ImageEngine Documentation

7. Using ImageEngine

7.4. Render

The Render function uses the render method of the Adobe Acrobat application to get the images from the source PDF document. The images are saved either as Macintosh Pictures or in the corresponding format when using one of the QuickTime Image Exporters of Mac OS.

Note: The differences between Render function and Export function are:

With the Render function the image data is generated by using the render method of the Adobe Acrobat application. This procedure converts the PDF color space to RGB color space. The advantages of the Render Function are that

Images can be scaled.
The color space of the images can be adapted.
Using the QuickTime Exporters of Mac OS, a lot of export formats are available.

With the Export function the image data is picked out from the structures of the PDF document and converted directly into the Adobe Photoshop format. The advantage of this procedure is that the color space of most PDF images types is not affected. This makes it possible to convert the image data of nearly all images directly to the corresponding Photoshop color space.

Additionally, it is possible to embed an ICC profile into the Photoshop file if valid profile data is present in the PDF image structure.

It is not possible to scale the images.

To apply the Render function to the front document of Adobe Acrobat, choose the menu "ImageEngine" –> "Render…".

Now the document dialog appears, allowing the user to adjust whether the function is to be applied to the entire document or to a range of coherent pages. There is also a button available to change the settings of the Render function.

To cancel the Render function, press the "Cancel" button.

To start the Render function with the desired document, press the "Render…" button.

To apply the Render function to a PDF document, stored as a file, choose the menu "ImageEngine" –> "Render from File…". An Open dialog appears, which allows to select the desired PDF file. Using the cancel button of the Open dialog cancels the Render function.

Since the "Render from File…" function can only be applied to the entire document no document dialog appears.

Note: If the security setting of the source document is set to "No Content Copying or Extraction, Disabled Accessibility", ImageEngine asks for the password to allow "Content Copying or Extraction".

If an invalid password is entered, ImageEngine shows an alert and stops the current function.

Further sequences depend on the settings for "Auto Save".

With "Auto Save" off, ImageEngine shows a Save dialog to let the user select where to save the file(s) generated.

With "Auto Save" on the file(s) are saved automatically in a newly created folder in the Auto Save destination folder.

Note: The sub folder will only be created if ImageEngine could create at least one file.

ImageEngine now shows a progress window. The function may be cancelled by pressing the key combination "Cmd" + "." or the "esc" key. In this case, all images, which were already created, remain in the destination folder.

The result of the Render function is a sub folder inside the destination folder, filled with the generated image files.