In this article, you will learn
- which Fixups are available in Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates for PageBoxes and dimensions, and
- for which use cases these Fixups are suitable.
1. Introduction
When print files are uploaded to the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application, the documents are checked using Check-in Preflight and Fixup Templates, corrected if necessary, and converted into a normalized state. Normalizing print data is therefore a key step in prepress production, as it saves time, minimizes errors, and automates parts of the process.
Not all Fixups are available in a "Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template"
The application clearly distinguishes between normalizing print data and preparing print data for production. During normalization, print data is brought to a consistent standard for subsequent data preparation, providing the foundation for all further processing. The actual production-specific preparation is performed at a later stage by applying individual Fixups or Fixup Chains.
2. Available Fixups for PageBoxes and Dimensions
To take full advantage of a Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template, these templates must first be created. A template essentially consists of Fixups and checks. The $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application currently provides more than 48 different Fixups. To provide a better overview, the individual Fixups have been divided into different categories.
This article provides a detailed description of all Fixups that can be used to adjust the PageBoxes and dimensions of print files.
2.1. Derive TrimBox from Crop Marks
Category: Color, PageBox
Description: This Fixup derives the TrimBox from the Crop Marks. In addition, the BleedBox can be set to the required values.
Application: Crop Marks generally define the final format and therefore specify the exact dimensions for trimming. Deriving the TrimBox from the Crop Marks ensures that the final product size is precisely determined based on the defined marks.
Figure 1: The enabled Fixup Derive TrimBox from Crop Marks
What do the individual options mean?
You can find a description of the effects of enabling the individual options in the article Derive PageBoxes from Crop Marks. This article provides a detailed description of the Fixup with the same name.
2.2. Derive TrimBox from a Technical Spot Color
Category: Color, PageBox
Description: This Fixup sets the TrimBox to the selected Technical Spot Color. If the Technical Spot Color is defined as a filled area, the area can be converted into an outline, and the BleedBox can optionally be set. The Fixup can also be configured so that it is not executed if a TrimBox already exists in the print file.
Application: If a Dieline is already available in a print file, the TrimBox should be set to this line to ensure that the final product size is correctly defined.
Figure 2: The enabled Fixup Derive TrimBox from a Technical Spot Color
2.3. Adjust Sizes
Category: Document, Page, Page Content
Description: This Fixup checks the size of the print file and adjusts it to the required production size if necessary. Bleed and additional areas can be added automatically as required. If multipage files with different dimensions need to be processed, the individual parts can be defined and adjusted separately.
Application: Use this Fixup to bring print data to the required size, including Bleed, already during upload. A detailed description of this Fixup can be found here.
Figure 3: The enabled Fixup Adjust Sizes
2.4. Apply Rotation Factor
Category: Object, Page, Page Content, PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-6
Description: This Fixup applies an existing rotation factor and then sets it to 0°.
Application: Even if content appears visually correct, different rotation information can lead to errors in subsequent processing steps. Applying the rotation factor ensures a consistent orientation of the data, providing the basis for stable and reproducible further processing.
Figure 4: The enabled Fixup Apply Rotation Factor
2.5. Remove page scaling factor (User Unit)
Category: Page, Page Content
Description: This Fixup removes all page scaling factors (User Unit entries) from all pages, provided that the dimensions for width and height do not exceed 5,080 mm (200 inches).
Application: In multipage PDF files, an individual page scaling factor can be assigned to each page. These factors are only available in PDF files from version 1.6 onward. Use this Fixup to remove existing scaling factors if you later want to apply a specific factor to enlarge the print data. This Fixup is also required when creating PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3-compliant print data.
Figure 5: The enabled Fixup Remove page scaling factor (User Unit)
2.6. Set Page Scaling Factor (User Unit)
Category: Page, Page Content
Description: This Fixup sets the page scaling factor (User Unit) of a page in a PDF file to the selected value. The scaling factor is selected based based on a character string found in the file name. Please note that the dimensions and resolutions displayed in the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application already reflect the effective values, as the applied scaling factor has already been taken into acccount.
The following scaling values are available:
- 1:1 – 100 mm remains 100 mm
- 1:2 – 100 mm becomes 200 mm
- 1:4 – 100 mm becomes 400 mm
- 1:5 – 100 mm becomes 500 mm
- 1:10 – 100 mm becomes 1,000 mm
- 1:25 – 100 mm becomes 2,500 mm
- 1:50 – 100 mm becomes 5,000 mm
- 1:100 – 100 mm becomes 10,000 mm
Application: Use this Fixup if customers always provide print data at a reduced scale and you want to scale it to the effective size for the workflow. The scaling factor to be applied can be extracted from the file name, as a defined pattern is available in the file name.
Figure 6: The enabled Fixup Set User Unit (Page Scaling Factor)
2.7. Auto-correct nesting of PageBoxes
Category: Page, PageBox
Description: This Fixup ensures that the TrimBox, ArtBox, BleedBox, CropBox, and MediaBox are correctly nested. If necessary, adjustments are made to achieve the correct nesting. However, the ArtBox is removed if a TrimBox is present, ensuring that the print file complies with PDF/X requirements.
Application: Add this Fixup to the Check-in Preflight and Fixup Template if PDF/X-compliant print files need to be generated in the application.
Figure 7: The enabled Fixup Auto-correct nesting of PageBoxes
Article Update: $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW 2.0.0 – 04/2026