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CorelDRAW X7 Pages 6

The document outlines various special effects categories in CorelDRAW, including Creative, Custom, Distort, Noise, Sharpen, Texture, and Plug-ins, each providing unique ways to modify images. It also details procedures for applying effects, adding plug-in filters, inflating bitmaps, and using the Image Adjustment Lab for color and tone corrections. Additionally, it covers techniques for adjusting brightness, contrast, and color in images, along with the use of histograms for evaluating tonal ranges.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
11 views

CorelDRAW X7 Pages 6

The document outlines various special effects categories in CorelDRAW, including Creative, Custom, Distort, Noise, Sharpen, Texture, and Plug-ins, each providing unique ways to modify images. It also details procedures for applying effects, adding plug-in filters, inflating bitmaps, and using the Image Adjustment Lab for color and tone corrections. Additionally, it covers techniques for adjusting brightness, contrast, and color in images, along with the use of histograms for evaluating tonal ranges.

Uploaded by

vidyantm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 100

Special effect category Description

Creative Lets you apply various textures and shapes to an image. Effects
include Fabric, Glass Block, Crystalize, Vortex, and Stained Glass.

Custom Lets you apply a wide range of effects to your image. For example,
you can transform your image into an artistic media painting by
applying brushstrokes (Alchemy effect) or add texture and patterns
to an image (Bump-map effect).

Distort Lets you distort image surfaces. Effects include Ripple, Blocks, Swirl,
and Tile.

Noise Lets you modify the graininess of an image. Effects include Add
Noise, Remove Moiré, and Remove Noise.

Sharpen Lets you add a sharpening effect to focus and enhance edges.
Effects include Adaptive Unsharp, High Pass, and Unsharp Mask.

Texture Lets you add texture to an image by simulating a variety of


surfaces, such as cobblestone, elephant skin, plastic, and relief
sculpture.

Plug-ins Lets you use a third-party filter to apply effects to bitmaps in


CorelDRAW.An installed plug-in appears at the bottom of the
Bitmaps menu.

Adding plug-in filters to CorelDRAW provides additional features and effects that you can use to edit images. You can add plug-in filters,
and you can remove them when you no longer need them.

CorelDRAW automatically inflates a bitmap so that a special effect covers the entire image. You can disable automatic inflation and manually
specify dimensions for the inflated bitmap.

The Time machine effect recreates photographic styles from the past.

To apply a special effect


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps, choose a special effect type, and click an effect.
3 Adjust any special effect settings.

Working with bitmaps | 483


To add a plug-in filter
1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Workspace, and click Plug-ins.
3 Click Add.
4 Choose a folder containing a plug-in.

To remove a plug-in filter, click a plug-in folder from the Plug-in folders list, and click Remove.

To inflate a bitmap manually


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Inflate bitmap  Manually inflate bitmap.
3 In the Width and Height areas, do one of the following:
• In the Inflate to boxes, type the number of pixels that should make up the dimensions of the inflated bitmap.
• In the Inflate by boxes, type the percentages by which to inflate the original bitmap.
4 To inflate the bitmap proportionally, enable the Maintain aspect ratio check box.

To automatically inflate the bitmap to cover the entire image, click Bitmaps  Inflate bitmap  Auto inflate bitmap.

Left to right: Add noise effect, Zoom blur effect, Solarize color transform effect, Edge detect contour effect, Sharpen effect

Left to right: Original image, Emboss effect, Cubist artistic effect, Mosaic creative effect, Distort pixelate effect

484 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


Smart blur

The Smart blur effect smooths the surfaces while keeping the edges sharp.

Camera effects

Original Colorize Photo filter

Sepia toning Time machine Time machine

Working with bitmaps | 485


Custom effects

Original (top), Alchemy effect (middle), and Bump-map effect (bottom)

Texture effects

Original

486 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


Cobblestone Elephant skin Etching

Plastic Relief sculpture Stone

Working with colors in bitmaps


CorelDRAW lets you change colors in monochrome images, apply PostScript halftone screens to optimize color and black-and-white bitmaps
for printing, hide and show colors, and mask colors. Monochrome bitmaps have two colors: black and white. You can replace the black and
white pixels with any color on a color palette.

If you plan to print to a PostScript printer, you can optimize color or black-and-white printing by applying a halftone screen to an image.
Halftone screens break down an image into small dots or lines for clearer printing, continuous tones, and special effects. However, you can
see the effect of the screen on the bitmap only after you print it on a PostScript printer. For information about making changes to halftone
screens, see “To customize a halftone screen” on page 546.

You can hide and display selected colors by masking them. Hiding colors in a bitmap lets objects or backgrounds show through the image.
Hiding a color can also alter the apparent shape of a bitmap. For example, if a bitmap shows a person on a black background, you can
hide the background so that the bitmap appears to take on the shape of the person rather than a rectangular shape. Also, hiding colors in
bitmaps can increase the speed at which objects are rendered on the screen. You can also display certain colors in a bitmap to change the
appearance of the image or to see where a particular color has been applied. You can mask as many as 10 colors in a bitmap.

