New joboptions not available for Distiller

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

I was asked to create a PDF/X-4 compliant PDF.

The corresponding joboptions file is in my Roarming folder:

c:\Users\myusername\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\FrameMaker\16\Additional_PDF_Settings\PDFX4.joboptions

This video says that I should I copy it to the Adobe PDF Roarming folder:

https://video.tv.adobe.com/v/32429t1

c:\Users\myusername\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe PDF\Settings\PDFX4.joboptions

OK. I did this. In FrameMaker I can now select this joboptions file to create a PDF or to print to a PostScript file.

However, Distiller does not find this joboptions file.

What do I have to do? I restarted everything, but PDF/X4 is not listed.

I need to print to a PostScript file and then distill, as I should also print to a larger paper size with registration marks.

In the Acrobat forum there is e.g. this post. It suggests to change the decimal symbol. However, I need my comma.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/adobe-pdf-settings-file-read-error-in-c-programda...

Best regards

Winfried

[Winfried Reng]

OK. I still do not know how I can get Distiller to find the joboptions in

c:\Users\myusername\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe PDF\Settings\PDFX4.joboptions

However, I found some posts that explain, how to get registration marks with the Publish feature.

This works. I can define a larger page size and get registration marks. Very good!

And in the Publish pod in the General tab I can select PDF/X-4 which I had copied to the folder above.

(I can also select PDF/X-4 in the Adobe PDF properties, but not in Distiller.)

Still a question: When I print to a PostScript file with paper size A3 and Western registration marks, then there are only registration marks but no crop marks. Where are the crop marks?

[LinSims]

Winfried, wouldn't this be better in the Acrobat forum? 

[Winfried Reng]

Partially 😉

The issue emerged in FrameMaker, but you are correct. I will ask in the Acrobat forum, how I can get the joboptions to appear in Distiller.

The crop marks in FrameMaker is a genuine FrameMaker question.

[Bob_Niland]

What FM version?
My experience has been that many of the new JobOptions available for FM2020 don't work in FM2019 (or presumably earlier).

[Winfried Reng]

Hi Bob,

My FM version is the latest one: 16.0.4.1062.

Acrobat is set to auto-update.

Therefore it's definitely not a version issue.

Best regards

Winfried

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Hi Winfried, 

You should be able to use the Settings > Add Adobe PDF Settings option within Distiller to add your joboptions file. However, when I tried to PDF/X4 in this way, I got an error. (see screen shot at the end)

You'll have to weigh implementation of your X4 requirement using Distiller, versus using the Publish method and its advantages/disadvantages.

That said, the X4 joboptions should just be a collection of settings...if you can't add to Distiller, and you aren't able to take advantage of the Publish route, then I'd recommend posting in the Acrobat forum. If that doesn't help, perhaps tweaking a new or existing joboptions file based on X4 validation errors would get you what you need.

[Winfried Reng]

Thank you very much.

I think that the Publish route is OK.

An issue which I have is that the crop marks (in Acrobat "trim marks") have a distance of 3 mm to the DIN A4 page. And the printer said that I should add 3 mm bleed.

Therefore the crop marks are not visible. (When I add the "trim marks" in Acrobat, the distance of 3 mm is the same.)

But that's a question for the printer.

[Matt S - Tech Comm Tools]

Good to hear...going the Publish route would also be my first choice, but you probably already knew that 😉

Also, pressure your printer to provide the joboptions file you need; that's what I used to do for my clients in the early 90s.

At a minimum, have the printer walk you through setting the trim box, offset, and other options for the crop marks.

Other than that, I hope you liked the video! 😉

-Matt