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BOOK PUBLISHING SERVICESACROBAT DISTILLERINSTRUCTIONSInstructions for Creating PDF FilesIntroduction, Notes, Recommendations

Adobe Acrobat 4.05 PC/MAC…………….…………………………………………….…. 5 Adobe Acrobat 5.05 PC/MAC……………….…..………………………………………… 9 Adobe Acrobat 6.0.1 PC/MAC ………..………………………………………………….. 12 Adobe Acrobat 7 PC/MAC ………..…………………………………………………….... 16

Updated August 15, 2016 by JCS

LSC Communications

LSC Communications

2Updated August 15, 2016 by JCS

INTRODUCTION

PDF and Adobe Acrobat

Portable Document Format (PDF) is technology from Adobe Systems that has become a standard filedelivery format for the graphic arts field. Originally developed as a means of creating and distributingdocuments that are platform independent, a PDF document may be viewed and manipulated in a varietyof computer environments while retaining the richness of the content’s design and layout.

PDF documents may be created in a variety of ways ranging from using tools from the Adobe Acrobatsoftware suite, to saving files in PDF format from applications such as Adobe Illustrator and AdobeInDesign. Lest we give the impression that only documents created in Adobe software can be convertedinto PDF, it is possible to create a PDF document from any software application which can outputPostScript. The PostScript can be sent to Acrobat Distiller, software that converts PostScript into PDF.

PDF Benefits

PDF has greatly benefited the prepress process. A few of its immediate benefits are:

PDF pages can be processed independently of one another because PDF packages all the instructionsand definitions needed to image a page within each page unit. This simplifies late corrections to multi-page documents, and makes imposition far more flexible. The document is no longer constrained in pressforms and can easily be re-imposed and moved to other presses. This will eventually shorten processingschedules.

PDF documents are already partially preflighted because they are created from the PostScript file. If thereis an error in writing the PostScript, PDF distillation will fail. If the distillation is successful, the documentcreator can look at the pages for any unexpected errors before sending the file to the printer. Another pre-processing benefit of PDF is its ability to clean-up complex PostScript files. When a PostScript file isconverted to PDF, it is rewritten into a structure that normalizes the data and helps to eliminateprocessing surprises. We have found that distilling PostScript to PDF often eliminates some of theproblems that cause files to fail.

PDF files are more reliable as on-screen proofs because each page’s imaging resources are self-contained, and they are representative of the PostScript interpretation of your layout files.

PDF files are often smaller than PostScript files, so they can save on network resources for processingand archiving.

The page independence feature of PDF enables document creators to extract, import, and reorganizepages and make new products using their existing intellectual property. Further, PDF supports a variety ofinteractive features like forms, pop-up windows, content coding, and navigation, making the document farmore dynamic for the reader when delivered electronically through the internet or e-books.

Upgrading to Acrobat 5.x, 6.x, or Later

To take advantage of the robust features of Acrobat PDFs, it is desirable to use the most recent versionof the technology. However, there are features of PDF 1.4 (the file format of Acrobat 5.x) and PDF 1.5(the file format of Acrobat 6.x) that cause problems in prepress. Specifically, the transparency featureavailable from Illustrator and InDesign and supported in PDFs since the 1.4 format is not fully supportedby current generation PDF workflows. If this feature is used in submitted files, the resulting transparentelements will print as if opaque and cause prepress processing problems that are likely to affect theschedule and quality of the title. Likewise, the PDF 1.5 format supports the use of layers within a PDF filethat may contain different content, as well as a newer compression method called JPEG 2000. Thesefeatures may be used within a 1.5 format PDF, but they are not supported by current PDF workflows andso may impede the successful production of a title.

Acrobat 3.x and Embedded Fonts


Acrobat 3.x was not capable of embedding the Base 14 PostScript fonts, making the creation of PDF filesless accurate. Therefore, we advise an immediate upgrade to the most current version of the Acrobatsoftware, and no longer endorse the use of Acrobat 3.x.

PDF 1.3 and later formats contain enhancements to font handling that permit the embedding of the Base14 PostScript fonts. (Acrobat 3.x did not embed these fonts under any circumstances.) RR Donnelley’sbook manufacturing platform requires that all fonts (including the Base 14) be embedded in PDF files.This embedding of fonts allows us to take advantage of the full range of Acrobat capabilities andenhancements.