Color masking also lets you change selected colors without altering the other colors in an image. You can also save a bitmap color mask to a
file and open the file for future use.

To color a monochrome bitmap


1 Select a bitmap by using the Pick tool .
2 Right-click a color on the color palette to change the color of the foreground (black) pixels.
3 Click a color on the color palette to change the color of the background (white) pixels.

Working with bitmaps | 487


To apply a screen to a bitmap
1 Select a bitmap by using the Pick tool .
2 In the toolbox, click the Uniform fill button .
3 Click the Palettes tab.
4 Choose a fixed palette from the Palette list box.
5 Click Options, and click PostScript options.
6 Choose an option from the Type list to set the dot shape or line type.
7 Type a value in the Frequency box to set the number of dots or lines that appear in each inch of the screen.
8 Type a value in the Angle box to set the angle of the dots or lines that appear on the screen.

To hide or display a color in a bitmap


1 Select the bitmap by using the Pick tool .
2 Click Bitmaps  Bitmap color mask.
3 Enable one of the following options:
• Hide colors
• Show colors
4 Enable the check box next to the channel that you want to hide or display.
5 Move the Tolerance slider to set the color tolerance for the color.
6 Click the Color selector button .
7 Click the color that you want to hide or display.
8 Click Apply.

Higher tolerance levels target a broader range of colors around the color you select. For example, if you select baby blue and increase
the tolerance, CorelDRAW hides or displays such colors as pastel blue or electric blue.

To open a bitmap color mask


1 Click Bitmaps  Bitmap color mask.
2 Click the Open mask button .
3 Choose the folder where the color mask file is stored.
4 Double-click the file.

Files containing bitmap color mask have the filename extension .ini.

To change a masked color


1 Click Bitmaps  Bitmap color mask.
2 Choose a color from the list of masked colors.
3 Click the Edit color button .

4 Use the controls in the Select color dialog box to edit the color.

488 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


You can also change a masked color by clicking the Color selector button , selecting another color from the bitmap, and clicking
Apply.

Using the Image Adjustment Lab


The Image Adjustment Lab lets you correct the color and tone of most photos quickly and easily.

1. Rotation tools 5. Select white point 9. Sliders

2. Pan tool 6. Select black point 10. Hint for current tool

3. Zoom tools 7. Undo, Redo, and Reset 11. Histogram

4. Preview Modes 8. Snapshots

The Image Adjustment Lab consists of automatic and manual controls, which are organized in a logical order for image correction. By
starting in the upper-right corner and working your way down, you can select only the controls you need to correct the problems specific to
your image. It is best to crop or retouch any areas of the image before beginning the color and tone corrections.

When you work in the Image Adjustment Lab, you can take advantage of the following features:

Working with bitmaps | 489


• Create snapshot — You can capture the corrected version of an image in a “snapshot” at any time. Thumbnails of the snapshots appear
in a window below the image. Snapshots make it easy to compare different corrected versions of the image so you can choose the best
one.
• Undo, Redo, and Reset to original — Image correction can be a trial-and-error process, so the ability to undo and redo corrections is
important. The Reset to original command lets you clear all corrections so that you can start again.

Using automatic controls

You can begin by using the automatic correction controls:


• Auto adjust — automatically corrects the contrast and color in an image by detecting the lightest and darkest areas and adjusting the
tonal range for each color channel. In some cases, this control may be all you need to improve an image. In other cases, you can undo
the changes and proceed with more precise controls.
• Select white point tool — automatically adjusts the contrast in an image according to the white point that you set. For example, you
can brighten an image that is too dark by using the Select white point tool.
• Select black point tool — automatically adjusts the contrast in an image according to the black point that you set. For example, you can
darken an image that is too light by using the Select black point tool.

Using color correction controls

After using the automatic controls, you can correct color casts in your image. Color casts are typically caused by the lighting conditions when
a photo is taken, and they can be influenced by the processor in your digital camera or scanner.
• Temperature slider — lets you correct color casts by “warming” or “cooling” the color in an image to compensate for the lighting
conditions at the time the photo was taken. For example, to correct a yellow color cast caused by taking a photo indoors in dim
incandescent lighting, you can move the slider toward the blue end to increase the temperature values (based on degrees Kelvin). Lower
values correspond to low lighting conditions, such as candlelight or light from an incandescent light bulb; these conditions cause an
orange cast. Higher values correspond to intense lighting conditions, such as sunlight; these conditions cause a blue cast.
• Tint slider — lets you correct color casts by adjusting the green or magenta in an image. You can add green by moving the slider to the
right; you can add magenta by moving the slider to the left. Moving the Tint slider after using the Temperature slider lets you fine-tune
an image.
• Saturation slider — lets you adjust the vividness of colors. For example, by moving the slider to the right, you can increase the vividness
of a blue sky in an image. By moving the slider to the left, you can reduce the vividness of colors. You can create a black-and-white photo
effect by moving the slider all the way to the left, so that all color in the image is removed.

