This Enfocus PitStop command allows us to take the externally linked colour profile as output intent, as it happens in the PDF/X-4p variant, and embed it in the document, as is mandatory in the PDF/X-4 variant.
Warning: this command only changes the external output intent model (PDF/X-4p) to an internal one (PDF/X-4), embedding the colour profile. It does not change the identification key, which remains PDF/X-4p. This change must be made afterwards with a "Change PDF/X version key
" command.
The difference between the two PDF/X variants is that in the 4p variant the colour profile used for printing purposes is not embedded in the document (it is external, linked by reference). On the contrary, in the PDF/X-4 variant (more common) it is obligatory to embed in the PDF the profile used as output intent. There is no major difference between the two variants.
The main reason for using PDF/X-4p files is having a workflow that deals with a large number of documents that use the same colour profile (for instance, variable printing). Not including it in all documents may simplify some tasks. Outside such a system, 4p documents can cause problems (for instance, if they do not find the referenced colour profile).
As a curiosity, programs such as Adobe InDesign or Adobe Illustrator do not allow the creation of PDF/X-4p. Adobe Acrobat allows the modification of an existing PDF/X-4 to convert it into PDF/X-4p.
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