ISO 15930-8:2008

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15930-8
First edition
2008-05-01

Graphic technology — Prepress digital
data exchange using PDF —
Part 8:
Partial exchange of printing data using
PDF 1.6 (PDF/X-5)
Technologie graphique — Échange de données numériques de
préimpression utilisant le PDF —
Partie 8: Échange partiel de données d'impression utilisant le PDF 1.6
(PDF/X-5)



Reference number
ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
©
ISO 2008

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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
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©  ISO 2008
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions. 2
4 Notations . 5
5 PDF/X-5 conforming files and equipment .5
6 Technical requirements . 6
6.1 General. 6
6.2 PDF/X-5 file identification . 6
7 PDF/X-5n conforming files prepared for n-colorant printing conditions. 7
7.1 General. 7
7.2 Output intent . 7
7.3 Source colour spaces and transparency .8
8 PDF/X-5g conforming external graphical content . 8
8.1 General. 8
8.2 Architecture. 8
8.3 Identification of target documents. 9
8.4 Selection of target documents . 9
8.5 Rendering of external documents. 10
8.6 Trapping. 10
8.7 Use of optional content. 10
9 PDF/X-5pg conforming external ICC profiles and external graphical content . 10
Annex A (informative) PDF feature summary. 11
Bibliography . 14