PDF in the Future

Adobe has published specifications for its Portable Job Ticket Format (PJTF), which permits a PDF file tocarry information about production and manufacturing specifications in addition to the content. Likewise,the Job Document Format (JDF) is a specific implementation of XML that has been developed to enablethe integration and digital control of file processes and equipment from prepress to the pressroom tofinishing. Through tools such as these, we expect to be able to improve our service offerings with PDFworkflow as optimization is extended upstream. Systems such as CreoScitex’s Prinergy and Agfa’sApogee enable us to extend this optimization throughout the graphic arts continuum.

PDF workflow offers improvement in speed and reliability. It is a more reliable “raw material” with which tocreate output. But we must work together to implement the technology so that it produces a realimprovement in service and not just another technology nightmare. The information in this document isintended to help ensure that result.


NOTES ABOUT LSC Communications AND PDF

As of January 1, 2001, RR Donnelley’s Book Publishing Services group adopted PDF as its internal file format for all prepress processing. This means that all files submitted in any format will be preflighted and then converted to PDF and passed through our Prinergy workflow system. The Prinergy system will allow us to trap, impose, and RIP files in a native PDF format, allowing our customers to realize all of the benefits of the file format.

Changes in File Preparation

Please submit composite PDF or Postscript files. PDF allows you to view on screen the success (or failure) of the PostScript interpretation of your layout files, and the composite workflow will allow you to see your entire file as it will print, rather than just one color at a time. This will facilitate soft-proofing (on-screen, paperless proofs of your files), and is one step toward a future goal of no-proof printing. Since Acrobat 5, it has been possible to preview the effects of overprints within composite PDF files. This overprint preview should be enabled and used to check for the desirable results of overprint settings controlled by your layout software. Likewise, Acrobat 6 and later permit the viewing of individual separations, which can be a valuable check before releasing final files.

LSC Communications will take the responsibility for trapping all objects in your files, including embedded objects, using Prinergy’s sophisticated and powerful trapping engine.

• If embedded files have properly created traps, you can request that we honor them. Please beadvised that when writing composite PostScript of pages created using QuarkXPress, the traps willnot be retained. QuarkXPress only includes trapping information in separated outputs.

• Prinergy’s trapping engine will do a far better job in maintaining type widths in overprints andknockouts, and will help avoid the choking and spreading of type in your final output.

We require that files be submitted with high-resolution images embedded. Submitting layout files withlow-resolution placeholders instead of the final art will negate the benefit of the pre-test viewing thatPDF offers. Bad EPS files and corrupted TIFFs are major causes of PostScript and rendering failures.

We encourage customers to send their fonts with their files, even though following these instructionswill embed them. This will further facilitate preflight evaluation, and will enable us to make minor textcorrections to your files, such as keylines. Certain fonts have flags set within their resources thatprohibit the embedding of the font into a PDF, due to restrictive licensing on the part of the fontfoundry. By providing those fonts with the PDF file, it should be possible to embed them through ourPrinergy workflow.

If you have any questions about these specifications, PDF, or the Prinergy workflow, please consult your LSC Communications Salesperson, your CSR, or the Prepress department of the respective LSC Communications plant.


KNOWN ISSUES IN ACROBAT DISTILLER 4.05 – MAC/PCThe following is a reference for problems encountered in Acrobat 4.05

One-Color Titles

For one-color titles it is recommended to specify one color only, black. Unexpected output may occur ifusing other colors. For example, using 100 percent Black text and 100 percent Red folios will output thefolios as 70 percent black, not 100 percent.

OPI (Open Prepress Interface)

OPI is a means that allows low-resolution graphics to automatically swap with their high-resolutioncounterpart. We do not support OPI comments within a PDF workflow; therefore, use high-resolutiongraphics only.

Custom QuarkXPress Frames

Simple algorithmic frames (i.e., QuarkXPress’s default frames) output correctly. Custom “bitmap” framescreated through QuarkXPress’s Frame Editor may not output correctly (i.e., the frame corners may notabut). This will be evident when laser proofs are printed from the PDF.

DISTILLER 4.05 SETUP and RECOMMENDATIONS – MAC/PC

Management of the Distilling process is critical. PDFs that generate a log file must be viewed to determineif a log was created because a font was missing or the PostScript was bad. Each PDF log that is mademust be opened immediately and read to confirm fonts and content.

After installing Acrobat 4.05, remove the following fonts (screen and printer) from the hard drive.Removing these fonts prevents the possibility of a Multiple Master font simulating a used font orsubstituting a TrueType format when a PostScript Type 1 font is specified:

Adobe Sans MMAdobe Sans X MMAdobe Serif MMArialArial BlackArial NarrowBook AntiquaBookman Old StyleCentury GothicCentury SchoolbookCourier NewLetter Gothic MTTimes NR MT Extra Bold

It is crucial to go to the Acrobat Distiller Settings menu, select Font Locations, and remove all fontlocation folders. Add the font location folder that contains the specific fonts for the title.

