Developer Apago Inc. announced on Tuesday that the company will release an upgrades to its PDF Enhancer application, as well as unveil a new server-based program, at the Drupa 2004 trade show to be held in Germany from May 6 to 19. Both applications will support Job Definition Format (JDF), a new XML-based standard file format that allows different types of files to be seamlessly integrated into a print job workflow without losing time spent converting them or making other changes that can be automated.
“Since participating in the first JDF Workflow Integration Tour at Seybold San Francisco 2003,” said Apago president Dwight Kelly, “we have been busy developing new products that leverage JDF.”
PDF Enhancer allows you to optimize PDF files for use in a variety of media, such as the Web, a presentation, or a printed piece. It can modify layouts, add watermarks, reduce file sizes, apply security settings, and more. Version 3.0 will add JDF support in the form of XML data stored in the PDF files, allowing automatic configuration of them as they move through a workflow.
Currently, you can choose from four versions of PDF Enhancer 2.0, all supported in MacOS X v10.2 (Jaguar) or higher. The Standard (US$179) and Professional($349) editions are for desktop use; those who need to use the application in a networked environment can choose from Server Edition ($999) and Server Edition with JBIG2 compression support ($1499). All four are available now.Visit Apago’s pricing page for information on upgrading from PDF Enhancer 1.x.
The new, as-yet-unnamed application will reside on a server and insert PDF pages into printing signatures, eliminating the need for someone to do so by hand. The company has not announced a name for the new product but expects to do so before Drupa 2004, when it will also reveal additional details. There was no Web page available for it on the Apago Web site as MacCentral went to press with this article.