PDFlib 8 Windows COM/.NET Tutorial

Table 10.3 Operations which must be avoided or are restricted to achieve PDF/X compatibility
item
transparency groups
Prohibited or restricted PDFlib functions and options for PDF/X compatibility
The transparencygroup option of begin/end_page_ext( ), begin_template_ext( ), and open_pdi_
page( ) is not allowed in PDF/X-1 and PDF/X-3, but only in PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-5.
If transparencygroup is used, the value of the colorspace suboption is subject to the following
requirements:
> DeviceGray: the PDF/X output condition must be a grayscale or CMYK device. For the generated
page (but not for templates and imported pages) the defaultgray option in begin_page_
ext( ) can be set as an alternative.
> DeviceRGB: the PDF/X output condition must be an RGB device. For the generated page (but
not for templates and imported pages) the defaultrgb option in begin_page_ext( ) can be set
as an alternative.
> DeviceCMYK: the PDF/X output condition must be a CMYK device. For the generated page (but
not for templates and imported pages) the defaultcmyk option in begin_page_ext( ) can be set
as an alternative.
viewer preferences /
view and print areas
When the viewarea, viewclip, printarea, and printclip suboptions for the viewerpreferences
option in begin/end_document( ) are used values other than media or bleed are not
allowed.
document info keys
security
PDF version /
compatibility
PDF import (PDI)
external graphical
content (references)
layers
file size
Values other than True or False for the Trapped info key or the corresponding XMP property
pdf:Trapped set_info( ) must be avoided.
The userpassword, masterpassword, and permissions options in begin_document( ) must be
avoided.
PDF/X-1a:2001 and PDF/X-3:2002 are based on PDF 1.3. Operations that require PDF 1.4 or above
(such as transparency or soft masks) must be avoided.
PDF/X-1a:2003 and PDF/X-3:2003 are based on PDF 1.4. Operations that require PDF 1.5 or above
must be avoided.
PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-5 are based on PDF 1.6. Operations that require PDF 1.7 or above must be
avoided.
Imported documents must conform to a compatible PDF/X level according to Table 10.5, and
must have been prepared according to the same output intent.
PDF/X-1/3/4: The reference option in begin_template_ext( ) and open_pdi_page( ) must be
avoided.
PDF/X-5g and PDF/X-5pg: the target provided in the reference option in begin_template_ext( )
and open_pdi_page( ) must conform to one of the following standards: PDF/X-1a:2003, PDF/X-
3:2003, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-4p, PDF/X-5g, or PDF/X-5pg, and must have been prepared for the same
output intent. Since certain XMP metadata entries are required in the target, not all PDF/X documents
are acceptable as target. PDF/X documents generated with PDFlib 8 can be used as target.
See Section 3.2.5, »Referenced Pages from an external PDF Document«, page 76, for more details
on the reference option and the required Acrobat configuration.
PDF/X-1 and PDF/X-3: layers require PDF 1.5 and can therefore not be used.
PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-5: layers can be used but certain rules must be obeyed:
> Some options of define_layer( ) and set_layer_dependency( ) must be avoided.
> PDF/X-4:2010: the createorderlist option of set_layer_dependency( ) is allowed. It is required
to display the list of layers in Acrobat X.
PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-5: The file size of the generated PDF document must not exceed 2 GB, and the
number of PDF objects must be smaller than 8.388.607. See Section 3.1.5, »Large PDF Documents«,
page 68, for more details about these limits.
256 Chapter 10: PDF Versions and Standards (Edition for COM, .NET, and REALbasic)