Proactive Preflighting

MarkzNet, Markzware's new Web-based preflight tool, preflights, collects, compresses, captures job ticket information and transmits native digital documents. MarkzNet can be used to send files from a creator to a service bureau or printer. Another application, for example, is creating an automatic document classification system on a corporate file server.

MarkzNet uses drag-and-drop tools to preflight digital files using a set of Markzware-coined "ground controls" that are dictated by the receiving side. This gives the receiver remote control over the condition of files allowed to be delivered through MarkzNet. After collecting job data—such as customer info, paper types, colors, urgency and other parameters, and running preflighting checks as defined by the receiver—MarkzNet automatically collects all additional necessary files, including fonts and images.

In addition, MarkzNet will include a TrueFile specification file with the job information as entered by the sender. All the needed files are then compressed into a single archive and sent directly to the receiver. The TrueFile specification file can be used at the receiving end for automatic routing of the incoming jobs. MarkzNet is a standalone application that runs on Macintosh or Windows platforms. It requires a browser and a network connection.

At Enfocus, Catherine McCarthy, North American business development manager, reports that the true production bonus with products such as PitStop is that service bureaus and other key customers for commercial printers can more readily deliver files needing minimum—or no—additional work to output correctly.

Enfocus PitStop 4.0 is a PDF production tool that combines preflighting with interactive and native PDF editing and automated correction capabilities for PDF documents. Fully integrated within Adobe Acrobat 4.0's document window, PitStop 4.0 can check, edit and automatically correct PDF documents in Adobe Acrobat seamlessly. Enfocus also manufactures DoubleCheck, a PostScript and PDF document verification and correction system designed to detect a broad range of problems that can impede successful file output.