Chris66

You'd think so, but the reality is that automated pre-flight systems looks for a specific type of PDF, it naive to expect the magazine print industry to change that anytime soon. Of course we can correct and convert our clients' PDF files, that's not the issue. It's when we advise of what they'd need to do so it wouldn't fail through an automated preflight system. I'd then have to list third party applications to them so they can correct the issue? They simply won't be interested in doing that or even understand why it would need doing.

Did export PDF/X-1a:2001 version 1.3 PDF ever exist in Affinity Publisher? I believe it did in Serif Page Plus although I never used it. Would certainly help them compete with other Adobe products rather than having to get another piece of software to make it compliant.

Working in a pre-press department the lack of PDF/X-1a:2001 support is annoying for our customers and ourselves, making suggestions on how their artwork can be uploaded directly for pre-flighting and failing for something that they cannot correct. At least adding the option to change the PDF version to 1.3 would avoid some of these issues. Because it's an old standard doesn't mean it's outdated or wrong in the right situation.