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How do I generate a remote proof?

This section describes the workflows supported by the Remote Proofing software for the generation of proof files (local and remote jobs). For each workflow, the required components and their interactions are described. Note that, for some of the workflows described, certain software components may be required; in this case, the specific workflow will be available only if the required components are available during the generation of the proof file.

Proof generation workflows allow you to generate remote proofing files. The use cases described in this section are in two groups:

  • Proof generation from an input file: these use cases describe how you can generate a proof file from an input file in PDF, PostScript or TIFF file format (some of these formats are supported in certain configurations only).
  • Printing from an application: these use cases describe how you can generate proof files directly from an application (such as QuarkXPress, InDesign, etc.), using the system PostScript driver.

Types of Remote Proofing Files (RPFs)

Depending on the processing done during the generation of the proof file, there are two types of proof files:

  • Raster proof files: during the process of generation of the proof file, all the graphic contents in the proof are rasterized. Thus the PDF portion of the proof file contains a raster image for each page in the proof.
  • The advantage of using raster proofs is that they ensure the maximum consistency between output in different printers (because the rasterization is done only once) and that all the features of the HP Designjet software in the system where the proof is being generated can be used.

    The main drawback of rasterized proofs is that the size of the proof files can be very large and very high resolutions cannot be used. Also the time taken in the process of generation can be longer.

  • Object proof files: in this case, the generation process constructs a PDF file that contains raster images and other objects (such as vectors, texts and fonts). In order to ensure output consistency, the Remote Proofing software includes in the PDF file all the information that is required.
  • The advantage in this case is that the size of the proof file can be much smaller and higher resolutions can be used when the file is printed.

    However, there are certain cases in which an object proof cannot be generated. For example, to ensure consistency, all the fonts used in the document must be included in the proof file. This may not be possible because some fonts may not be available in the system where the proof file is being generated.

    Another possible problem with object proofs is that, to ensure output consistency, all the HP Designjet software RIPs that print the file must use a 'standard' way of processing it; so with this type of proof, certain specific features of the HP Designjet 50ps software cannot be used.

    It is important to note that the differentiation between raster and object proofs is done during the generation process only. In both cases the .rpf format is used for the proof file.

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Proof Generation from an Input Graphic File

The graphic file formats supported as input for proof generation are:

  • PDF (1.3)
  • PostScript (Levels 1, 2 or 3)
  • TIFF: only CMYK and RGB contone images are supported. ICC profiles embedded in the TIFF file are not supported.

To generate a proof file from an input file in any of these three formats, you can:

  • 'Open' the file from the user interface: select File>New>Proof>Generation.
  • 'Drag-and-drop' the file into the main window of the user interface.
  • Copy (or move) the file to an input hot or watched folder: see the Help system for the Remote Proofing software for a description of how to create and configure hot or watched folders.

The Remote Proofing file format stores the proof graphic contents in a PDF file compliant with the PDF/X3 specification; so the input file (in any of the supported formats) has to be converted to a PDF/X3 file. The following flow diagram shows the processing that is performed to convert the input file to a PDF/X3 file.

There are three steps that can be performed in this process: distillation, normalization, and rasterization. Two of these steps require software components that will not be present on all systems:

  • Distillation: this step converts an input file (PostScript or TIFF) into PDF format. This processing is available only if Adobe Acrobat Distiller is installed on the system where the Remote Proofing server software is running.
  • Normalization: this step converts an input PDF file to be PDF/X3 compliant. The PDF normalizer that is distributed with the Remote Proofing software performs this step.
  • Rasterization: this step converts an input file (PDF, PostScript or TIFF) into a 'raster PDF file'; that is, a PDF file that contains a raster image for each page in the proof. The rasterization process is supported only in the 50ps RIP. Rasterization can be enabled by unchecking the 'Vectors are allowed in output file' option before generating a proof file.

The following table summarizes the workflows that can be used, depending on the system configuration.

Designjet model

Adobe Acrobat installed

Workflows supported

10ps/20ps

No

Object proof generation from PDF

Yes

Object proof generation from PDF, object proof generation from TIFF or PostScript

50ps

No

Raster proof generation, optimized proof generation from PDF

Yes

Raster proof generation, optimized proof generation from PDF, optimized proof generation from TIFF or PostScript

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Printing from an Application

Printing from a graphics application (such as QuarkXpress or Adobe InDesign) using the menu option File>Print has different configurations depending on the HP Designjet model:

  • HP Designjet 50ps
  • The HP Designjet 50ps software provides documentation about how to create a printer for print through an Application on a Macintosh or Windows system. The Server, at installation time, creates two 'virtual printers' (two printers available in the network): One virtual printer for printing to an HP Designjet 50ps printer and a second printer to create proof files.

    Installation Process: On your client PC or Macintosh computer you need to install the PostScript driver available in the system or in the Adobe Web Site and connect the driver to the virtual printer. You must create two printers on the client PC or Macintosh computer: one connected to the 'print virtual printer' and a second one to print to the 'remote proofing virtual printer'. After that, the Remote Proofing software will be called to install the Remote Proofing Client Application.

    Use Case: Two methods can be used to generate files for proof generation depending on the format:

    • PDF, PostScript or TIFF: Drag and drop the file to the Remote Proofing software.
    • Application file: Open the application and print to the printer connected to the remote proofing virtual printer. You can change the Job Ticket settings through the driver's user interface; the status of the job is shown in the Remote Proofing Client User Interface. Using this method to print from application will generate proof files with the graphics content rasterized.

  • HP Designjet 20ps
  • The HP Designjet 20ps software provides documentation about how to create a printer for printing through an application on a Macintosh or Windows system and how to connect this driver to the HP Designjet 20ps Server, but for proof generation this driver can't be used.

    Installation Process: The Adobe Acrobat Distiller software must be installed in your PC or Macintosh computer before you install the Remote Proofing Application Client; you will need to use a Distiller profile specially designed for remote proofing. If Acrobat Distiller is not installed, you can only generate proof files for existing PDF files.

    Use Case: Two methods can be used to generate files for proof generation depending on the format:

    • PDF, PostScript or TIFF: Drag and drop the file to the Remote Proofing software.
    • Application file: Open the application and print to the Acrobat Distiller printer. Drag and drop the PDF generated by Acrobat Distiller printer to the Remote Proofing software. The Acrobat Distiller printer is created during installation of Acrobat 5.0. (Note: The ability to print from an application is available only with Acrobat 5.0.)

  • HP Designjet 10ps
  • The HP Designjet 10ps software provides documentation about how to create a printer for printing through an application on a Macintosh or Windows system and how to connect this driver to the HP Designjet 10ps software. To print to the printer, you need to install the HP Designjet 10ps software and the PostScript driver from the HP Designjet 10ps software CD-ROM and connect the driver to the software, but for proof generation this driver can't be used.

    Installation Process: The software available with the HP Designjet 10ps or 20ps cannot generate PDF files. That is why the Adobe Acrobat Distiller software must be installed before or after the Remote Proofing software installation; you will need to use a Distiller profile specially designed for remote proofing. If Acrobat Distiller is not installed, you can only generate proof files for existing PDF files.

    Use Case: Two methods can be used to generate files for proof generation depending on the format:

    • PDF, PostScript or TIFF: Drag and drop the file to the Remote Proofing software.
    • Application file: Open the application and print to the Acrobat Distiller printer. Drag and drop the PDF generated by Acrobat Distiller printer to the Remote Proofing software. The Acrobat Distiller printer is created during the installation of Acrobat 5.0. (Note: The ability to print from an application is available only with Acrobat 5.0.)

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