Predefined "Processing Steps" library

With pdfToolbox 16, the predefined "Processing Steps" library is available. This library includes predefined Profiles, Process Plans, Checks, and Fixups - all related to Processing Steps. This article provides a brief overview of the components in this library:

  1. "Add Processing Steps layers"
    Puts objects using technical colors on Processing Steps layers. Is part of the predefined Process Plan "Prepare PDF using technical colors with Processing Steps layers" (3).
  2. "List Processing Steps metadata information"
    Provides information about what Processing Steps metadata is present in a PDF file, whether any layers are empty etc.
  3. "Prepare PDF using technical colors with Processing Steps layers"
    Remove existing layers and put objects using technical colors on Processing Steps layers and print content on a layer "Design". See below for more details.
  4. "Verify compliance with Processing Steps (ISO 19593-1) for packaging and label"
    An implementation of all requirements of the ISO standard. It allows to check whether the PDF complies with this standard.

Prepare PDF using technical colors with Processing Steps layers

This Process Plan automates the process of adding Processing Step layers to a PDF file. To automate this process, a collection of spot color names commonly used in practice for all Processing Step types was required. To achieve this, we created the "Technical colors questionnaire" where users can enter their commonly used spot color names for these objects:

The Process Plan is based on this collection and will help you automatically add Processing Step layers to your PDF files:

  1. First, all existing layers in the PDF will be removed to create the proper Processing Step layers.
  2. The Profile places all objects identified by a list of spot color names (based on the technical colors spreadsheet) onto Processing Steps layers. For example:
    • Objects using the spot colors "Cutting," "Dieline," "Stanze", etc., are placed on a layer called "Cutting" with the Processing Steps metadata "Structural:Cutting".
    • Objects using the spot colors "White," "Weiss," "Wit", etc., are placed on a layer called "White" with the Processing Steps metadata "White".
  3. All print content (objects not assigned to a layer) is placed on a new layer called "Design".

Adjusting the Process Plan to your needs

As mentioned, the spot color names defined in the Process Plan are based on our questionnaire and cover the most commonly used spot color names. However, if you use specific names for Processing Step objects (such as varnish layers, cutlines, barcode areas, etc.), you can easily adjust the predefined spot color name list in the "Add Processing Steps Layers" Profile. To do so:

  1. Unlock both the Process Plan and the Profile to enable changes.
  2. Search for a specific Processing Step in the list of Fixups where you want to add one or more spot color names, and click the Pen icon to edit it.
  3. Open the Check listed under "Objects identified by a check:" and add the spot color name to the list.

The technical color spreadsheet is still accessible, and you can continue adding spot color names. To access the spreadsheet, visit the "technicalcolors" subdomain on the callas software website.

For pdfToolbox 15 and earlier versions

Until pdfToolbox 15, the two profiles "List Processing Steps metadata information" and "Verify compliance with Processing Steps (ISO 1959-3-1) for packaging and label" can be found in the "PDF Standards" library.