Configure a job options file by matching the screen captures on the following pages. Load Acrobat 4.05and start with the Press Optimize set to ensure that the pages maintain the correct orientation. Afterconfiguring the Press Optimize set, select the Save As… button, name your file, and save it to the AdobeAcrobat 4.0:Distiller: Settings folder.


JOB OPTION PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 4.05 MAC/PC

General Select: Acrobat 4.0 Compatibility Deselect: ASCII Format Select: Optimize PDF Select: Generate Thumbnails Select Resolution: 2400 (dpi) Select Binding: Left

Compression Deselect: Bicubic downsampling (On Color, Grayscale, and

Monochrome images) Select Compression: ZIPs Select Quality: 8-bit (For Color and Grayscale images) Select Compression: CCITT Group 4 (For Monochrome

images) Select: Compress Text and Line Art

Font Embedding Select: Embed All Fonts Select: Subset All Embedded Fonts Below at 100%

(This is a recommended selection) Select When Embedding Fails: Cancel Job


JOB OPTION PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 4.05 MAC/PCContinued

Color Select: Leave Color Unchanged Deselect: Tag Everything for Color Mgmt Deselect: Tag Only Images for Color Mgmt Deselect: Convert All Colors to sAGB Select: Preserve Overprint Settings Select: Preserve Under Color Removal and Black

Generation Select: Preserve Transfer Functions Select: Preserve Halftone Information

Advanced Deselect: Use Prologue.ps and Epilogue.ps Deselect: Allow PostScript File To Override Job Options Select: Preserve Level 2 copypage Semantics Select: Save Portable Job Ticket Inside PDF File Select: Process DSC Deselect: Log DSC Warnings Select: Resize Page And Center Artwork For EPS Files Select: Preserve EPS Info from DSC Deselect: Preserve OPI Comments

(We do not support OPI in a PDF workflow. High-resimages must be embedded)

Select: Preserve Document Info from DSC Width: 8.50 Height: 11.00 Units: Inches


DISTILLER 5.05 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 5.05 MAC/PC

General Select: Acrobat 5.0 (PDF 1.4) Compatibility Deselect: Optimize for Fast Web View Select: Embed Thumbnails Deselect: Auto-Rotate Pages Select Distill Pages: All Select Binding: Left Select Resolution: 2400 Width: 612 or Width: 8.5 Height: 792 or Height: 11 Select Units: Points or Select Units: Inches

Compression Deselect: Bicubic Downsampling on Color, Grayscale, and

Monochrome images Select Compression: ZIP (For Color and Grayscale

images) Select Quality: 8-Bit (For Color and Grayscale images) Select Compression: CCITT Group 4 (For Monochrome

images) Deselect: Anti-Alias to gray (For Monochrome images) Select: Compress Text and Line Art

Fonts Select: Embed All Fonts Select: Subset Embedded Fonts When Percent of

Characters Used is Less Than 100%(This is a recommended selection)

Select When Embedding Fails: Cancel Job Remove all fonts on the Always Embed and Never Embed

lists


DISTILLER 5.05 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 5.05 MAC/PCContinued

Color Select Settings File: None Select Color Management Policies: Leave Color

Unchanged Select Intent: Default All Working Spaces options should be grayed-out Select: Preserve Overprint Settings Select: Preserve Under Color Removal and Black

Generation Select Transfer Functions: Remove

(Transfer Functions options are expanded to includeRemove, Preserve and Apply in Distiller 5.0)

Select: Preserve Halftone Information

Advanced Deselect: Use Prologue.ps and Epilogue.ps Deselect: Allow PostScript File to Override Job Options Select: Preserve Level 2 Copypage Semantics Select: Save Portable Job Ticket Inside PDF File Select: Illustrator Overprint Mode Select: Convert Gradients to Smooth Shades Deselect: ASCII Format Select: Process DSC Comments Deselect: Log DSC Warnings Select: Resize Page and Center Artwork for EPS Files Select: Preserve EPS Information from DSC Deselect: Preserve OPI Comments Select: Preserve Document Information from DSC


DISTILLER 6.0.1 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 6.0.1

General Select: Acrobat 5.05 (PDF 1.4) Compatibility Deselect: Object Level Compression Deselect: Auto-Rotate Pages Select Binding: Left Select Resolution: 2400 Select: All Pages Select: Embed Thumbnails Width: 612 or Width: 8.5 Height: 792 or Height: 11 Select Units: Points or Select Units: Inches

