Operation Manual

Creating PDFs

Last updated 4/7/2015

1.4, converts colors to CMYK, and downsamples color and grayscale images to 300 ppi and monochrome images to

1200 ppi. It embeds subsets of all fonts and preserves transparency (for file types capable of transparency).

These PDF files can be opened in Acrobat 5.0 and Acrobat Reader 5.0 and later.

Note: Before creating a PDF file to send to a commercial printer or print service provider, find out what output resolution

and other settings are required. Or, ask for a .joboptions file with the recommended settings. You sometimes must customize

the Adobe PDF settings for a particular provider and then provide a .joboptions file of your own.

Rich Content PDF (Acrobat Pro DC) Creates accessible PDF files that include tags, hyperlinks, bookmarks, interactive

elements, and layers. This set of options uses PDF 1.6 and embeds subsets of all fonts. It also optimizes files for byte

serving. These PDF files can be opened in Acrobat and Reader 7.0 and later. (The Rich Content PDF preset is in the

Extras folder).

Note: This preset was called eBook in earlier versions of some applications.

Smallest File Size Creates PDF files for displaying on the web or an intranet, or for distribution through an email

system. This set of options uses compression, downsampling, and a relatively low image resolution. It converts all colors

to sRGB, and (for Adobe Acrobat Distiller-based conversions) does not embed fonts. It also optimizes files for byte

serving.

These PDF files can be opened in Acrobat and Reader 6.0 and later.

Standard Creates PDF files to be printed to desktop printers or digital copiers, published on a CD, or sent to a client as

a publishing proof. This set of options uses compression and downsampling to keep the file size down. However, it also

embeds subsets of all (allowed) fonts used in the file, converts all colors to sRGB, and prints to a medium resolution.

Windows font subsets are not embedded by default. PDF files created with this settings file can be opened in Acrobat

and Reader 6.0 and later.

About PDF/X, PDF/E, and PDF/A standards

PDF/X, PDF/E, and PDF/A standards are defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). PDF/X

standards apply to graphic content exchange; PDF/E standards apply to the interactive exchange of engineering

documents; PDF/A standards apply to long-term archiving of electronic documents. During PDF conversion, the file

that is being processed is checked against the specified standard. If the PDF does not meet the selected ISO standard,

you are prompted to either cancel the conversion or create a non-compliant file.

The most widely used standards for a print publishing workflow are several PDF/X formats: PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, and

(in 2008) PDF/X-4. The most widely used standards for PDF archiving are PDF/A-1a and PDF/A-1b (for less stringent

requirements). Currently, the only version of PDF/E is PDF/E-1.

For more information on PDF/X, PDF/E, and PDF/A, see the ISO and AIIM websites.

For details on creating and working with PDF/A files, see www.adobe.com/go/learn_acr_pdfa_en.

Customize Adobe PDF settings

You may want to create custom conversion settings for certain jobs or output devices. The selections you make

determine such things as whether the document fonts are embedded and subsetted at 100%, how vector objects and

images are compressed and/or sampled, and whether the resulting PDF includes high-end printing information such

as OPI (Open Prepress Interface) comments. Default settings files cannot be modified, but can be duplicated to help

create new settings files.

Note: If the PDF is intended for high-end printing, ask your service provider for their custom .joboptions file with the

recommended output resolution and other settings. This way, the PDF you give them will have characteristics optimized

for your print workflow.