Checking processing steps information
Having correct processing steps information can be important for the functioning of automatic workflows. As such, pdfToolbox implements a number of specific processing steps Checks.
Checking for presence
This condition returns true if processing information is present in the document, false if it is not.
Checking for conflicts
This condition can be used to find out whether the same processing steps information is used for more than one layer. If two layers are marked "Structural" > "Cutting" for example, it makes it harder to figure out which of those two is the actual die-line, and it might indicate other problems with the file or the workflow.
Identifying layers with specific processing types
This condition is useful to identify specific processing steps layers in a document. Multiple items can be searched for by listing each item on a new line (as in the example above). Each line must have one of three possible formats:
-
<group name>
The line contains just the name of a processing steps group, no type is mentioned. This will create a hit for any processing steps layer that has this specific group (regardless of type). -
<group name>:<type name>
The line contains the name of a processing steps group, followed by a colon (':'), followed by the name of a processing steps type. This creates a hit for any layer that has the specified group and type. -
:<type name>
The line contains a colon (':'), followed by the name of a processing steps type. This creates a hit for any layer that has the specified type (regardless of group).
Identifying custom processing steps information
The processing steps standard defines a list of predefined groups and types, but it also allows custom values to be used when none of the predefined values can be used. This condition finds layers where such custom values are used.
Specifying whether Processing Steps information is checked or not
When PDF files with Processing Steps information are processed it is not only necessary to check for the Processing Steps information itself, it should also be possible to specify for each Check whether it is applied to information on a Processing Steps layer as well or not. E.g. a Check that creates a hit for images where the resolution is too low may not be as useful for objects on Processing Steps "Legend" as for regular page content.
It is possible to add a condition to every Check that rules out objects on a Processing Steps layer.
In pdfToolbox 13 that becomes more convenient, there is new pop up in the sidebar that allows you to specify whether or not Processing Steps information should be taken into account or not. Since the Processing Steps groups White and Varnish are "almost" regular print content it is possible to include only this information.
