Using External PDF Editors

PDFs are more complex than they look. Under the hood, they're a spaghetti-like network of things such as XObjects, Arrays, Page Tree Nodes, and Optional Content Groups. That's why some edits can't be undone in Acrobat ( Figure 14.24 ). You'd break the spaghetti.

Figure 14.24. There is no Undo command for many operations in Acrobat. This is nature's way of letting you know that PDF files are more complicated than you might think. At least you're warned .

Even if you're using some of the excellent , third-party add-ons for Acrobat to perform edits, it's advisable to work on a copy of your file just in case things fall apart.

As for using Adobe Illustrator to edit PDF files... don't. We've all done it in desperation in the olden days before PitStop and other PDF-editing software. There was no viable alternative back then, and deadlines will drive you to do such things. But if it wasn't generated by Illustrator, opening a PDF file in Illustrator without the necessary fonts available will wreck font embedding, and manipulating objects may cause unexpected loss of content. It's OK to edit PDFs saved directly from Illustrator, however. They're special files: The original Illustrator file is contained within the PDF, and that's what you'd actually be editing, provided you use the default option to retain Illustrator editing capabilities. But you're risking the possibility of file damage when you use Illustrator to edit PDF files created by other applications. It's preferable to return to the originating application to make edits. Then create a new PDF file and go on with your life.

Appendix. Print Production Resources

When you enjoy what you do for a living, your education never stops. And if your education never stops, there's a good chance that you'll get more enjoyment out of what you do for a living. I once worked with a guy who didn't understand my fondness for learning new software. He once said to me, "If you learn that, they'll just make you do it all the time." Understandably, he couldn't fathom why I'd go to trade shows and conferences for fun. I'm sure he was disturbed by the fact that I referred to the now- defunct Seybold Seminars in Boston as "Spring Break."

If you consider yourself an avid, life-long learner, and you'd like to add to your arsenal of printing knowledge, I hope you'll find the resources in this appendix useful. I've included information about organizations, online resources, books, and publications , and even some print- related tourist destinations. Really.

Organizations

Organizations related to the graphic arts industry vary in structure and offerings. Some are small, loosely knit, informal user groups that meet for snacks and presentations (not necessarily in that order of importance). Some larger organizations are more like corporations with regional chapters, and they often hold annual international conferences that include extensive seminar offerings, exhibit booths, and awards banquets.

Some organizations consist only of a Web presence and perhaps online forums. Regardless of the type of group that appeals to you, it's helpful to join organizations in order to see how other people approach design and print. Meeting other professionals in the industry, and seeing their work, is inspirational as well as educational.

User Groups

Unlike groups geared toward general design or printing industry members, user groups are usually devoted to a single software program or a suite of programs. The Adobe Acrobat and InDesign user groups hold chapter meetings in various cities around the world. While these two groups are supported by Adobe, they are funded and run by the group members themselves . A typical user group meeting might include demonstrations of software features, opportunities to have questions answered and technical issues solved by expert users or guest speakers , and a chance to win software, books, and other door prizes. And don't forget those snacks.

Adobe Acrobat User Community www.acrobatusers.com

Started in 2006, the Acrobat user community is growing rapidly . The Web site offers links to the individual chapters, as well as tips, tutorials, and video presentations.
Adobe InDesign User Group www.indesignusergroup.com

The InDesign user group Web site is a rich portal to all things InDesign, including chapter information, useful plug-ins, and tutorials. It's also an easy doorway to the Adobe forums and the great InDesign Secrets site. Check out the InDesign Secrets podcast!

Online Communities and Forums

Joining online communities and forums is sort of like raising your hand and having the entire world answer you. Post a question in an online forum, and the answers arrive in your in-box. Strong emotions and priceless information make the online communities like lively little villages, including the inevitable family squabbles.

Some forums (fora? forii?) are sponsored by software vendors , and feature the expected product announcements and sales pitches in addition to useful resources. Some forums are maintained strictly by enthusiasts , and are free of any corporate influence.

