| Distilling PDF/x1a with Distiller 6.0
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What is PDF/X-1a?
PDF/X is a subset of the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) specification that is intended to reflect best practices in graphic arts file exchange. PDF/X-1a restricts the content in a PDF document that does not directly serve the purpose of high-quality print production output, such as annotations, Java Actions, and embedded multimedia.PDF/X-1a also eliminates the most common errors in file preparation. According to a GATF (Graphic Arts Technology Foundation) survey conducted in January 2002, among the 10 most common errors in client PDF files were the following:
- Fonts not embedded
- Wrong color space
- Images missing
- Overprint/trap issues
Sending your document as a PDF/X-1a file will guarantee that these errors do not occur because for a file to be confirmed as complying to the PDF/X-1a standard:
- All fonts and images must be embedded
- All elements must be encoded as CMYK or spot
copied from pdfx.pdf White Sheet found at www.Adobe.com
General Tab:
Select Acrobat 4.0 compatibility
Object level compression off
Auto rotate off
Binding left
Resolution 2400
All pages
Optimize for fast web
Units Points
612.00 x 792.00
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Images Tab:
All resampling and compression should be off.
Choose maximum image quality.
When assembling a file, high resolution images should be used and written into the pdf.
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Fonts Tab:
ALWAYS embed ALL fonts!
Embedding fonts assures the integrity of the file. If the fonts are not embedded, every time the file is brought up on a different computer, the fonts will change according to the fonts available to it. Such an occurance defies the logic of a “printready” pdf. |
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Color Tab:
The high resolution images being written into the file are presumably, approved CMYK images properly prepared for high end printing. Leave all color unchanged. |
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