GWG Specifications Peter Kleinheider Co-Chair of GWG Specifications Subcommittee inpetto premedia consulting, owner
Limitations Actions CMYK & spot colors Newspaper ad Magazine ad Sheet offset Web offset CMYK PDF/X Plus PDF/X-Standard PDF Today: GWG 1v4 Spec Base: PDF/X-1a Limitations for various printing conditions Sheetfed-Offset Web-Offset (Magazine) Newspaper AD delivery for Magazine and Newspaper individual specifications Office Printing Packaging PDF/X-1a Workflow Image and artwork Layout PDF/X-1a Output /X Export to PDF/ X-1a (PDF 1.3) GWG 1v4 Check Trapping Export to PDF (via PS) Impose Output
Deliverables PDF Creation Settings Preflight Profiles Specifications Whitepapers Usage of GWG 1v4 mature Specification based on PDF/X-1a, a well recognised and accepted standard (since 2001) all major tools are PDF/X-1a savvy Creation Modification Proof Output future Spec: GWG 2012 Base: PDF/X-4 Limitations for various printing conditions Sheetfed-Offset Web-Offset (Magazine) Newspaper AD delivery for Magazine and Newspaper closer look
Transparency -the major force to move to PDF/X-4 live transparency is supported since PDF 1.4 classical usage Drop-shadows W e r n o c h n a c h S o m m e r - L e k t ü r e s u c h t : H i e r i s t s i e! Brigitte... gehört zum besten elegischen Ton der Ge genwart. FAZ Eine ungeheuer fesselnde und sinnliche Erzählung von besonderer sprachlicher Schönheit. Eine echte Entdeckung. Amelie Fried in der ZDF- Sendung Die Vorleser So eindrucksvoll ist das Ende der Kindheit lange nicht mehr beschrieben worden. Spiegel Online 224 Seiten, gebunden, mit Schutzumschlag und Lesebändchen 19,90 E [D], ISBN 978-3-86648-101-5, www.mare.de classical usage clipping
extensive use of transparency why keep transparency in PDF? ability to search is preserved higher quality transparency effects are directly rendered to high-res raster image no object clipping no unnecessary trapping where not needed ability to edit is preserved no unnecessary object conversion (Text-2-Outline) why keep transparency in PDF? allow color managed PDFs objects can keep their original color space since the file is not flattened to the blending color space keep spot colors definitions till the very end no flattening errors no viewing issues no antialias effects when viewing (thin white lines) Acrobat (Reader) does not rely on overprint simulation faster export smaller files
native PDF/X-4 Workflow Image and artwork Layout PDF/X-4 Output /X Export GWG2012 Check Trapping Export to PDF (via PS and pdfmark) Impose Output PDF/X-4 lets start using it the Standard is mature PDF/X-4:2010 - technical update last September no ambiguity the Workflows are mature at Drupa 2008, Adobe announced Print Engine 2 (APPE) Harlequin Version 8 supports PDF1.6 EFI announced use of APPE with IPEX 2010 major (soft-)proofing software is based on native PDF rendering the applications are mature further PDF/X-4 aspects support for optional content (layers)
is that blind exchange? Optional Content áka Layers Version 1: OCMD - Optional Content Membership Configuration Version 2: OCCD - Optional Content Configuration Dictionary Acrobat support OCMD Acrobat 9 supports OCCDs when PDF is X-4 Acrobat X does not support OCCD support to create such optional content is currently limited to specialized software OCMDs (in Acrobat X)
OCCDs (in Acrobat 9) further PDF/X-4 aspects modern compression methods JPEG 2000 - for halftone image date JBIG2 - for monochrome image data both result in smaller files same or higher quality (JPEG 2000) Filesize/Quality comparison Original TIFF: 4,6MB TIFF/ZIP: 2,6MB JPEG/max. Q: 2,3MB JPEG 2000/lossless: 2,2MB JPEG/low Q: 1,9MB JPEG 2000/max. Q: 1,7MB JPEG 2000/low Q: 1,7MB
further PDF/X-4 aspects (minor importance) OpenType Fonts most OpenType Fonts get converted to other formats when generating PDF ICC v4 Profiles not allowed in GWG2011 spec until we have further feedback that there is a real benefit and the technology has proven to work PDF/X-4 and color PDF/X-4 and color Which color spaces are allowed? all Device color spaces but DeviceRGB (assumption: Output Intent is CMYK) all calibrated color spaces problematic color definitions calibrated Gray - gets separated to CMYK calibrated CMYK - gets re-separated calibrated RGB - gets separated to CMYK. Works good for images, but not for line art