Correction of a color cast. The image on the right is the corrected version.

Adjusting brightness and contrast across an entire image

You can brighten, darken, or improve the contrast in an entire image by using the following controls:
• Brightness slider — lets you brighten or darken an entire image. This control can correct exposure problems caused by too much light
(overexposure) or too little light (underexposure) at the time the photo was taken. If you want to lighten or darken specific areas of
an image, you can use the Highlights, Shadows, and Midtones sliders. Adjustment made by the Brightness slider is nonlinear, so the
current white point and black point values are not affected.
• Contrast slider — increases or decreases the difference in tone between the dark and light areas of an image. Moving the slider to the
right makes the light areas lighter and the dark areas darker. For example, if the image has a dull, gray tone, you can sharpen the detail
by increasing the contrast.

490 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


Adjusting the brightness and contrast of an image can reveal more image detail.

Adjusting highlights, shadows, and midtones

You can brighten or darken specific areas of an image. In many cases, the position or strength of the lighting at the time a photo is taken
causes some areas to appear too dark and other areas to appear too light.
• Highlights slider — lets you adjust brightness in the lightest areas of an image. For example, if you take a photo with a flash, and the
flash washes out the foreground subjects, you can move the Highlights slider to the left to darken the washed-out areas of the image.
You can use the Highlights slider in conjunction with the Shadows and Midtones sliders to balance the lighting.
• Shadows slider — lets you adjust the brightness in the darkest areas of an image. For example, a bright light behind a photo subject
(backlighting) at the time a photo is taken can cause the subject to appear in shadow. You can correct the photo by moving the Shadow
slider to the right to lighten the dark areas and reveal more detail. You can use the Shadows slider in conjunction with the Highlights
and Midtones sliders to balance the lighting.
• Midtones slider — lets you adjust the brightness of the midrange tones in an image. After adjusting the highlights and shadows, you
can use the Midtones slider to fine-tune the image.

The Highlights and Shadows sliders can lighten or darken specific areas of an image.

Using the histogram

The histogram lets you view the tonal range of an image to evaluate and adjust the color and tone. For example, a histogram can help you
detect hidden detail in a photo that is too dark because of underexposure (a photo taken with insufficient light).

The histogram plots the brightness values of the pixels in an image on a scale of 0 (dark) to 255 (light). The left part of the histogram
represents the shadows, the middle part represents the midtones, and the right part represents the highlights. The height of the spikes
indicates how many pixels are at each brightness level. For example, a higher number of pixels on the left side of the histogram indicates the
presence of image detail in the dark areas of the image.

The photo on the left is underexposed. Right: The histogram indicates


a large amount of image detail in the dark areas of the photo.

Viewing images in the Image Adjustment Lab

The tools in the Image Adjustment Lab let you view images in various ways, so that you can evaluate the color and tone adjustments you
make. For example, you can rotate images, pan to a new area, zoom in or out, and choose how to display the corrected image in the
preview window.

Working with bitmaps | 491


Using other adjustment filters

Although the Image Adjustment Lab lets you correct the color and tone of most images, a specialized adjustment filter is sometimes
required. Using the powerful adjustment filters in the application, you can make precise adjustments to images. For example, you can adjust
images by using a tone curve. For more information about adjustment filters, see “Adjusting color and tone” on page 493.

To correct color and tone in the Image Adjustment Lab


1 Click Bitmaps  Image Adjustment Lab.
2 Click Auto adjust.
Auto adjust automatically adjusts color and contrast by setting the white point and black point for an image.
If you want to control the white point and black point setting more precisely, click the Select white point tool , and click the lightest
area of your image. Then click the Select black point tool , and click the darkest area of your image.
3 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Correct color in the image Adjust the Temperature slider to warm or cool the colors, and then
fine-tune the color correction by adjusting the Tint slider.

Make colors more vivid or less vivid Move the Saturation slider to the right to increase the amount
of color in the image; move the slider to the left to decrease the
amount of color in the image.

Brighten or darken an image Move the Brightness slider to the right to lighten the image; move
the slider to the left to darken the image.

Improve image sharpness by adjusting tone Move the Contrast slider to the right to make the light areas lighter
and the dark areas darker.

Brighten or darken specific areas Move the Highlights slider to brighten or darken the lightest areas
of the image. Then, move the Shadows slider to lighten or darken
the darkest areas of the image. Finally, move the Midtones slider to
fine-tune the midrange tones in the image.

