In this article, you will learn
- what Fixup Chains are,
- how to create Fixup Chains, and
- where Fixup Chains can be applied in the Workflow.
1. Introduction
Print data is often created by the originator without knowing the final intended use. After a data check, it is therefore frequently necessary to apply individual Fixups or an entire series of Fixups. In general, a Fixup refers to a process that searches for specific objects in the print file and corrects them based on defined parameters.
Fixup Chains are available to avoid configuring and applying each Fixup individually. A Fixup Chain is a sequence of Standard Fixups linked together in a defined order. These Fixup Chains can be assembled, parameterized, and saved within the Workflow, making them readily available for production use.
By using Fixup Chains, print data can be automatically corrected and optimized, as well as prepared for output and finishing – all without the need for additional tools. The resulting time savings quickly become indispensable in any prepress environment.
Overview of All Fixups
A complete list of all Fixups available within the Workflow, along with detailed descriptions of the each individual Fixup, can be found in the chapter Standard Fixups.
2. Working with Fixup Chains
Before you can use Fixup Chains in the Workflow, they first need to be created as required. For this purpose, the option Fixup Chains is available in the menu Administration. Here, Fixup Chains can be created, edited, and managed. Once a Fixup Chain has been created, it can be selected and applied in all areas where Fixup Chains are supported.
2.1. Create Fixup Chains
To use Fixup Chains in your Production Workflow, they must first be created. Fixup Chains can be defined according to your specific requirements, configured with the desired parameters, and then saved. Once created, these Fixup Chains can be reused across multiple products – helping to automate your production process.
To create a Fixup Chain, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to Administration > Fixup Chains in the main menu.
- Click Add [1] in the header of the Fixup Chains settings section to create a new Fixup Chain.
- Select the newly created Fixup Chain and click Edit [2] in the header of the Added Fixups settings section to configure the Fixup Chain.
Figure 1: The menu item Administration > Fixup Chains
- In the dialog that opens, select the desired Fixup in the Fixups [3] selection area.
- Click Add [6] to move the selected Fixup to the section Added Fixups [4].
- Select the added Fixup [5] in the section Added Fixups to configure the settings [7] for the Fixup.
- Add as many Fixups as needed and arrange them in the desired order by simply dragging and dropping the entries.
- Complete the creation of the Fixup Chain by clicking Save [8].
Figure 2: The dialog Edit Fixup Chains
Create Fixup Chains in Detail
A detailed description of how to create a Fixup Chain can be found in the article Create a Fixup Chain.
2.2. Apply Fixup Chains
Fixup Chains for print data can be executed in various areas in the Workflow as well as through external tools. The individual options are described below.
2.2.1. Tab "Print Data"
The tab Print Data is available in the menu options for Articles, Orders, and Production Jobs. By clicking the preview image or the title of the respective Print Item or Order, you will access the detail view. In the document-specific information section, you will find the icon for Fixup Chains [9] in the footer. From there, you can select from all available Fixup Chains and apply them to the currently displayed Print Item.
Figure 3: The detail view in the tab Print Data with the option to apply a Fixup Chain
2.2.2. Add Print Item in the Order or Production Job Dialog
When uploading print data as an Article or Print Item into a Production Job or Order using the command Add in the toolbar of the Workflow, you can select a previously created Fixup Chain in the tab Print Item [10] (also shown as [12] in Figure 5). This Fixup Chain will then be applied to the file during the upload process. To do so, select the desired Fixup Chain [11] (or [13] in Figure 5) from the corresponding dropdown menu.
Figure 4: The tab Print Item in the dialog Add Production Job
Figure 5: The tab Print Item in the dialog Add Order
2.2.3. Apply to Multiple Print Items in the List
When one or more Articles or Print Items are selected in a list, you can access the command Apply Fixup Chain [15] via the option Fixups [14] in the selection menu. This opens the dialog Apply Fixup Chain, where you can select a previously defined Fixup Chain.
Figure 6: Left: The option to apply a Fixup Chain to a single or multiple Articles/Print Items; Right: The dialog Apply Fixup Chain
2.2.4. Using the Operation "Apply Fixup Chain"
The Operation Apply Fixup Chain can be selected within a Production Configuration. Saved Production Configurations are used in the Workflow for Quick Print, Hotfolder, and when creating Automation Jobs, applying the defined steps to the selected print data.
To use a Fixup Chain in a Production Configuration, proceed as follows:
- Navigate to Automation > Production Configurations.
- Click Add to create a new Production Configuration.
- In the dialog Add Production Configuration, select the tab Operations [16].
- Add the Operation Apply Fixup Chain [17] by selecting the corresponding entry from the dropdown menu [18].
- In the option Fixup Chain [19], select the Fixup Chain you want to use for this Production Configuration.
- Complete the creation of the Production Configuration by clicking Save [20].
Once a Production Configuration has been created, select it in Automation > Quick Print, in Automation > Hotfolder, and via the command Create Automation Job in the action bar of an Article or Print Item list.
Figure 7: The dialog Add Production Configuration with the Operation Data Preparation Configuration selected
2.2.5. XML Hotfolder with Job Ticket
If Production Jobs are to be created via Hotfolders based on an XML Job Ticket, Fixup Chains can also be applied to individual Print Items within the Production Job by passing the corresponding automationKey. For more details, refer to the article Hotfolder - XML Jobticket Documentation.
2.2.6. REST API
Fixup Chains can also be applied to Articles or Print Items via an external system (ERP/MIS), using appropriate REST calls and passing the relevant automationKey. Further information can be found in the article Rest API Documentation - Workflow in the section Fixups.
Applying Fixup Chains in Detail
A detailed description of how to apply Fixup Chains in the respective areas can be found in the article Fixup Chains!
Article update: Workflow 1.20.0 – 05/2025