Color images DeviceCMYK DeviceGray DeviceRGB ICC based CMYK ICC based Gray ICC based RGB / Lab Color text + vector DeviceCMYK DeviceGray DeviceRGB ICC based CMYK ICC based Gray ICC based RGB / Lab GWG 2012 CMYK data preparation variant PDF/ X-1a PDF/X-4 CMYK PDF/X-4 RGB Warning Warning PDF/X-4 Full Transparency blend color space NA DeviceCMYK / OutputIntent DeviceCMYK / OutputIntent Anything Other features Color images DeviceCMYK DeviceGray DeviceRGB ICC based CMYK ICC based Gray ICC based RGB / Lab GWG 2012 ICC (RGB) data preparation variant PDF/X-1a PDF/X-4 CMYK PDF/X-4 RGB (ICC) Warning PDF/X-4 Full Color text + vector DeviceCMYK DeviceGray DeviceRGB ICC based CMYK ICC based Gray ICC based RGB / Lab Warning Transparency blend color space NA DeviceCMYK / OutputIntent DeviceCMYK / OutputIntent Anything PDF/X-4 creation
PDF/X-1a creation Image and artwork Layout PDF/X-1a /X Export GWG 1v4 Check PDF/X-4 (CMYK) creation Image and artwork Layout PDF/X-4 /X Export GWG2011 Check PDF/X-4 (ICC) creation Image and artwork Layout PDF/X-4 /X Export GWG2011 ICC Check
PDF/X-4 processing trapping device link conversion layout using PDF/X-4 file PDF/X-4 and transparencies something to think about final color in output is not necessary the objects color in the PDF Example: 50% gray in on plate can be defined as 100% Black having 50% transparency or a 50% transparent white object over a Black object color conversion to same visual appearance might lead to different visual appearance when using transparency typical usage: ink saving a PDF/X-4 file represents a digital master which should not be modified Trapping trapping is only possible in output color space (CMYK/Spot) object oriented trapping works only partly between CMYK/Spot colored objects latest updates introduced trapping exceptions trapping is being moved to Renderer same technology as PostScript InRip Trapping based on color density
DeviceLink Conversion DL conversion is only possible for known object color Version 1: Colorserver takes into account transparency sometimes involves flattening still unsolved issue Version 2: support for DL profiles in PDF renderer on final rendered image APPE SDK allows own developments APPE Plug/in possible? reuse of PDF/X-4 in layout applications limited PDF/X support in layout applications for placed content OutputIntent is mostly ignored OutputIntent must be same as Document color space PDF/X-1a output causes the content of the placed PDF being flattened varying quality depending of used layout product PDF/X-4 output use of native PDF renderer advantage of PDF renderer
native PDF/X-4 Workflow PDF/X-4 Desktop Viewing /X Soft Proof Starting with X-4 requires native PDF rendering at every stage Hardcopy Proof Output Why native PDF rendering? directly from PDF to image model of output device no flattening no unnecessary color conversion possibility to use PDF functions that are not possible in other formats no intermediate format no loss of information no transformation to other object model high quality transparency rendering no flattening of transparency at any stage possibility of color mapping at the very latest stage What if output device does not handle PDF/X-4? Best: recreated PDF as PDF/X-1a Possibility 1: convert color and flatten Possibility 2: render to image works best for low res output devices such as digital printing machines working with 600dpi
Future work of GWG specifications subcommittee additional variants cooperation with office printing subcommittee to provide updated office printing specifications based on PDF/X-4 cooperation with packaging subcommittee to provide updated packaging specifications based on PDF/X-4 looking into requirements for LFP / wide gamut printing looking into epublishing (Cross Media subcommittee) simplified transparency blending in PDF/X-4 Document OutputIntent: Page blending CS: None/DeviceCMYK non-isolated group blending CS: None/DeviceCMYK Image: ECI-RGB v2 Shadow (image): DeviceCMYK 100K alpha: 0.75 mode: Multiply Info: a page group is usually treated as isolated transparency group 1.page group blending color space is inherited from Output Intent if None or DeviceCMYK 2.blending color space of none isolated transparency group is inherited from embedding isolated transparency group or from page group (no matter if defined or not) 3.objects within the transparency group are converted to this color space 4.transparency mode is applied on objects 5.resulting object is converted to page group color space 6.resulting object is converted to Output Intent
