Acrobat’s Preflight tools are powerful and complex. But you can simplify your preflight life by creating a standalone droplet. Then, any PDF you drop onto it will be tested against specific project requirements, and can then be automatically moved into a different folder and a report generated.
A few of the choices are:

• List all images
• List non CMYK objects
• List text using non-embedded fonts
• Document creates more than four plates
• PDF/X-1a compliant
• PDF/X-3 compliant
• Magazine ads
• Sheetfed offset
• Web offset
• List images below 250 ppi
• Compatibility with Acrobat 3 (or 4, 5, 6 or 7)

To create a droplet, do this:

In Acrobat 7 and earlier, choose Tools> Print Production> Preflight. In Acrobat 8, choose Advanced> Preflight. Click Options and choose Create Preflight Droplet.

Choose an appropriate preflight Profile from the Run Preflight Check Using pull-down menu or create a new one by clicking the Edit button. Choose options for what Acrobat should do when a file passes the test or fails the test. Click Settings to specify the details of the report. Click Save and choose a location for your new droplet.

When prompted to choose a report type, choose the default PDF report. This tells Acrobat to create a new PDF document that highlights any problems with your PDF.

Jeff Gamet

Jeff Gamet is a contributing editor for Design Tools Monthly, the executive summary of graphic design news. He is also the morning editor and reviews editor for The Mac Observer and iPodObserver.com, and contributing writer for Layers Magazine and Photoshop User. He writes the InBrief column for InDesign Magazine, and is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X,” from Peachpit Press

When Jeff isn’t writing about the graphic design world, he’s talking about it on the Design Tools Weekly podcast with co-host Jay Nelson. He also talks about Apple and the Mac world every week on The Mac Observer’s Apple Weekly Report.

Jeff studies, tests and reviews new software and technologies for the Macintosh community as well as the design and print industries. He is a former Pre-press specialist, and has nearly 25 years experience with computer technology. Jeff trains, lectures and consults on techniques for more efficiently using Mac OS X in creative environments throughout the country.

In the rare moments when he can get away from his MacBook Pro, Jeff spends his time climbing and biking in the Colorado mountains.