The Image Adjustment Lab is not available for CMYK images. For CMYK images, you can access the Auto adjust filter and other
adjustment filters from the Effects menu.

You can capture the current version of your image by clicking the Createsnapshot button. Thumbnails of the snapshots appear in a
window below your image. Each snapshot is numbered sequentially and can be deleted by clicking the Close button in the upper-
right corner of the snapshot title bar.

You can undo or redo the last correction you made by clicking the Undo button or the Redo button . To undo all corrections,
click the Reset to original button.

To view images in the Image Adjustment Lab


1 Click Bitmaps  Image Adjustment Lab.
2 Perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Rotate the image Click the Rotate left button or the Rotate right button .

492 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


To Do the following

Pan to another area of an image Using the Pan tool , drag the image until the area you want to
see is visible.

Zoom in and out Using the Zoom in tool or the Zoom out tool , click in the
preview window.

Fit an image in the preview window Click the Zoom to fit button.

Display an image at its actual size Click the 100% button.

View the corrected image in a single preview window Click the Full preview button .

View the corrected image in one window and the original image in Click the Before and after full preview button .
another window

View the image in one window with a divider between the original Click the Before and after split preview button . Move your
and corrected versions
pointer over the dashed divider line, and drag to move the divider
to another area of the image.

Adjusting color and tone


CorelDRAW lets you adjust the color and tone of bitmaps. For example, you can replace colors and adjust the brightness, lightness, and
intensity of colors.

By adjusting color and tone, you can restore detail lost in shadows or highlights, remove color casts, correct underexposure or overexposure,
and generally improve the quality of the bitmaps. You can also correct color and tone quickly by using the Image Adjustment Lab. For more
information, see “Using the Image Adjustment Lab” on page 489.

You can adjust the color and tone of bitmaps automatically by using the Auto Adjust command or by using the following filters.

Effect Description

Contrast enhancement Lets you adjust the tone, color, and contrast of a bitmap while
preserving shadow and highlight detail. An interactive histogram
lets you shift or compress brightness values to printable limits.
The histogram can also be adjusted by sampling values from the
bitmap.

Local equalization Lets you enhance contrast near edges to reveal detail in both light
and dark regions. You can set the height and width around the
region to accentuate contrast.

Sample/Target balance Lets you adjust color values in a bitmap with sample colors taken
from the image. You can choose sample colors from the dark,
midtone, and light ranges of an image and apply target colors to
each of the sample colors.

Tone curve Lets you perform color corrections precisely, by controlling


individual pixel values. By changing pixel brightness values, you
can make changes to shadows, midtones, and highlights. For more
information, see “Using the Tone Curve filter” on page 494.

Brightness/contrast/intensity Lets you adjust the brightness of all colors and the difference
between light and dark areas

Working with bitmaps | 493


Effect Description

Color balance Lets you add cyan or red, magenta or green, and yellow or blue to
selected tones in a bitmap

Gamma Lets you accentuate detail in low contrast areas without affecting
shadows or highlights

Hue/saturation/lightness Lets you adjust the color channels in a bitmap and change the
position of colors in the spectrum. This effect allows you to change
colors and their richness, as well as the percentage of white in an
image.

Selective color Lets you change color by changing the percentage of spectrum
CMYK process colors from the red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and
magenta color spectrums in a bitmap. For example, decreasing the
percentage of magenta in the reds spectrum results in a color shift
toward yellow.

Replace colors Lets you replace one bitmap color with another color. A color mask
is created to define the color to be replaced. Depending on the
range you set, you can replace one color or shift an entire bitmap
from one color range to another. You can set the hue, saturation,
and lightness for the new color.

Desaturate Lets you reduce the saturation of each color in a bitmap to zero,
remove the hue component, and convert each color to its grayscale
equivalent. This creates a grayscale black-and-white photo effect
without changing the color model.

Channel mixer Lets you mix color channels to balance the colors of a bitmap. For
example, if a bitmap has too much red, you can adjust the red
channel in an RGB bitmap to improve image quality.

To adjust color and tone automatically


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Auto adjust.

To adjust color and tone by using an adjustment filter


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Effects  Adjust, and click an adjustment filter.
3 Specify any settings you want.

Using the Tone Curve filter


The Tone curve filter lets you perform color and tonal corrections by adjusting either individual color channels or the composite channel
(all channels combined). Individual pixel values are plotted along a tone curve that appears in a graph and represents the balance between
shadows (bottom of graph), midtones (middle of graph), and highlights (top of graph). The x-axis of the graph represents the tonal values of
the original image; the y-axis of the graph represents the adjusted tonal values.

494 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


The tone curve shows the balance between the shadows, midtones, and highlights of an image. The original
(x) and adjusted (y) pixel values are displayed side by side when you drag the tone curve. This example shows
a small adjustment to the tonal range, in which pixel values of 152 are replaced with pixel values of 141.

