Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better
callas software, the market leader for automated PDF quality control and archival solutions, today releases a significant update to its flagship pdfToolbox product line. The update makes pdfToolbox better at manually fixing problematic files, adds an impressive amount of new core functionality for automated usage, and streamlines the creation, testing, and documenting of those automated processes. The update is available immediately
“The focus of the pdfToolbox product line is automation,” says Dietrich von Seggern, CEO at callas software: “This new release is a prime example of that, with lots of new functionality that extends the flexibility of automated workflows. It also focuses on making processing so robust that it can be used in automation without concerns.” David van Driessche, callas’ Chief Evangelist, continues: “Interestingly enough, that means pdfToolbox Desktop – the manual version of pdfToolbox – also received many updates in version 16. The Desktop version is used to prepare the profiles and process plans used in automated workflows and to fix problematic PDF files singled out by the automated process.”
Process plan improvements
While originally invented to allow users to control the order of fixups run on a PDF document, process plans have grown into an incredibly powerful way to modify documents exactly as needed. In pdfToolbox 16, this trend continues. First, integrated support for process plans that need to loop over the pages in a PDF document has been made much more convenient. Additional options to the “Add files” process plan step allow replacing the currently processed PDF file with a completely new file. Lastly, the process plan editor now supports annotations, so you can better document what it does.
New and improved fixups and actions
Fixups and actions allow modifications to PDF documents; either to fix problems, or to make those documents production-ready. pdfToolbox 16 adds a host of additional functionality. Some examples: the “Place barcode” fixup allows using all advanced barcode parameters without the need to create an HTML template, which vastly improves its usability. On top of that, there is now a “Replace barcode” fixup, which lets you search for barcodes, and replace them with a “better” version. A new “Create file” action makes it possible to output text-based files directly from a process plan. A prime example would be using the pdfToolbox preflight engine to detect information in a PDF file and then writing that information into a custom JSON or XML file for further automated processing outside of pdfToolbox. As a last example, the new “Place file on path” fixup takes a PDF file (or another file format that can be converted to PDF by pdfToolbox) and adds it along a vector path in the PDF file. This can, for example, be used to place grommets a certain distance away from the cut contour of a banner.
Enabling image correction
Instead of implementing limited image optimization options directly, pdfToolbox 16 makes it possible to export all images in a PDF file. The export creates a folder with those images and a descriptive JSON file that identifies where the images come from. The images can then be optimized or modified using either local tools or cloud-based solutions, and pdfToolbox can then replace the original images with the modified versions in the PDF document.
This new functionality allows building automated workflows that use image optimization tools (using AI or not) to optimize images in a PDF document.
Imposition
Imposition The pdfToolbox imposition engine is used in traditional imposition cases, but its flexibility allows it to be used for other purposes (such as creating proof pages or tiling…). In pdfToolbox 16, the imposition functionality received many upgrades to make it even more powerful and easier to use. The biggest functional change is undoubtedly the integration of place content functionality into JavaScript imposition configurations, allowing these configurations to place text, lines, rectangles, circles, and barcodes on an imposed sheet. To make creating imposition configurations less daunting for users, pdfToolbox 16 introduces a completely rewritten chapter in the documentation, including an example library. The product also integrates the ability to insert JavaScript imposition snippets that showcase the most essential utility functions and objects. Add to that support for the JavaScript console and an immediate view of the generated imposition object as you create a JavaScript configuration!
pdfToolbox Desktop additions
pdfToolbox 16 includes enhancements when PDF files require manual inspection or correction. Two of the most significant additions are the space usage dialog and the page box editor window.
The space usage dialog provides an overview of the types of objects in a PDF document and the space they take up (in bytes and percentage of file size). This enables inspecting PDF documents to determine whether fonts, images, page descriptions, or something else use the most space. Some of these object types can even immediately be removed to reduce file size.
The page box editor enables quick adjustments to the trim box for PDF documents and ensures adequate bleed and gutter (the space between the bleed box and the crop or media box). Although pdfToolbox can manage this task automatically, there are instances when files require visual inspection to apply the correct boxes.
Other improvements in pdfToolbox 16
Of course, these are not the only new features in pdfToolbox 16. A limited list of additional new features is:
When adding bleed to rectangular documents, a new “Automatic” option automatically selects the most appropriate bleed creation method.
The “Bleed missing for page” check detects whether a page has sufficient bleed. It uses rendering and supports documents with “facing pages.”
The check for "Bleed missing for irregular shape” determines if a PDF with a cut contour has adequate bleed. It accomplishes this through rendering.
It is now easier to exclude text while creating bleed for documents.
When creating Lab colors in HTML templates, it is now possible to set the white point.
pdfToolbox 16 supports the conversion of HEIC and HEIF image formats to PDF.
The new “Derive stroked from filled vector path” fixup supports the conversion of improperly created cut contours that use filled rectangles instead of lines.
A new “Processing Steps” library contains check, fixups and process plans to simplify the detection and creation of objects that should be part of processing steps layers.
A new “Apply transformation matrix” quickfix applies a generic 2D transformation matrix to selected pages. This allows scaling, rotation, translation and shearing PDF pages and is ideal when pdfToolbox is integrated into a system allowing generic page manipulation.
The “Place barcode” fixup allows specifying the background color when adding barcodes.
A new standard profile creates a new layer for haptic print.
The “Place file” fixup is extended to allow specifying a specific width and height for the placed PDF file. • Whenever an imposition action is done in a process plan, the imposition configuration (the details of which sheets, slots, and decorations were generated) is remembered in the JavaScript result object to be used in later steps.
The Lab color space is now supported when rendering PDF pages into images.
New Switch apps are available with pdfToolbox 16. They:
Support all new functionality in pdfToolbox 16,
Implement some missing functionality from previous pdfToolbox versions,
Implement fixes so the Switch unique ID can be hidden in some scenarios (such as when generating preflight report files).
Preflight profiles now allow saving a CSV overview of all checks and fixups in the profile or of all the variables used.
A new “Remove data” fixup makes it easy to remove unwanted information from a PDF document. It supports annotations, form fields, XFA forms, multimedia annotations, and more.
In various locations, a visual editor can specify a width and height or a rectangle in the options of a fixup. For example, in the “Place barcode” fixup, you can now use this editor to visually draw the rectangle for the barcode in the PDF file.
The library manager now supports exporting multiple libraries simultaneously.
Availability and price
callas pdfToolbox 16 is available today from the callas software website.
pdfToolbox Desktop for manual processing as a plug-in within Adobe Acrobat or standalone costs 625 €. An upgrade from pdfToolbox 15 costs 250 €, and an upgrade from pdfToolbox 14 costs 375 €.
pdfToolbox Server, CLI, and SDK for fully automated, hands-off processing and integration in other solutions is 5,000 €. Upgrades to pdfToolbox Server / CLI / SDK 16 are included in the maintenance agreement.
OEM customers can access pdfToolbox 16 starting today, depending on their contract terms and the platform they are using.
Pricing remains unchanged for customers using callas License Server in the Cloud on a subscription basis.
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