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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 15930-8 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
ISO 15930 consists of the following parts, under the general title Graphic technology — Prepress digital data
exchange using PDF:
⎯ Part 1: Complete exchange using CMYK data (PDF/X-1 and PDF/X-1a)
⎯ Part 3: Complete exchange suitable for colour-managed workflows (PDF/X-3)
⎯ Part 4: Complete exchange of CMYK and spot colour printing data using PDF 1.4 (PDF/X-1a)
⎯ Part 5: Partial exchange of printing data using PDF 1.4 (PDF/X-2)
⎯ Part 6: Complete exchange of printing data suitable for colour-managed workflows using PDF 1.4
(PDF/X-3)
⎯ Part 7: Complete exchange of printing data (PDF/X-4) and partial exchange of printing data with external
profile reference (PDF/X-4p) using PDF 1.6
⎯ Part 8: Partial exchange of printing data using PDF 1.6 (PDF/X-5)
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
Introduction
ISO 15930 (all parts) defines methods for the exchange of digital data within the graphic arts industry and for
the exchange of files between graphic arts establishments. It is a multi-part document where each part is
intended to respond to different workflow requirements. These workflows differ in the degree of flexibility
required. However, increasing flexibility can lead to the possibility of uncertainty or error. The goal throughout
the various parts of ISO 15930 has been to maintain the degree of flexibility required while minimizing the
uncertainty.
Many printed documents are assemblies of partial pages and/or pages created at different locations and by
different organizations. The merging of these individual elements into the final printing form and the
subsequent printing can take place at different locations. Some of these elements might also be routed to
multiple sites for incorporation into other documents. Each of these elements is referred to in ISO 15930 as a
compound entity.
A variety of data formats and structures are used for the creation of this type of material, but with two
prevalent kinds of underlying data structures. These are vector-based data for the encoding of line art and
textual information and raster-based data for the encoding of image information, including previously
rasterized line art and textual information.
Both kinds of data structures are required along with page description information in an open electronic
workflow. The exchange of raster-based data using the TIFF/IT file format is defined in ISO 12639. The
subject of ISO 15930 is a format for the exchange of object-based data where individual objects can be in
either vector or raster data structures.
The various parts of ISO 15930 define a number of conformance levels intended to address different
requirements; all define data formats and their usage to permit the predictable dissemination of a compound
entity to one or more locations. These goals are accomplished by defining a specific use of the publicly
available Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to achieve a level of exchange that avoids any
ambiguity in interpretation of the file, a limited set of PDF objects that are permitted to be used is identified
and restrictions to the use, or form of use, of those objects, and/or keys within those objects are added.
In some environments, the data exchange needs to be in a form ready for final print reproduction, by transfer
of a single file. This file contains all the content information necessary to process and render the document, as
intended by the sender, coded inside a single PDF file. No other files, neither external files nor internally
embedded files, are required or permitted. This exchange requires no prior knowledge of the sending and
receiving environments and is sometimes referred to as “complete” or “blind” exchange. It is platform- and
transport-independent. Whereas many production workflows benefit from the exchange of complete material,
with all elements present, there are circumstances when this is not appropriate. In certain workflows, some or
all of the referenced elements might be more logically present at the receiving site, or might be exchanged at
a different time. These include high-resolution contone-image files, line-art files, ICC profiles, etc. These
exchanges will generally require prior agreement between sender and receiver.
In some environments the exchange has to be restricted to CMYK (and spot colour) data, whilst in others it is
more appropriate to convey it as colour-managed, CMYK, gray, RGB, and/or spot colour, or to use alternative
process colour models.
Several new versions of the PDF specification have been issued since the publication of ISO 15930-1 in 2001.
More recent parts of ISO 15930 expand on and extend earlier parts by reference to later versions of the PDF
specification.
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
Table 1 summarizes the conformance levels defined in the various parts of ISO 15930.
Table 1 — PDF/X conformance levels
Conformance level Part of Complete Colour-managed Print characterization PDF version
ISO 15930 exchange data permitted spaces supported
PDF/X-1:2001 1 Yes No CMYK 1.3
PDF/X-1a:2001 1 Yes No CMYK 1.3
PDF/X-1a:2003 4 Yes No CMYK 1.4
PDF/X-2:2003 5 No Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.4
PDF/X-3:2002 3 Yes Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.3
PDF/X-3:2003 6 Yes Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.4
PDF/X-4 7 Yes Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.6
PDF/X-4p 7 No Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.6
PDF/X-5g 8 No Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.6
PDF/X-5n 8 No Yes n-colorant 1.6
PDF/X-5pg 8 No Yes Gray, RGB, CMYK 1.6
This part of ISO 15930 complements the other parts by defining a data format and its usage to permit the
predictable dissemination of a compound entity to one or more locations, as colour-managed data, CMYK
data, and/or spot colour data, by transfer of a file with some elements not included, but with provision for
unique identification. An exchange identified by this part of ISO 15930 might require communication between
sender and receiver to select the mechanism by which elements not included can be identified.
This part of ISO 15930 specifies PDF/X-5 conformance levels, which can be seen as expansions and
extensions of the PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-4p conformance levels defined in ISO 15930-7, in that it allows the use
of an n-colorant print characterization, and allows some data necessary for final printing to be supplied
externally to the main file being exchanged, as follows.
⎯ PDF/X-4 requires all raster and vector data to be imaged on the final print to be included within the single
file being exchanged; PDF/X-5 allows such data to be held in external files.
This allows the use of workflows similar to those using Open Prepress Interchange (OPI) comments in
PostScript, or OPI objects in baseline PDF. These can have value in reducing the demands on design
applications and the computers that they are used on, by allowing designers to work with low-resolution
versions of images. They also enable parallel processing of work on an image or other graphic, and the
page onto which it will be placed. In a publication or newsprint workflow, they allow advertising and
editorial submissions to be composited together late in the workflow, without requiring that files submitted
by third parties be amended in any way before the final prepress processes.
⎯ PDF/X-4 is restricted to preparation for a gray, RGB or CMYK print characterization. PDF/X-5 enables the
use of n-colorant print characterizations, using colorant sets that differ from or expand on gray, RGB or
CMYK. The technical mechanism by which this is achieved requires that the ICC profile for the print
characterization be external to the exchanged file.
In all cases, this part of ISO 15930 places restrictions on the external data, and requirements for metadata
within the exchanged file that provide for an unambiguous determination as to whether the external data has
been correctly associated with the PDF/X-5 file during processing after the exchange.
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
These differences from PDF/X-4 provide benefit in a variety of different sets of circumstances. Three
conformance levels are therefore defined in this part of ISO 15930, as follows.
PDF/X-5g External graphical content.
PDF/X-5n External output intent ICC profiles for n-colorant print characterizations.
PDF/X-5pg External graphical content and external output intent ICC profiles describing a characterized
printing condition using a gray, RGB or CMYK process colour model. This conformance
level makes use of mechanisms defined in the PDF/X-4p conformance level specified in
ISO 15930-7.
No conformance level defining the use of n-colorant printing conditions in combination with external graphical
content is defined.
Thus, a file that requires external ICC profiles for use in the output intent, and external content data to be
identified is a “PDF/X-5pg file”. A reader capable of processing a file that requires compositing with external
content data, but that does not have the capability of processing a file with an external ICC profile, would be
referred to as a “PDF/X-5g reader”.
It is anticipated that a variety of products will be developed based on PDF/X, such as readers (including
viewers) and writers of PDF/X files, and products that offer combinations of these features. Different products
will incorporate various capabilities to prepare, interpret and process conforming files based on the application
needs as perceived by the suppliers of the products.
Due consideration needs to be given to the increased potential for issues requiring technical discussion
between file submitters and receivers when determining whether to use any of the PDF/X-5 conformance
levels in preference to PDF/X-4. In addition, it is likely that a larger proportion of receiving sites will be capable
of accepting and correctly processing PDF/X-4 files. PDF/X-4 is preferred to any of the PDF/X-5 conformance
levels where there is no significant benefit in the use of the latter.
This part of ISO 15930 does not define a reader that can read all PDF/X-5 files. Rather, each conforming
reader is required to support at least one of the conformance levels listed above, and the documentation
provided for each such reader needs to identify which conformance levels that reader is capable of supporting.
A reader is required to read and appropriately process all files conforming to the conformance level(s) that it
supports, when used within the parameters for the exchange agreed between the sender and receiver.
All parts of ISO 15930 define requirements and restrictions on the process of rendering PDF/X files for viewing
and print, in addition to the requirements and restrictions of elements and structures within the files
themselves. In some circumstances it might be appropriate to render files without rigid adherence to the
provisions of this document, but it is important to be aware that such renderings do not conform to PDF/X.
Although re-purposing of data is not a primary consideration or requirement of this part of ISO 15930,
maximum flexibility will be maintained so that future requirements for re-purposing can be accommodated.
Users of this part of ISO 15930 are cautioned that they are expected to be familiar with the documents listed
as normative references and the terms used within those documents. This part of ISO 15930, like all of the
other parts, prescribes specific uses of, and limitations on the use of, the PDF Reference and its associated
supporting documents.
An ongoing series of Application Notes (see Reference [3]) is maintained for the guidance of developers and
users of the PDF/X family of standards. These application notes, and other documents relevant to PDF/X, are
available from NPES, The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, in
the NPES, Standards Workroom at .
A number of other International Standards, defining focussed subsets of the portable document format in
areas other than the graphic arts, are either published or under development, including PDF/A (see Reference
[6]). Where possible, PDF/X has been designed to allow a single file to comply both with PDF/X and with
these other conformance levels.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15930-8:2008(E)

Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange using
PDF —
Part 8:
Partial exchange of printing data using PDF 1.6 (PDF/X-5)
1 Scope
This part of ISO 15930 specifies the use of the Portable Document Format (PDF) Version 1.6 for the
dissemination of digital data intended for print, whereby all elements necessary for final print reproduction are
either included or provision is made for unique identification of externally supplied graphical content or
n-colorant ICC profiles.
Colour-managed, CMYK, gray, RGB or spot colour data are supported in any combination; as are PDF
transparency and optional content. Files can be prepared for use with gray, RGB, CMYK and n-colorant
printing characterizations.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 15076-1:2005, Image technology colour management — Architecture, profile format and data structure —
Part 1: Based on ICC.1:2004-10
ISO 15930-1, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange — Use of PDF — Part 1: Complete
exchange using CMYK data (PDF/X-1 and PDF/X-1a)
ISO 15930-3, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange — Use of PDF — Part 3: Complete
exchange suitable for colour-managed workflows (PDF/X-3)
ISO 15930-4, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange using PDF — Part 4: Complete exchange
of CMYK and spot colour printing data using PDF 1.4 (PDF/X-1a)
ISO 15930-6, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange using PDF — Part 6: Complete exchange
of printing data suitable for colour-managed workflows using PDF 1.4 (PDF/X-3)
ISO 15930-7:2008, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange using PDF — Part 7: Complete
exchange of printing data (PDF/X-4) and partial exchange of printing data with external profile reference
(PDF/X-4p) using PDF 1.6
Adobe PDF Reference Guide, fifth edition, version 1.6, ISBN 0-321-30474-8 (available from
)
Errata for Adobe PDF Reference, fifth edition, version 1.6, 31 August 2005 (available from
)
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
1)
PDF Blend Modes: Addendum . Adobe Systems Incorporated, January 23, 2006 (available from
)
XMP Specification, June 2005, Adobe Systems Incorporated (available from Internet
)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
characterized printing condition
printing condition for which process control aims are defined and for which the relationship between input data
(printing-tone values, usually CMYK) and the colorimetry of the printed image is documented
NOTE 1 The relationship between input data (printing tone values) and the colorimetry of the printed image is
commonly referred to as characterization.
NOTE 2 It is generally preferable that the process control aims of the printing condition and the associated
characterization data be made publicly available via the accredited standards process or industry trade associations.
3.2
CMYK
subtractive process colour model where the channels are called Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black
3.3
color space signature
value of bytes 16 to 19 of the header of an ICC profile (variously described as “color space signature” or “data
color space”)
3.4
compound entity
unit of work with all text, graphics and image elements prepared for final print reproduction that might
represent a single page for printing, a portion of a page or a combination of pages
3.5
conformance level
identified set of restrictions and requirements with which files, readers and writers are required to comply
3.6
element
substructure of a compound entity relative to the current processing environment, such as a block of text, a
contone picture or an outline graphic that, by itself, comprises the smallest logical composed unit of a
compound entity
3.7
font
identified collection of graphics that can be glyphs or other graphic elements

