Extension of PDF Technology (2)

(1) Web publishing

There are already ways to use the Internet to order publications, so that you can consider the use of PDF data to describe the content of publications and ease of reading. Usually, when a bookstore purchases a book, it is always easy to read the contents of the book and then buy it. Like this, after reading the contents on the Internet, you can purchase the desired book from the bookstore, or rely on a mail order. For specific areas such as professional books or small-scale publications, it is very difficult for all kinds of reasons to be placed in bookstores. The effective method that can be conceived is that it cannot be said for all publications. Effective, but as long as the content of the book is published on the Internet, it will have the same effect as placing it in a bookstore.

It is not only a matter of ordering a publication. As long as the content is converted to PDF data, it is sold as digital data. This means that the reader can always get the sales method of the book. It is easier for people in the cities and suburbs to buy publications from bookstores. However, far from the urban areas, considering that there are no bookstores in many places, residents in such areas always hope that there will be some way of buying and reading publications.

Not only is a bound paper publication, but the publishing form of the part of the content that you want to purchase is already available on the Internet. When the data format is PDF, you can complete the same genre as the paper publication to display the screen and output high-quality prints.

(2) Digital Map

One of the features of PDF data is that it has the advantage of being very high quality when it is enlarged on the display screen. One of the areas that can give full play to this specialty is the field of maps.

There are various maps from simple guide map-like illustration level to detailed contents such as publication. The more detailed the content is, the better it will be to play the above-mentioned specialty. This is the use of PDF to promote the application of digital maps. There have been examples of sales after converting a map published as a book into PDF data. Including the road maps of railways and expressways, the addition of newly opened subways and corrections to the relocation of famous buildings, as long as the use of the Internet is not difficult to do.

The contents recorded on the map are actually changing almost every day. As a map of publications, it is good from its convenience and convenience. However, in terms of real-time reflection of the latest situation, the use of the Internet to provide maps is quite satisfactory. advantageous.


V. Print Production Process and PDF
In the production of prints, PDF data can also be applied. According to the combined use of PDF data and the Internet, co-editing and production of paperless proofing work and remoteness becomes possible. In addition, like the current Postscript, the gradual application of PDF in the platemaking project will become a reality.

(1) Application in Editing Proofing Work

In the DTP operations conducted by the printing or editing department, the proofs are always output by color proofing and sent to the customer's office for proofing. If this is changed to the method of sending PDF data, the proofing work to be confirmed can be performed on the display screen and printer in the client unit. In other words, the output of proofing and sending can be omitted, and it is not necessary to provide special software such as DTP software and expensive color printers. Because it is impossible to obtain the same quality as the printing effect, it is necessary to consider the final review in another way, but it is sufficient to confirm the overall layout and text.

In addition, you can also consider co-editing and making with remote locations. If sharing of texts, images, illustrations, and other manuscripts and DTP jobs are shared between remote locations in the same factory, the Internet will be used to help each other in the form of PDF data, and it can be perceived as being equidistant. Co-editing and production. This refers not only to the co-editing operations between publishers, but also between publishers and printers, and between printers.

(2) Application in platemaking engineering

The current PDF data is the same quality as the PS data in terms of text and graphic data. For the photographic images, the PDF data is compressed when it is compiled, and it becomes low quality if used as it is. In the existing projects that use PS data, there are also low-resolution image data used in DTP operations, which are exchanged with high-resolution data in the platemaking process. However, in terms of repairs, the two are almost similar without distinction. . In the future, PDF data can be used in the platemaking process if an open system interconnection (OPI) suited to PDF is constructed.

What has been said above is that it is possible to make operations that cannot be achieved by projects centered on the existing PS data. For example, in the stage of making plate-making film, or in the coloring stage, in short, you will need to correct the situation before printing anyway. In the PS project, due to the structure of the PS data, the entire PS file needs to be reprocessed (that is, the whole page is RIP reprocessed, etc.), but if it is PDF data, because the pages are completely independent, Simply swap the entire page of the corrected object.
Because Postscript (PS) is a widely used form of programming language, it is a structure that cannot be processed without explaining the entire data. For example, the initially set graphics processing method affects the final page image.

That is, in terms of PS data, each page should be processed independently according to its format point. In other words, the specific page cannot be dealt with. In contrast, PDF data is structured on a page-by-page basis. Even if the document is composed of dozens of pages, each page becomes an independent data structure, so processing methods in units of pages become possible, so that specific pages can also be output.

In addition, RIP processing that takes advantage of the single-page independence of PDF has released a structure format that can be parallelized - Postscript Extreme. RIP operating systems that implement multiple processing methods have also been introduced. The multi-processing RIP, which can be used as a parallel process, is effective for reducing the output processing load while performing job control on the page-independent PDF data while performing job control.


Six, on-demand printing and PDF

The technical connotation of on-demand printing refers to a printing method that provides services for "time when needed," "content needed," and "number needed." In addition, the environment for printing at the "needs" has been completed. Data is sent over the Internet to a designated location and output on a small-scale printing device, which is called distribution printing (or network printing). In this distribution of print, PDF will be more effectively applied.
There is also the use of data compression to reduce the weight, which is of great benefit in the case of sending data over the Internet, and again because there is no need to select a working terminal, which greatly eases the requirements for the printing environment.

(1) It is not distributed after printing but printed after distribution

In the past, the internal data of a company or the printed matter within a company was always output by a printer or the like, and the required number of copies was distributed to a desired department. In the future, there will be some changes to this approach. The PDF data can be sent to the distribution site first, and the required number of copies can be printed freely at the site, that is, the distribution of the printed data from the past. , to be the first to distribute PDF data, in the form of the need to print.

For manufacturers that have overseas bases to provide products, it is necessary to produce product manuals in various languages ​​and then supply them to the country. Similar product manuals have been printed by the manufacturer, and the DTP has always been used to compile national language manuals. The data is distributed as PDF data to overseas locations and printed locally. This is a case where it is better to save time and reduce costs than to send it after printing in the country. If you need to revise the content, you just need to replace the revision before the local printing.


This form is not only for overseas locations, but also the same at home, for example, as a form of distribution between head office and branch office or business office.

(2) Distribution of Sports Express

The newspaper uses the Internet to send news bulletins on sports events. The situation has been applied to PDF data just as described above. In past sports events, many newspapers have launched various activities on the Internet to send messages and distribute paper expresses. Among them, as the most advanced example, the large newspaper company effectively applied the distribution of PDF data and distributed the color number of the paper media. The production of data can be conducted in the headquarters, and the print distribution can be completed locally, that is, relying on the combination of the Internet and PDF data and color copiers to solve. The method is to convert the external reports of the DTP organized by the head office into PDF data, distribute them on the Internet with the help of the Internet, and use the local color copier as a printing machine to output it to passers-by on the spot. This can be done every day during the competition. do.

Of course, without PDF data, with PS data, photos and the like may be printed more clearly. Without the use of a color copying machine, the use of a corresponding printing press will result in high-quality printing. However, transporting data without increasing the load on the communication line can achieve high-quality reproduction and output as much as possible, which is its significance. It is very likely that this form will become a typical form of distribution printing in the future.

Word processors and DTPs are not just simple production tools that shorten the production of documents and save money, and have become an effective means to promote digitalization. For the printing industry with digital technology intelligence, it is really necessary to effectively apply PDF as a new weapon and conduct business activities extensively.