You can fix problem areas by adding nodes to the tone curve and dragging the curve. If you want to adjust specific areas in an image, you
can use the Eyedropper tool and select the areas in the image window. You can then drag the nodes that appear on the tone curve to
achieve the effect you want.

Original image (left); the image with adjusted tonal range (right)

The histogram lets you view the adjusted tonal range and evaluate the results. For more information about histograms, see “Using the
histogram” on page 491.

To fine-tune your adjustments, you can choose a curve style from the Style list box. For example, you can redraw the curve by using freehand
lines or straight line segments.

You can adjust the color and tone of an image by applying a preset. To access a preset, click the Open button to the right of the Presets
box. You can also save tone settings as presets to use with other images.

In addition, you can equalize the tonal range of an image by clicking Auto balance tone. To specify the outlying pixels (clipped pixels) at
each end of the tonal range, you can click Settings and type values in the Auto-adjust range dialog box.

Transforming color and tone


You can transform the color and tone of an image to produce a special effect. For example, you can create an image that looks like a
photographic negative or flatten the appearance of an image. To transform the color and tone of images, you can use the following effects:
• Deinterlace — lets you remove lines from scanned or interlaced images
• Invert — lets you reverse the colors of an image. Inverting an image creates the appearance of a photographic negative.
• Posterize — lets you reduce the number of tonal values in an image. Posterize removes gradations and creates larger areas of flat color.

To transform color and tone


1 Select a bitmap.

Working with bitmaps | 495


2 Click Effects  Transform, and click any of the following:
• Deinterlace
• Invert
• Posterize

Editing bitmaps with Corel PHOTO-PAINT


You can access Corel PHOTO-PAINT, a complete image-editing application, from within CorelDRAW. When you finish editing a bitmap, you
can quickly resume your work with CorelDRAW.

To send a bitmap to Corel PHOTO-PAINT, you can click the Edit bitmap button on the property bar, or you can use the Edit bitmap
command from the Bitmaps menu. You can also enable an option that lets you access Corel PHOTO-PAINT by double-clicking a bitmap.

You can copy selected objects from Corel PHOTO-PAINT and then paste them into your drawing. The selected objects are pasted as a group
of bitmaps.

For more information about editing images with Corel PHOTO-PAINT, click Help  Help topics from the Corel PHOTO-PAINT menu bar.

To edit a bitmap with Corel PHOTO-PAINT


1 Using the Pick tool , select the bitmap that you want to edit.
2 On the property bar, click Edit bitmap to start Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
The selected bitmap is displayed in the image window of Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
3 Edit the bitmap.
4 On the standard toolbar, click Finish editing to quit Corel PHOTO-PAINT.
The edited bitmap appears on the drawing page of CorelDRAW.

You can also use this procedure to edit groups of bitmaps. Corel PHOTO-PAINT opens the group of bitmaps as separate objects. If
the bitmaps in the group have different color modes, you are prompted to change the color mode of all bitmaps in the group to the
color mode of the bottom-most bitmap.

You can also open Corel PHOTO-PAINT by clicking Bitmaps  Editbitmaps.

To access Corel PHOTO-PAINT by double-clicking a bitmap


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the Workspace list of categories, click Edit.
3 On the Edit page, enable the Double-click to edit bitmaps in PHOTO-PAINT check box.
Enabling this check box lets you access Corel PHOTO-PAINT by double-clicking the bitmap in CorelDRAW.

496 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


Working with bitmap color modes

Changing an image to another color mode, such as RGB, CMYK, or Grayscale, changes a bitmap’s color structure.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Changing the color mode of bitmaps” (page 497)
• “Changing bitmaps to black-and-white images” (page 498)
• “Changing bitmaps to duotones” (page 499)
• “Changing bitmaps to the paletted color mode” (page 500)

Changing the color mode of bitmaps


The colors of the images that you work with in CorelDRAW are based on color modes. Color modes define the color characteristics of images
and are described by their component colors. The CMYK color mode is composed of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black values; the RGB color
mode is composed of red, green, and blue values.

Although you may not be able to see the difference between an image in the CMYK color mode and an image in the RGB color mode on
screen, the images are quite different. For the same image dimensions, an RGB image has a smaller file size than a CMYK image, and the
RGB color space, or gamut, can display more colors. Therefore, images intended for the web or desktop printers, which require accurate
color fidelity, are generally in RGB mode. Where accurate print reproduction is needed, such as on a commercial printing press, images are
generally created in CMYK mode. Paletted color images attempt to preserve color fidelity while reducing the file size, making them ideal for
on-screen uses.

Each time you convert an image, you may lose color information. For this reason, you should save an edited image before you change it to a
different color mode. For more information about color modes, see “Working with color” on page 247.

