PageTech's Path to TransPromo

PCL HVTO Optimization

We have some unique features that we developed for the way a lot of insurance companies accumulate their daily print files in order to concatenate them into one large print stream. We can "filter" these kinds of files in order to eliminate all excess font resources that slow down processing.

For instance:

FONT OPTIMIZATION:

"FILTER.exe -7":   We've seen PCL print streams with 18 fonts on the first page of each document in a 5,000 mixed document print stream. We can take a pass through the PCL with FILTER.exe to eliminate all the redundantly downloaded fonts for a much smaller file for either printing or transforming into other formats.

We remember the first occurence of each whole font downloaded, and, whenever it's downloaded again (even using a different download font ID), we map all the text using that font to the initial download. We've seen 100Mb files reduced to 10Mb files that print or transform 80% faster.

"FILTER.exe -7 –s":   We add the "-s" argument to optimize the font characters in a print stream when they are "sieved by a Windows printer driver". The driver will download the font characters unbound to a character set in whatever order they are used in the file. The characters are arbitrarily assigned cell positions in a temporary download bitmap or scalable font. We refer to this as "scrambled text".

With the "-s", FILTER.exe uses our unique Character Descriptor Recognition technology. It is capable of tracking each individual character that is downloaded, regardless of the temporary font or character cell to which it's assigned. Subsequent duplicate characters are removed from the file, and the text is mapped to the initial font and character found in the file.

PCLTool SDK V9.0 can also optimize the PCL on-the-fly within a PCLXForm.exe script program or within a custom .exe accessing our .DLL API.

MACRO OPTIMIZATION:

"DetectOverlay" Preference:   This is a preference that optimizes files with the same form overlay macro downloaded for each document in a print stream. The initial instance of the form overlay macro is used as a global object when converting to a vector PDF format.

This can dramatically reduce the vector PDF file size and increase transformation throughput. We have not added this function to FILTER.exe to "stream edit" a PCL file into a smaller, faster PCL file. However, we easily could if anyone comes to us with the requirement.

RASTER IMAGE OPTIMIZATION:

"DetectCommonImages" Preference:  This is a preference that optimizes files with the same raster objects (logos, headers, footers, images, etc.) downloaded for each document in a print stream. The initial instances of the various raster objects are used as global objects when converting to a vector PDF format.

This can dramatically reduce the vector PDF filesize and increase transformation throughput. We have not added this function to FILTER.exe to "stream edit" a PCL file into a smaller, faster PCL file. However, we easily could if anyone comes to us with the requirement.

RASTER DATA REDUCTION:

We can re-render 600 dpi raster objects found in a print stream into 300 dpi raster objects. This will effectively reduce the amount of raster data by a ratio of 4 to 1.

JBIG2 RASTER COMPRESSION:

When we convert a PCL file into a JBIG2 raster PDF file, we have the advantage of using the download fonts in the file to create smaller JBIG2 raster objects. Scanned images of pages or other products convert the PCL to an internal raster format, then re-render to JBIG2 raster to embed into the PDF.

That method requires a scan of each raster page to create a table of all the characters found on the page. We table the text characters as we find them downloaded in the PCL. Our method provides faster conversion and a smaller JBIG2 compressed raster file.

FILE SPLITTING:

We have the most powerful tools to split any very large HVTO PCL print streams into smaller ones for faster, safer printing or transformation. Printing or converting several smaller PCL print streams split from a one larger one can dramatically increase throughput.

PCLSplit.exe is included with our PCLTool SDK. However, PCLXForm is the best tool for splitting based on rules logic (split-off 5,000 pages, but a document break) or when the PCL is very complex and/or problematic.

COLOR RASTER OPTIMIZATION:

We have custom routines that can optimize 24-bit color into various color separations when converting to PDF format. Color raster optimization can dramatically decrease the PDF file size and increase throughput. This type of optimization is currently done by first setting up a job after analysis of the PCL. When we find clients that need this done automatically, on-the-fly, we can add this to FILTER.exe or to our main convert .DLL.

These various optimization techniques have been developed and refined over the 17 years PageTech has been working for leading Printing/Imaging Service Bureaus, Banks, Insurance Companies and many other institutions.

PageTech Software Pricing & Contact Information

PCLTool SDK ranges from US $495-$3,995 depending on options selected. All prices are subject to reasonable restrictions and conditions. Custom licensing and custom modifications are available.

Please call us if you have any questions regarding our products or the integration of PCLTool SDK into any of your PCL applications.

Phone: (+1) 858 794-6884
Email:

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