Verifying pdf for print on demand

[s.g.]

Print-on-demand publishers check submitted pdf for:

(1) Trim Marks: Indicate where the page is cut.
(2) Bleed: Design should extend 0.125" (or 3mm) past trim lines.
(3) Fonts: Must be embedded or outlined; use PDF/X standards to ensure they print correctly.
(4) Color: CMYK is standard for print; RGB needs conversion.
(5) Resolution: Images should be 300dpi at final size

How would one ensure compliance using PdfXEditor?

[Sean - PDF-XChange]

Hi s.g.,

You can check each of those things manually using the regular PDF-XChange Editor features, but there is no way to do so automatically.

Kind regards,

[s.g.]

Follow up:

If some particular font is _not_ embedded, how will this show up in "Document Properties -> Fonts"?

How does one verify that images are specified via CMYK (and not RGB)?

How does one verify that the image resolutions are of at least 300dpi?

Manual verification is OK but puzzled by the above three. Thanks.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, s.g.

• A font which is embedded will explicitly state that it is "embedded" or an "embedded sub-set" in the Document > fonts menu.
  If you do not see either flag as part of the font name in that menu, it indicates that the font is not embedded. Any fonts which are not embedded will be reliant on localy available fonts to the recipient's device. EG, arial often doesnt need to be embedded, since the vast majority of devices do have it in place. "GoogleFu#22 sans" (which is a fake font name I made up on the spot) - likely is not present on many devices, and so should ideally be embedded. If it is not, the local instance will substitute it with another common local font, usually Arial or Times new Roman.
• If you enable the "edit Objects" tool and select any image, the properties pane will inform you of the colorspace used:
  image.png
• Similarly to colospace, the DPI is also included in the properties pane, just a few notches above.

(For both color and DPI, you can right click and choose "recompress image" to manually adjust a specific image's DPI value and/or colorspace).

Kind regards,