In previous Tech Mondays, we told you about the problems coming from the use of OpenType SVG fonts for printing.
The first solutions are now available, especially thanks to the new update release of Callas pdfToolbox released last week.
agileStreams, serving the printing industry
Thanks to our intensive testing on these new fonts, the issues are clearer and taken into account by software vendors. The presentation of our testing results at the Ghent Workgroup, of which we are a very active member, where all the PDF software vendors is present has helped to identify what to do to solve the problems. callas software was one of the first vendors to consider this problem and has just released a new version of pdfToolbox with checks and fix-ups for the management of PDF files coming from native documents containing OpenType SVG fonts.
New checks, new fix-ups
Thanks to the new features of pdfToolbox, we have developed for you a check, a fix-up and a complete process plan.
Find colored Type 3 fonts
First of all, the “Find colored Type 3 fonts” check can detect Type 3 fonts in color. These are fonts that typically come from OpenType SVG fonts that were converted to this type during the PDF origination.
Fix OpenType SVG
This fix-up, “Fix OpenType SVG”, vectorizes only colored type 3 fonts (typically coming from OpenType SVG). It works in combination with the above check.
Fix OpenType SVG and Convert to CMYK
Once this fix-up has been applied, it is completely possible to successfully convert the file to PDF/X-4.
However, we have also made a process plan for you which corrects OpenType SVG (the above correction, which outlines colored type 3 fonts) and then converts these fonts to CMYK (remember that these fonts are RGB!). We hereby chose the ISO Coated v2 profile from the ECI, but you can easily modify the process plan to select another profile.
We look forward to new versions of the other PDF tools on the market, hoping that they also bring improvements in the management of OpenType SVG fonts. We follow the subject closely and will come back here to talk about it in detail.
Feel free to post your comments and questions below!
