PDF ink coverage?

[danomo]

Does anyone know of a software solution that could determine the ink coverage of a pdf? That is, to determine if a file is light, medium or heavy coverage without opening it?

Thanks

Dano

[mattbeals]

if you're looking to check individual objects such as images, vector objects, shadings, etc. we can do that with pdfToolbox. But if you are looking to calculate the coverage of a sheet/page for its overall coverage there used to be (may still be) a product called Press Percent that would do this.

[danomo]

Hi Matt,

I Googled Press Percent and it's still around. From what I see, it's for setting ink keys. What I'm trying to do is find a software that would read incoming pdfs from clients and tag them with either light, medium or heavy ink coverage. Then an auto imposition software would use this data to group pdfs together with the same ink coverage when imposing the files.

Thanks

Dan

[mattbeals]

I suppose we could do this with Enfocus PowerSWITCH, Callas pdfToolbox and Quite Hot Imposing/Dynagram/Ultimate Impostrip.

We would use SWITCH as the routing application and data collection program. We could "RIP" the PDF into a JPEG with pdfToolbox. Then we can use a check in pdfToolox to check the amount of ink in the JPEG. We could then run another check where we ask does this exceed 220TAC, does it exceed 280, does it exceed 330, etc. Once we have the right "failure". Once we collect the correct "failures" we can combine those into a job folder. Then send that folder to the imposition program.

This wouldn't be trivial, but should also not be rocket science.

[andreisarbu]

TGLC used to have a solution for ink coverage, free. At that moment you can't download it from their web site but I found a mac version PerfX Image Ink Download - Softpedia

Good luck.

[mattbeals]

It is still available last I knew of, but I'll have to find the download link and post it for you.

[leonardr]

We would use SWITCH as the routing application and data collection program. We could "RIP" the PDF into a JPEG with pdfToolbox.

pdfToolbox, as well as Adobe Acrobat's Preflight, can do ink checks on the NATIVE PDF - there is no reason to RIP and check. If, however, you insist on RIPping - do NOT USE JPEG! Because of the image compression algorithms of JPEG (P==Photographic!) you will get HUGE color shifts. Instead, use TIFF or PNG.

[Quetu]

Does anyone know of a software solution that could determine the ink coverage of a pdf? That is, to determine if a file is light, medium or heavy coverage without opening it?

Thanks

Dano

Para calcular la cobertura de tinta en un PDF puedes usar este script en Photoshop.

www.qpdf.es/mac.html

Descomprimir y poner en la carpeta de Photoshop /Presets/Scripts

Reinicia Photoshop si lo tenias abierto, Luego, en Photoshop ve a - File - Scripts, selecciona el script para ejecutarlo.

Selecciona un PDF y en unos segundos tienes una página html con la cobertura y un gráfico.

Saludos

Jesús

[rich apollo]

Here's one APFill - Ink Coverage Meter 5.1

Here's one for Mac Ink Coverage 1.5

Attached is a screen grab of the Mac software. It's geared to laser or inkjet, but looks like it might do what you want.

Seems like TGLC had something, but their website is all in French now.

[danomo]

Thanks everyone for the response. I looked at Ink Coverage and PerfX Image Ink , both are very interesting and have pointed me in the right direction.