be of interest if you need to forward or distribute them within your organization, or if you work with external partners.

Create a new Fixup

  1. A name for the Fixup can be defined here.
  2. A short explanation for the Fixup can be defined.
  3. All types of Fixups are grouped into different categories.
  4. List of all Fixup Types of the selected category. 
  5. In the search filed you can look for a specific Fixup type.
  6. After selecting a Fixup, this area displays all the possible options and parameters.

Use Checks as filter in a Fixup

Sometimes you want to apply Fixups to the entire document. But there are also cases, where you only want to change specific objects in the PDF file. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to apply a filter to the selected Fixup. This can be done by using a Check that can be stored in a Fixup so that it is only applied to certain objects.

Some Fixups already have parameters that limits the execution to certain objects. Other Fixups don’t have this option. In those cases you might still want to limit the Fixup to specific objects or parameters. For those Fixups you can finde an “apply to” parameter.

In the “apply to” option you will have a list of all Checks that are part of the current library. When selecting a Check, you limit the execution of the Fixup to the objects that hits the Check. The following Image shows an example of the “apply to” Parameter.

The Fixup in the screenshot sends all filled vector objects to the background. "Vector objects (filled)" is a configured Check that identifies filled vector objects.