CorelDRAW supports the following color modes:


• Black and White (1-bit)
• Duotone (8-bit)
• Grayscale (8-bit)
• Paletted (8-bit)
• RGB Color (24-bit)
• Lab Color (24-bit)
• CMYK Color (32-bit)

Working with bitmap color modes | 497


To change the color mode of a bitmap
1 Click a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Mode, and click a color mode.

The current mode of the selected bitmap is not available in the menu.

Changing bitmaps to black-and-white images


You can change any image to a black-and-white image. In addition to conversion settings such as threshold, screen type, and intensity, there
are seven conversion options that affect how the converted images will look.

Conversion

Line art Produces a high-contrast, black-and-white image. Colors with


a grayscale value lower than the threshold value that you set
change to black, while colors with a grayscale value higher than the
threshold value change to white.

Ordered Organizes the gray levels into repeating geometric patterns of black
and white pixels. Solid colors are emphasized and image edges are
hard. This option is best suited for uniform colors.

Halftone Creates different shades of gray by varying the pattern of black and
white pixels in an image. You can choose the screen type, angle for
the halftone, lines per unit, and the unit of measure.

Cardinality-Distribution Creates a textured look by applying a calculation and distributing


the result to the screen.

Jarvis Applies the Jarvis algorithm to the screen. This form of error
diffusion is suitable for photographic images.

Stucki Applies the Stucki algorithm to the screen. This form of error
diffusion is suitable for photographic images.

Floyd-Steinberg Applies the Floyd-Steinberg algorithm to the screen. This form of


error diffusion is suitable for photographic images.

To change a bitmap to a black-and-white image


1 Click a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Mode  Black-and-white (1-bit).
3 Choose an option from the Conversion method list box.
4 Move the Intensity slider.

If you want to view different parts of the image, you can drag the image in the Preview window.

The Intensity slider is not available for the Halftone conversion option.

498 | CorelDRAW X7 User Guide


Changing bitmaps to duotones
To convert an image to a duotone, you change a bitmap to the grayscale color mode and enhance it using one to four additional colors,
giving the image greater tonal depth.

The following four variations of the color mode correspond to the number of additional inks:
• Monotone — a grayscale image colored with a single tone
• Duotone— a grayscale image colored with two tones. In most cases, one is black and the other is colored.
• Tritone — a grayscale image colored with three tones. In most cases, one is black and the other two are colored.
• Quadtone — a grayscale image colored with four tones. In most cases, one is black and the other three are colored.

The four color mode variations. From left to right: the original image, monotone, duotone, tritone, and quadtone.

Adjusting tone curves

When you change an image to a duotone, a tone curve grid that represents the dynamic tone curves that are used throughout the
conversion is displayed. The horizontal plane (x-axis) displays the 256 possible shades of gray in a grayscale image (0 is black; 255 is white).
The vertical plane (y-axis) indicates the intensity of a color (from 0 to 100 percent) that is applied to the corresponding grayscale values. For
example, a grayscale pixel with a color value of 25 is printed with a 25-percent tint of the color. By adjusting the tone curves, you can control
the color and intensity of the tone that is added to an image.

Saving and loading inks

You can save an adjusted duotone tone curve and ink settings and then load them for use with other bitmaps.

Specifying how overprint colors display

When you change an image to a duotone, you can specify the colors to overprint when you print an image. Overprint colors are used to
preserve color integrity when inks overlap. When you display the image, each color is applied on the screen in sequence, creating a layered
effect.

You can view all instances in which the colors you choose for the duotone conversion overlap. Associated with each instance is the color that
is produced by the overlap. You can also choose new overprint colors to see how they overlap.

Duotones hold their color ink information when you save to Encapsulated PostScript (EPS), Portable Document Format (PDF) and CorelDRAW
(CDR) file formats. Other file formats don’t support duotone images.

To change an image to a duotone


1 Click a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Mode  Duotone (8-bit).
3 Click the Curves tab.
4 Choose a duotone type from the Type list box.

Working with bitmap color modes | 499


5 Double-click an ink color in the Type window.
6 In the Select color dialog box, choose a color, and click OK.
If you want to adjust the color’s tone curve, click the ink tone curve on the grid to add a node, and drag the node to adjust the
percentage of color at that point on the curve.
7 Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each ink color you want to use.

You can also

Display all the ink tone curves on the grid. Enable the Show all check box.

Save the ink settings Click Save. Choose the disk and folder where you want to save the
file, and type a filename in the File name box.

Specify how overprint colors display Click the Overprint tab, and enable the Use overprint check box.
Double-click the color you want to edit, and choose a new color.

You can load preset ink colors by clicking Load, locating the file in which the ink settings are stored, and double-clicking the filename.

