Setting output properties for PDF documents

You can set output properties, such as the path, default font, and Unicode for PDF documents.

About this task

The default PDF driver produces version 1.5 PDF files. You can still choose to use the Legacy PDF driver, which produces version 1.4 PDF files.

If you create a document specification in Rational® Publishing Engine 1.1.2.1 or earlier and open it with Rational Publishing Engine 1.1.2.2 or later, the PDF settings are migrated to the later version PDF and Legacy PDF settings. If you create a document specification in Rational Publishing Engine 1.1.2.2 or later and open it with Rational Publishing Engine 1.1.2.1 or earlier, the Legacy PDF driver is used by default. If both the PDF and Legacy PDF drivers were configured in the version 1.1.2.2 or later document specification, two PDF driver instances are created and are the same. If this duplication occurs, you can delete the duplicate driver from the document specification.

Setting output properties for the PDF Driver

The PDF driver is the default PDF driver.

About this task

Refer to the technote on the known limitations of the PDF driver. This technote applies to Rational Publishing Engine version 1.1.2.1, 1.1.2.2, 1.2, and 1.2.0.1.
  • In version 1.1.2.2, items 3,4, and 5 are fixed.
  • In version 1.2, item 8 is fixed.
  • In version 1.2.0.1, there are no changes to the driver.

For a list of fields supported by the PDF driver, see Aspose documentation: PDF Driver Fields Supported.

Procedure

To set the output properties for the PDF Driver:

  1. In the Launcher perspective, expand Output, right-click the Target: PDF, and select Configure Output.
  2. In the Configure PDF Output window, enter the following field details:
    1. Path: Type a fully qualified path with file extension or click Browse to select the location for the output. Example: C:\temp\sampleOutput.pdf
    2. Stylesheet: Enter a style sheet or click Browse to select a style sheet.
    3. User: Enter the user name, if the style sheet is in a secured location.
    4. Password: Enter the password, if the style sheet is in a secured location.
    5. Applies to version 1.2.0.1 Authentication: Select the authentication type that applies to accessing your stylesheet. You can select one of the following authentication types:
      • Form
      • Basic
      • OAuth
    6. Applies to version 1.2.0.1 Accept header: Enter an accept type for your stylesheet. Examples:
      • image/jpeg
      • text/html
      • application/xml
      • */*
    7. Substitution font: Enter the font to be used when the template font cannot be found on the computer. Select a font that is common to most computers. Example: Times New Roman
    8. Select Bidirectional languages if the output is written in both languages that read left to right and languages that read right to left.
    9. Click OK.
  3. Save the document specification.

What to do next

  • If the PDFs you generate do not look as expected, you can use the Legacy PDF driver version.
  • If the PDF is slow to generate, add Section break element icon Section break elements to the template to improve performance.

Setting output properties for the Legacy PDF driver

You must add the Legacy PDF Output driver to your Output selections before you can set the Legacy PDF output properties.

Before you begin

Add the Legacy PDF Output driver to your Output selections:
  1. Open the Launcher perspective.
  2. In the Document Specification view, right-click Output.
  3. Click Add Output > Legacy PDF > Legacy.PDF.Driver.

About this task

If you choose to use the Legacy PDF driver, refer to the technote on its known limitations. This technote applies to Rational Publishing Engine versions 1.1.2.1, 1.1.2.2, and 1.2.

Procedure

To set the output properties for the Legacy PDF driver:

  1. In the Launcher perspective, expand Output, right-click the Target: Legacy PDF, and select Configure Output.
  2. In the Configure PDF Output window, enter the following field details:
    1. Path: Type a fully qualified path with file extension or click Browse to select the location for the output. Example: C:\temp\sampleOutput.pdf
    2. Default font: Type the name of the font. Use this option when the font information is not specified in the template. The default font is Times New Roman.
      Note: If the output contains non-English characters, you must enter a font name and set the Unicode output to true. The font you enter must be one that supports the non-English characters and that exists on the computer running the document generation.
    3. Numbered headings: Select this option to create numbered headings in the PDF output.
    4. Unicode output: Select this option if the font used in the output supports Unicode characters.
      Note: This Unicode output value can be selected if the default font is a True Type Font. If the check box is selected, all non-English characters are visible in the output if the default font or the font of the element can render them. If the check box is not cleared, non-English characters are not visible in the output.
    5. Click OK.
  3. Save the document specification.

What to do next

If the Legacy PDFs you generate do not look as expected, you can choose to use the PDF driver.

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