Working with PDF job options

When processing a print output file, where the Print Format is either PDF or PDF/VT-1, you can control its PDF generation settings. These settings include choices of image compression parameters, fonts handling and output intent color profiles.

These settings are controlled by choosing an Adobe Job options file.

Job options files contain PDF generation settings and are normally created and edited in either Adobe InDesign or Adobe Distiller.

Use job options

uProduce uses PDF job options to print and proof PDF and PDF/VT-1 Documents. uProduce provides two default job options files:

  • XMPieHighQuaility High quality, default for creating print output through the Process page.

  • XMPieProofQuaility  Proof quality, default for creating proofs through the Proof page.

For process jobs, you can replace the default job options file with other files. This is done by going to the Process page’s Advanced section and changing the selection in the PDF Export Settings list.

For proof jobs, you cannot replace the default job options file. However, you can edit its settings, as explained in the following section.

Modify or add new job options

You may want to set different selections for the PDF generation settings, for example, a specific color profile for the output intent. To do this, either modify the existing job options files, or add a new job options file (for process jobs only). This is done by changing the contents of the uProduce job options folder.

Job options files are placed in the following uProduce folder:

<XMPie Installation Drive>:\XMPie\XMPieData\Shared\Settings\JobOptions

You can modify existing job options files, to change the way these files create PDF print files. For example, to change the PDF generation settings of a proof job, edit the XMPieProofQuaility file.

You can also add new job options for process jobs. The new files you place in the JobOptions folder are added to the Process page’s PDF Export Settings list.

Note: When adding new job options, make sure that no InDesign instances are running.

Work with job options on extension servers

If you are working in a PersonalEffect Cluster configuration, the uProduce Director that manages the Cluster synchronizes its JobOptions folder with those of all extension servers. There is no need to manually update the JobOptionsfolders on the extension servers.

While job options are handled automatically, you are required to handle color profiles manually. A job options file allows you to choose a color profile that serves as the output intent for PDF output. Color profiles are NOT synchronized by the uProduce Director on all Extension Servers. Therefore, if you use a non- system-default color profile, you must install it on all Extension Servers.

Restrict on job option selections

The XMPie production process requires certain hard-coded settings, which override the settings in the Job Options file. You should be aware of these restrictions when you modify job options or add new ones. These overridden settings depend on the type of PDF you are processing, with some uProduce internal considerations:

  • PDF Print Format

    • Single-Record PDF: When generating a separate PDF for each recipient (that is, when going to the Process page’s Production and Deployment section, setting Print Format to PDF and enabling Separate file for each record), there are no restrictions.

    • Legacy PDF:  When generating a batch PDF print output for more than five recipients, the production process creates an optimized PDF file. In this case, the Adobe InDesign job options are applied to the file, with the following exceptions:

      • Optimize for fast web view: Set of Off

      • Acrobat Compatibility Level and Standard are ignored.

      • Marks and Bleeds: All settings are ignored.

    • Others: When generating batch PDF print output for fiver or fewer, the production creates a PDF directly with InDesign. In this case, the following settings are ignored:

      • Optimize for fast web view: Set to Off.

      • Marks and Bleeds: All settings are ignored.

      In some cases an Optimized PDF will be generated, for example when using Imposition.

  • PDF/VT-1 Print Format

    • Optimize for fast web view: Set to Off.

    • Acrobat Compatibility Level and Standard are ignored, as PDF/VT-1 requires specific settings.

    • Marks and Bleeds: All settings are ignored.

  • Legacy PDF: When generating batch PDF print output for more than five records, the production process creates a postscript file, which is later transformed into a PDF file through a mechanism called distilling. In this case, any job options that apply to Adobe InDesign, but not to Adobe Distiller, are ignored. Note that any settings that are implemented in PDF, but not in postscript, are ignored as well.