Trim PDF with the anchor point in the center and create JPEG

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raminmd
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:28 pm

Trim PDF with the anchor point in the center and create JPEG

Post by raminmd »

Hi all,

I am a newbie to both Switch and Pitstop server. So i apologize if this is something basic. I have been wrangling with it for a few hours now. We get a lot of PDFs that we send online proofs for. I am trying to automate this. Here is the typical flow we would follow for a flyer.

We get PDFs from out clients for an 8.5 x 11 flyer. Some of them have bleeds, some of them dont. Some of them have crop marks and some of them dont. The page size typically varies from 8.5 x 11 to 9.5 x 12.5 (with bleeds and crops). Typically, we take the PDF into photostop, trim the canvas size to 8.5 x 11 and then create jpegs which are uploaded into the proof server.

I created a flow in switch. So far, I am checking for the orientation of the flyer and am also checking to see if the page size if bigger than 8.5 x 11 or not. For PDFs with page sizes larger than 8.5 x 11, I am sending to Pitstop Server configurator. Here is where I am getting stuck.

I need to duplicate the actions we do in photoshop i.e. trim the document with a central anchor point so it is an 8.5 x 11 final size with crops and bleeds removed. I set an action in PS "Resize media box" but I am unable to trim on all sides equally...the only two options I have for selecting a starting rectangle are upper right or lower left. How do I center it.

Essentially, I need to trim the document to 8.5 x 11 and then generate JPEGs that can be uploaded into our proofing server via FTP.

Any help would be appreciated.
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JimmyHartington
Advanced member
Posts: 282
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:38 am

Re: Trim PDF with the anchor point in the center and create JPEG

Post by JimmyHartington »

Hi

I have done something like this before.
In an action list I add a rectangle to the center for the pdf, with at spot color called "Delete".
Select last added object.
Resize media box to this selection.
Then delete objects with fill spot color "Delete".

In Switch you can use the PDF to image configurator with the action list as a prerender action list.

I have attached an action list and flow here: https://d.pr/f/oMU8Hj
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