Adobe Forums www.adobe.com/support/forums

Adobe forums are available for all Adobe products. While the forums are predominantly user-to-user in nature, they are moderated for civility, and Adobe staff are frequent contributors. The topics are a mix of general software issues and printing issues.
Macromedia Products, including FreeHand MX www.communitymx.com

CommunityMX includes news about Macromedia products Dreamweaver, FreeHandMX, Fireworks, and ColdFusion, as well as online tutorials.
National Association of Photoshop Users www.photoshopuser.com

The National Association of Photoshop Users (NAPP), is a national organization that provides online tutorials, publishes a bimonthly magazine, and hosts regional seminar events in addition to its yearly Photoshop World conference. Members are also eligible for discounts on software and hardware.
PDF Zone www.pdfzone.com

A service of Ziff Davis Media, PDF Zone contains PDF-related industry news, as well as tips, tricks, and tutorials. Not all of the content is print-related, though.
Planet PDF www.planetpdf.com

Planet PDF is a service of BinaryThing, a software development company devoted to Acrobat solutions. The searchable Planet PDF store offers a huge variety of plug-ins and software related to Acrobat. The online content also includes tips, tricks, and PDF-themed articles about a wide spectrum of industry uses for Acrobat.
PrintPlanet www.printplanet.com

Created and maintained by Dave Mainwaring, the PrintPlanet forums are some of the most lively and most useful printing resources on the Web. Forums are devoted to individual topics, including prepress, digital printing, printing technology, packaging, and fonts. And there are great training resources available in the associated PrintPlanet University, a service of PrePress Training Solutions.
QuarkXPress Forums www.quark.com/service/forums

While most of the Quark forums are unmoderated , the Printing, PDF, and Fonts forums provide a great way for QuarkXPress users to share and solve real-world printing issues with their peers. Have a problem? You're probably not the only one. And someone else probably has the answer.
Typographica www.typographi.com

Typographica is home to lively discussions of font designs, readability issues, and tutorials on font creation, which should give you some deep respect for the efforts of font designers.

Printing Industry Organizations

You may consider yourself to be purely a designer, with no interest in pursuing the technical end of the printing trade. But the online educational resources provided by these printing industry organizations can be very helpful when you want to understand more about printing processes.

Association of Graphic Communications www.agcomm.org

An affiliate of GAIN, the AGC provides print-oriented training for graphics software in the northeastern U.S.
IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) www.idealliance.org

IDEAlliance offers seminars (including some that are available online) on highly technical topics such as XML.
International Prepress Association www.ipa.org

The IPA offers a great variety of online seminars on a wide range of topics ranging from graphics software to PDF creation to print processes.
Pacific Printing and Imaging Association www.pacprinting.org

The PPIA offers training and print-oriented seminars in the Pacific Northwest.

Packaging Organizations

Packaging adds another dimension to the printing process, both literally and figuratively. These packaging organizations offer extensive educational resources.

Flexographic Technical Association www.fta-ffta.org

The FTA Web site offers industry news, online articles, and information on upcoming flexography -related events and training sessions.
Institute of Packaging Professionals www.iopp.org

The IOPP Web site provides access to an extensive bookstore, comprehensive links to industry resources, and information on packaging conferences and training events.
Paperboard Packaging Council www.ppcnet.org

Devoted to the folding-carton industry, the PPC Web site provides numerous informational pieces in PDF format, as well as links to publications and industry events. Additional, premium content is available to PPC members.

Technical Education Organizations

The printing industry contains a number of organizations devoted to education and providing reference materials.

Graphic Arts Educational and Research Foundation www.gaerf.org

GAERF was created by the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL), The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies (known as NPES for some ancestral reason), and the Printing Industries of America, Inc. (PIA). These three associations own the Graphic Arts Show Company, (GASC), which is responsible for a number of industry trade shows, including the huge, annual GraphExpo event in Chicago. GAERF finances educational programs and provides information about these programs on its Web site.
Graphic Arts Information Network www.gain.net

A joint effort of Print Industries of America and the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, GAIN sponsors publication of an extensive library of print-related books, available through the GAIN Web site. There is also an online job bank and links to industry events.
Specialty Graphic Imaging Association www.sgia.org

The SGIA focus is on printing processes that fall outside of offset printing. It offers coverage of a diverse range of imaging and printing processes, including screen printing, large-format inkjet printing, and textile printing.
The National Council for Skill Standards in Graphic Communications www.ncssgc.org

The National Council for Skill Standards offers educational resources and certification programs for printing-industry professionals.