simplified transparency blending in PDF/X-4 Document OutputIntent: Page blending CS: None/DeviceCMYK non-isolated group blending CS: ECI-RGB v2 Image: ECI-RGB v2 Shadow (image): DeviceCMYK 100K alpha: 0.75 mode: Multiply 1.page group blending color space is inherited from Output Intent if None or DeviceCMYK 2.blending color space of none isolated transparency group is inherited from embedding isolated transparency group or from page group (no matter if defined or not) 3.objects within the transparency group are converted to this color space 4.transparency mode is applied on objects 5.resulting object is converted to page group color space 6.resulting object is converted to Output Intent simplified transparency blending in PDF/X-4 Document OutputIntent: Page blending CS: None/DeviceCMYK isolated group blending CS: ECI-RGB v2 Image: ECI-RGB v2 Shadow (image): DeviceCMYK 100K alpha: 0.75 mode: Multiply 1.page group blending color space is inherited from Output Intent if None or DeviceCMYK 2.blending color space of none isolated transparency group is inherited from embedding isolated transparency group or from page group (no matter if defined or not) ECI-RGB v2 3.objects within the transparency group are converted to this color space ECI-RGB v2 4.transparency mode is applied on objects Black is now RGB! 5.resulting object is converted to page group color space 6.resulting object is converted to Output Intent simplified transparency blending in PDF/X-4 Document OutputIntent: Page blending CS: ECI-RGB v2 non-isolated group blending CS: None/DeviceCMYK Image: ECI-RGB v2 Shadow (image): DeviceCMYK 100K alpha: 0.75 mode: Multiply 1.page group blending color space is inherited from Output Intent if None or DeviceCMYK 2.blending color space of none isolated transparency group is inherited from embedding isolated transparency group or from page group (no matter if defined or not) ECI-RGB v2 3.objects within the transparency group are converted to this color space ECI-RGB v2 4.transparency mode is applied on objects Black is now RGB! 5.resulting object is converted to page group color space 6.resulting object is converted to Output Intent ECI-RGB v2 ECI-RGB v2
what does this mean for the GWG2011 ICC specification if there is no color definition used on a page other than CMYK/Spot, there must not be a blending color space other than None or DeviceCYMK up for discussion: if there is no color definition used inside an isolated transparency group other than CMYK/Spot, there must not be a blending color space other than None or DeviceCYMK PDFX-ready What is PDFX-ready Swiss Initiative to make PDF/X successful Work is based on GWG specifications adapted to local needs offers certification for creation and output provides localised education material
PDFX-ready deliverables Preflight Profiles NEW: PXR 2.0 based on current beta of GWG2012 spec 1 year beta phase Focus: CMYK variant it is important for the market to start working with the new profiles, even the spec is not yet fully defined PDFX-ready deliverables PDFX-ready Leitfaden 56-page education material PXR V1 and PXR V2 - living side by side The PDF/X-standard Why PXR V2 image binding layout preparation PDF/X generation (CMYK and RGB variant) Preflighting PDF/X processing Color Conversion Trapping Output ECI Altona Test Suite Technical 2
Altona Test Suite 2, Technical (ATS 2) Focus: PDF/X-4 aspects Transparency and Transparency flattening Optional Content (Layers) JPEG2000 (also 16bit) OpenType ICC-v4-Profile each Patch is pre-rendered for easy analysis of rendering Principle: parted patches Life-Transparency and Reference-image upper half: Patch with transparent objects Transparenz+Spot patch lower half: pre-rendered image (expected result) -symbols mark reference-image 54 Principle: parted patches Life-Transparency and Reference-image left half: Patch with transparent objects Transparenz+Spot patch right half: pre-rendered image (expected result) -symbols mark reference-image 55
Transparency Drop-shadow Text: CMYK Image: CMYK Drop-shadow, two resolutions: left: high resolution (350 ppi) right: low resolution (36 ppi) 56 Drop-shadow with varying resolution Why did we do this? learning effect! Resolution of shadow is generated during PDF/ X-4 export (defined by transparency flattening presets). It is not possible to change this resolution after export. 57 possible s 58
possible errors color management and transparency flattening Spot to CMYK: wrong sequence: 1. first flattening. SPOT to CMYK conversion 59 possible errors color management and transparency rendering bad PDF rendering: ignoring ICCbasedRGB transparency blend space for isolated transparency group 60 Thank you Peter Kleinheider peter@inpetto.cc skype: gironimus mobil: +43.664.2600099