ImagesCOLOR IMAGES Select Sampling: Off Pixels per inch: 300 Select Compression: ZIP

GRAYSCALE IMAGES Select Sampling: Off Pixels per inch: 300 Select Compression: ZIP

MONOCHROME IMAGES Select Sampling: Off Pixels per inch: 1200 Select Compression: CCITT Group 4 Select Anti-Alias to gray: Off


DISTILLER 6.0.1 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 6.0.1Continued

Fonts Select: Embed All Fonts Subset Embedded Fonts When Percent of Characters

Used is Less Than: 100% Select When Embedding Fails: Cancel Job Remove all fonts on the Always Embed and Never Embed

lists


Unchanged Select Rendering Intent: Default All Working Spaces options should be grayed-out Select: Preserve Under Color Removal and Black

Generation Select Transfer Functions: Remove Select: Preserve Halftone Information


DISTILLER 6.0.1 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 6.0.1Continued

Advanced Deselect: Allow PostScript file to override Adobe PDF

Settings Deselect: Allow PostScript XObjects Select: Convert gradients to smooth shades Deselect: Create Job Definition Format (JDF) file Select: Preserve Level 2 copypage semantics Select: Preserve Overprint Settings Select: Overprinting default is nonzero overprinting Select: Save Adobe PDF Settings inside PDF file Select: Save original JPEG images in PDF if possible Select: Save Portable Job Ticket inside PDF file Deselect: Use Prologue.ps and Epilogue.ps Select: Process DSC comments Deselect: Log DSC warnings Select: Preserve EPS information from DSC Deselect: Preserve OPI comments Select: Preserve document information from DSC Select: Resize page and center artwork for EPS files

PDF/X All PDF/X options should be grayed-out Deselect: PDF/X-1a Deselect: PDF/X-ANote that LSC Communications Book does not require submission of files that conform to the PDF/X standards, but we do accept PDF files certified to these standards.

Installing the Job Options file[Download file: RRD_Dist_6.joboptions] Go to: Settings menu Select option: Add Adobe PDF Settings Choose: The job options you want to add


DISTILLER 7 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 7

General Select: Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4) Compatibility Object Level Compression: “Off” Auto-Rotate Pages: “Off” Select Binding: Left Select Resolution: 2400 Select: All Pages Select: Embed Thumbnails Width: 612 or Width: 8.5 Height: 792 or Height: 11 Select Units: Points or Select Units: Inches

ImagesCOLOR IMAGES Select Sampling: Off Pixels per inch: 300 Select Compression: ZIP

GRAYSCALE IMAGES Select Sampling: Off Pixels per inch: 300 Select Compression: ZIP

MONOCHROME IMAGES Select Sampling: Off Pixels per inch: 1200 Select Compression: CCITT Group 4 Select Anti-Alias to gray: Off


DISTILLER 7 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 7Continued

Fonts Select: Embed All Fonts Subset Embedded Fonts When Percent of Characters

Used is Less Than: 100% Select When Embedding Fails: Cancel Job Remove all fonts on the Always Embed and Never Embed

lists


Unchanged Select Document Rendering Intent: Preserve All Working Spaces options should be grayed-out Select: Preserve Under Color Removal and Black

Generation Select Transfer Functions: Remove Deselect: Preserve Halftone Information


DISTILLER 7 SETTINGS and PREFERENCES – DISTILLER 7Continued

Advanced Deselect: Allow PostScript file to override Adobe PDF

Settings Deselect: Allow PostScript XObjects Select: Convert gradients to smooth shades Select: Convert smooth lines to curves Select: Preserve Level 2 copypage semantics Select: Preserve Overprint Settings Select: Overprinting default is nonzero overprinting Select: Save Adobe PDF Settings inside PDF file Select: Save original JPEG images in PDF if possible Deselect: Save Portable Job Ticket inside PDF file Deselect: Use Prologue.ps and Epilogue.ps Select: Create Job Definition Format (JDF) file Select: Process DSC comments Deselect: Log DSC warnings Select: Preserve EPS information from DSC Deselect: Preserve OPI comments Select: Preserve document information from DSC Select: Resize page and center artwork for EPS files

Standards Select Compliance Standard: None All other options should be grayed out.Note that LSC Communications Book does not require submission of files that conform to the PDF/X standards, but we do accept PDF files certified to these standards.

Installing the Job Options file[Download file: RRD_Dist_7.joboptions] Go to: Settings menu Select option: Add Adobe PDF Settings Choose: The job options you want to add

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