1) This is an addendum to Adobe PDF Reference, fifth edition, version 1.6, containing additional information about the
blend modes for PDF transparency.
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
3.8
FPO file
file containing a low resolution rendition of an external file and information about the full resolution file from
which it was derived, used for placement in design applications
3.9
glyph
recognizable abstract graphic symbol that is independent of any specific design
NOTE Adapted from ISO/IEC 9541-1. See Reference [7].
3.10
ICC
International Color Consortium
industry association formed to develop standardized mechanisms for colour management
3.11
ICC profile
set of colorimetric transforms prepared in accordance with ISO 15076-1:2005 or any one of the ICC.1
3.12
job ticket
electronic specification of process control for print production in either a published or proprietary format
NOTE Job tickets as defined here include only data intended to affect the rendered appearance of the file. See
References [1] and [2].
3.13
n-colorant
process colour model other than gray, RGB or CMYK, and comprising at least two colorants
3.14
PDF
Portable Document Format
file format defined in the PDF Reference
3.15
PDF/X-1a:2001
PDF/X-1a conformance level defined in ISO 15930-1
3.16
PDF/X-1a:2003
PDF/X-1a conformance level defined in ISO 15930-4
3.17
PDF/X-3:2002
PDF/X-3 conformance level defined in ISO 15930-3
3.18
PDF/X-3:2003
PDF/X-3 conformance level defined in ISO 15930-6
3.19
PDF/X-4
PDF/X-4 conformance level defined in ISO 15930-7
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
3.20
PDF/X-4p
PDF/X-4p conformance level defined in ISO 15930-7
3.21
PDF/X-5g
PDF/X-5g conformance level defined in this part of ISO 15930
3.22
PDF/X-5n
PDF/X-5n conformance level defined in this part of ISO 15930
3.23
PDF/X-5pg
PDF/X-5pg conformance level defined in this part of ISO 15930
3.24
preview image
preview consisting of a raster image representing a compound entity at a resolution suitable for viewing on a
computer display
3.25
process colour model
set of colorants that, when printed together, produce a range of colours able to reproduce the values specified
by a colour coordinate system
NOTE See CMYK (3.2), n-colorant (3.13), RGB (3.28).
3.26
proxy
visible placeholder representing at least the size and shape of the area to be replaced by the referenced
object
NOTE A visible placeholder can be something as basic as a rectangle of the appropriate size containing no image
content, or can be a partial or complete representation of the intended content. See preview image (3.24).
3.27
reader
software application that is able to read and appropriately process files
3.28
RGB
additive process colour model where the channels are called Red, Green and Blue
3.29
spot colour
single colorant, identified by name, whose printing-tone values are specified independently from the colour
values specified in a colour coordinate system
3.30
trapping
modification of boundaries of colour areas to account for dimensional variations in the printing process by
overprinting in selected colours at the boundaries between colours that might inadvertently be left uncoloured
due to normal variations of printing registration
NOTE Trapping is sometimes referred to as chokes and spreads or grips. This is not the same as ink trapping.
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ISO 15930-8:2008(E)
3.31
writer
software application that is able to write files
4 Notations
PDF operators, PDF keywords, the names of keys in PDF dictionaries, and other predefined names are
written in a bold sans serif type font; for example, the PCM key.
Operands of PDF operators or values of PDF dictionary keys are written in an italic sans serif font; for
example, the DeviceN value for the PCM key.
For the purposes of this part of ISO 15930, the terms “PDF/X-5 file”, “PDF/X-5 reader” and “PDF/X-5 writer”
should be read as specifying requirements for files, readers and writers respectively that comply with at least
one of the conformance levels defined in this part of ISO 15930.
For the purposes of this part of ISO 15930, references to “PDF Reference” are to the Adobe PDF Reference
Guide, fifth edition, version 1.6, as modified by Errata for PDF Reference, fifth edition, version 1.6, and by
Addendum on Blend Modes.
5 PDF/X-5 conforming files and equipment
This part of ISO 15930 specifies the use of the PDF file format for the exchange of digital data representing a
compound entity.
This part of ISO 15930 defines the following three conformance levels, all based on PDF/X-4, as specified in
ISO 15930-7.
⎯ PDF/X-5g adds the capability that one or more compound entities representing graphical content required
to render the file are not embedded within the file and are required to be specified by the writer in such a
way that identification of the target document can be properly validated by the reader.
⎯ PDF/X-5n adds the capability to use an externally referenced n-colorant ICC profile that conforms to
ISO 15076-1.
⎯ PDF/X-5pg adds the capabilities that the ICC profile representing the characterized printing condition is
provided externally in the same way as PDF/X-4p, and that one or more compound entities representing
graphical content are provided externally in the same way as PDF/X-5g.
No conformance level de
...