Changing bitmaps to the paletted color mode


The paletted color mode, also called indexed color mode, is sometimes used for images on the World Wide Web. When you convert an
image to the paletted color mode, a fixed color value is assigned to each pixel. These values are stored in a compact color table, or palette,
containing up to 256 colors. As a result, the paletted color mode image contains less data than a 24-bit color mode image, and it has a
smaller file size. Conversion to paletted color mode works best on images that have a limited range of colors.

Choosing, editing, and saving a color palette

When you change an image to the paletted color mode, you can use a predefined palette, or you can customize a color palette by replacing
individual colors.

Saving conversion settings


After you choose a color palette and set the dithering and range sensitivity for changing an image to the paletted color mode, you can save
the settings as a conversion preset that you can use with other images. You can add as many conversion presets as you want.

The color palette you use is called the processed color palette. It can be saved for use with other images.

For more information about the predefined color palettes available for the paletted color mode, see “Palette types” on page 501. For more
information about creating and opening custom color palettes, see “Creating and editing custom color palettes” on page 258.

Dithering

Changing images to the paletted color mode lets you use dithering to enhance color information. Dithering places pixels with specific colors
or values relative to other pixels of a specific color. The relationship of one colored pixel to another creates the appearance of additional
colors that do not exist in the color palette.

You can use two types of dithering: ordered dithering and error diffusion. Ordered dithering approximates color blends using fixed dot
patterns; as a result, solid colors are emphasized and edges appear harder. Error diffusion scatters pixels irregularly, making edges and colors
softer. Jarvis, Stucki, and Floyd-Steinberg are conversion options that provide error diffusion.

The Ordered dithering option applies more quickly than the error diffusion options (Jarvis, Stucki, and Floyd-Steinberg) but is less accurate.

Specifying a range-sensitivity color

You can change an image to the paletted color mode and specify a focus color and a range sensitivity for the focus color, so that the focus
color and colors that fall within the range settings are included in the processed color palette. You can also specify how much emphasis to

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place on the range sensitivity. Because the palette has a maximum of 256 colors, emphasizing a focus color reduces the number of colors
that fall outside the range sensitivity.

Palette types
The table below outlines available palette types.

Palette type Description

Uniform Provides a range of 256 colors with equal parts of red, green, and
blue

Standard VGA Provides the Standard VGA 16-color palette

Adaptive Provides colors original to the image and preserves the individual
colors (the entire color spectrum) in the image

Optimized Creates a color palette based on the highest percentage of colors


in the image. You can also specify a range-sensitivity color for
the color palette. This is the most common color palette for
photographic images.

Black Body Contains colors that are based on temperature. For example, black
may represent cold temperatures, while red, orange, yellow, and
white may represent hot temperatures.

Grayscale Provides 256 shades of gray, ranging from black to white

System Provides the predefined palette of colors used by the operating


system

Web-safe Provides a predefined palette of 216 non-dithered colors that


will display the same on most browsers. This palette is not
recommended for use with photographs and only benefits users
with older computers.

Custom Lets you add colors to create a customized color palette

To change an image to the paletted color mode


1 Click a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Mode  Paletted (8-bit).
3 Click the Options tab.
4 Choose a color palette type from the Palette list box.
5 Choose an option from the Dithering list box.
6 Move the Dithering intensity slider.

If you want to save the conversion settings as a preset, click the Add preset button, and type a name in the Save preset box.

You can achieve better color fidelity by choosing the palette you want to use when you change an image to a paletted bitmap or
when you export a GIF or PNG. For example, the standard color palette provides more colors than necessary for an image with a
limited range of colors, but you can choose an optimized palette to ensure that color representation is accurate.

You can choose a custom color palette by clicking Open, locating the color palette file you want, and double-clicking the filename.

You can load preset conversion settings by choosing a preset from the Preset list box.

Working with bitmap color modes | 501


To create a custom processed color palette
1 Click a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Mode  Paletted (8-bit).
3 Click the Processed palette tab.
4 Click a color, and click the Edit button.
5 In the Color table, specify the color you want, and click Edit color.
6 Edit the color, and click OK.
7 Click the Save palette as button to save the new palette.
8 Choose the disk and folder where you want to store the color palette.
9 Type a name in the Name box, and click Save.

To change a bitmap by setting range sensitivity


1 Click a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Mode  Paletted (8-bit).
3 Click the Options tab.
4 Choose Optimized from the Palette list box.
5 Enable the Color range sensitivity to check box.
6 Click the Eyedropper tool , and click a color in the image.
7 Click the Range sensitivity tab.
8 Move the range sensitivity sliders.

If you want to preview the color palette, click the Processed palette tab.

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Tracing bitmaps and editing traced results

CorelDRAW lets you trace bitmaps to convert them to fully editable and scalable vector graphics. You can trace artwork, photos, scanned
sketches, or logos and then easily integrate them into your designs.

