For this Fixup to perform as intended, the following requirements must be met:

• A TrimBox exists in the Print Item. The MediaBox exists in every PDF file by default.
• The BleedBox may be present.

Figure 1: The dialog of the Fixup Scale Page Content

The following options are available when scaling Print Items:

• Scale Method [1] – select which Scale Method is to be applied. The following options are available in the selection menu:
  • Fit from inside (Scale page edges proportionally) – scales the image area of the ImageBox to the specified target size, while maintaining the original proportions. As a result, only the image resolution is adjusted according to the applied enlargement or reduction. The Short Edge of the target size is used for the calculation. If values are entered for both the Short Edge and the Long Edge, the corresponding edge is adjusted automatically to preserve the aspect ratio.
  • Variable Content [6] – for Variable Content [6], select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the selected Scale Method should be retrieved. The following value must be present in the selected field so that the Scale Method Fit from inside (maintain aspect ratio) is executed:
    • FitFromInside

Figure 2: Left: Original image; Right: Proportionally adjusted image to 100 mm (adjusted for the short edge) by applying the Scale Method Fit from inside (Scale page edges proportionally)

• Fit from inside (Add white space) – with this Scale Method, values for the Short Edge and the Long Edge can be entered independently. As a result, the original aspect ratio is typically not preserved. The image area of the ImageBox is scaled to fit the specified Short Edge or Long Edge, and any remaining area is filled with white space.
• Variable Content [6] – for Variable Content [6], select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the selected Scale Method should be retrieved. The following value must be present in the selected field so that the Scale Method Fit from inside (Add white space) is executed:
  • FitFromInsideProp

Figure 3: Left: Original image; Right: Original image fitted to 100 x 100 mm using the Scale Method Fit from inside (Add white space)

• Fit from outside (Cut page) – with this Scale Method, values for the Short Edge and the Long Edge can be entered independently, which typically means that the original aspect ratio is not preserved. The image area of the ImageBox is scaled to the specified Short Edge or Long Edge, and the image is bleeded.
• Variable Content [6] – for Variable Content [6], select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the selected Scale Method should be retrieved. The following value must be present in the selected field so that the Scale Method Fit from outside (Cut page) is executed:
  • FitFromOutside

Figure 4: Left: Original image; Right: Original image fitted to 100 x 100 mm using the Scale Method Fit from outside (Cut page)

• Fit from outside (Scale page edges proportionally) – scales the image area to fit the specified target size from the outside while maintaining the original proportions. As a result, only the image resolution is adjusted according to the applied enlargement or reduction. The Long Edge of the target size is used for the calculation. If values are entered for both the Short Edge and the Long Edge, the corresponding edge is adjusted automatically to preserve the aspect ratio.
• Variable Content [6] – for Variable Content [6], select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the selected Scale Method is to be taken. The following value must be present in the selected field so that the Scale Method Fit from outside (Scale page edges proportionally) is executed:
  • FitFromOutsideProp

Figure 5: Left: Original image; Right: Original image proportionally fit with the Scale Method Fit from outside (Scale page edges proportionally)

• Stretch to fill – with this Scale Method, values for the Short Edge and the Long Edge can be entered independently. The ImageBox is completely filled with the image, even if this results in disproportionate distortion of the image content.
• Variable Content [6] – for Variable Content [6] , select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the selected Scale Method should be retrieved. The following value must be present in the selected field so that the Scale Method Stretch to fill is executed:
  • StretchToFit

Figure 6: Left: Original file; Right: Original file fit to 100 x 100 mm with the Scale Method Stretch to fill

Figure 7: Values in the selected field for the option Scale Method

• Scaling by percentage [2] – displays the current scaling of the TrimBox width. Entering a different value recalculates the TrimBox width according to the selected Scale Method.
• Scaling absolute [3] – displays the current height of the TrimBox. Entering a different value recalculates the TrimBox height according to the selected Scale Method.
• Short Edge [4] – enter the value for the Short Edge of the target file here. For Variable Content [9], select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the Short Edge should be retrieved.
• Long Edge [7] – enter the value for the Long Edge of the target file here. For Variable Content [8], select the desired placeholder – Database Field or User-defined Field – from which the value for the Long Edge should be retrieved.
• Pages [5] – for multipage files, specify which pages should be scaled. The following examples illustrate valid page selections:
  • All – scales all pages.
  • 8 – scales page 8 only.
  • 1-6 – scales pages 1 through 6.
  • -3-1 – scales the last 3 pages.
  • even – scales all even-numbered pages.
  • odd – scales all odd-numbered pages.
  • 1-5,8,13-16 – scales pages 1 through 5, page 8, and pages 13 through 16.

To experiment with this function, refer to the sample file "Set_PageBox_Start". This source file contains a MediaBox measuring 450 x 300 mm and a TrimBox measuring 430 x 280 mm. The BleedBox is positioned identically to the MediaBox. The subject is to be produced in a size of 330 x 250 mm (visible format).

After applying this Fixup, the corrected file "Set_PageBox_End" is created.

Figure 8: Comparison of the original file and the final file

Article update: Workflow 1.20.1 – 04/2025