For information about the difference between vector graphics and bitmaps, see “Understanding vector graphics and bitmaps” on page 33.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Tracing bitmaps” (page 503)
• “PowerTRACE controls” (page 506)
• “Previewing traced results” (page 507)
• “Fine-tuning traced results” (page 508)
• “Adjusting colors in traced results” (page 510)
• “Setting default tracing options” (page 512)
• “Tips for tracing bitmaps and editing traced results” (page 512)

Tracing bitmaps
You can trace a bitmap in one step by using the Quick Trace command. Alternatively, you can choose a suitable tracing method and preset
style and then use the PowerTRACE controls to preview and adjust the traced results. CorelDRAW offers two methods for tracing bitmaps:
Centerline Trace and Outline Trace.

Choosing a tracing method

The Centerline Trace method uses unfilled closed and open curves (strokes) and is suitable for tracing technical illustrations, maps, line
drawings, and signatures. This method is also referred to as “stroke tracing.”

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The Centerline Trace method was used to convert the original bitmap (top) into a vector graphic (bottom).

The Outline Trace method uses curve objects with no outlines and is suitable for tracing clipart, logos, and photo images. The Outline Trace
method is also referred to as “fill” or “contour tracing.”

Choosing a preset style

A preset style is a collection of settings that are appropriate for the specific type of bitmap you want to trace (for example, line art or a high-
quality photo image). Each tracing method comes with specific preset styles.

The Centerline Trace method offers two preset styles: one for technical illustrations and another for line drawings.

Technical illustration Line drawing

The Outline Trace method offers the following preset styles that are suitable for line art, logos, clipart, and photo images.

Line art Logo

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Detailed logo Clipart

Low-quality image
High-quality image

Adjusting traced results

You can adjust the traced results by using the controls in the PowerTRACE dialog box. For more information, see “Fine-tuning traced results
” on page 508 and “Adjusting colors in traced results” on page 510.

To trace a bitmap by using Quick Trace


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Quick Trace.

You can also trace a bitmap in one step by clicking the Trace bitmap button on the property bar and clicking Quick Trace.

You can change the settings that are used by Quick Trace. For more information, see “Setting default tracing options” on page
512.

To trace a bitmap by using the Centerline Trace method


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Centerline trace, and click one of the following:
• Technical illustration — to trace black-and-white illustrations with thin, faint lines
• Line drawing — to trace black-and-white sketches with thick, prominent lines

If necessary, adjust the traced results by using the controls of the PowerTRACE dialog box.

You can also access PowerTRACE from the Trace bitmap button on the property bar.

To trace a bitmap by using the Outline Trace method


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Click Bitmaps  Outline trace, and click one of the following:
• Line art — lets you trace black-and-white sketches and illustrations
• Logo — lets you trace simple logos with little detail and few colors

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• Detailed logo — lets you trace logos that contain fine detail and many colors
• Clipart — lets you trace ready-to-use graphics that vary according to their amount of detail and number of colors
• Low quality image— lets you trace photos that lack fine detail (or that contain fine detail that you want to ignore)
• High quality image — lets you trace high-quality, highly detailed photos

If necessary, adjust the traced results by using the controls of the PowerTRACE dialog box.

PowerTRACE controls
The PowerTRACE dialog box contains controls that help you preview and edit traced results.

Circled numbers correspond to the numbers in the following table, which describes the main controls of PowerTRACE.

Control Description

1. Preview window Lets you preview the traced result and compare it to the source
bitmap

2. Preview list box Lets you choose one of the following previewing options:
•Before and after — lets you display both the source bitmap and
the traced result

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Control Description
•Large preview — lets you preview a traced result in a single-pane
preview window
•Wireframe overlay — lets you display a wireframe (outline) view
of the traced result on top of the source bitmap

3. Transparency slider Controls visibility of the source bitmap below the wireframe when
the Wireframe overlay option is selected

4. Zooming and panning tools Let you zoom in and out of an image displayed in the preview
window, pan an image displayed at a zoom level higher than
100%, and fit an image to the preview window.

5. Colors page Contains controls for modifying the colors of the traced results. For
more information, see “Adjusting colors in traced results” on page
510.

6. Trace type list box Lets you change the tracing method

7. Type of image list box Lets you choose a suitable preset style for the image to be traced.
The available preset styles change, depending on the tracing
method you choose.

8. Undo and Redo buttons Let you undo and redo the last action you performed

9. Reset button Lets you restore the first settings used to trace the source bitmap

10. Options button Lets you access the PowerTRACE options page in the Options
dialog box to set default tracing options. For more information, see
“Setting default tracing options” on page 512.

11. Settings page Contains controls for adjusting the traced results. The Traced result
details area on the Settings page lets you view the number of
objects, nodes, and colors in the traced result while you are making
adjustments.

For more information about adjusting traced results, see “Fine-


tuning traced results” on page 508.

Previewing traced results


By default, PowerTRACE displays both the source bitmap and the traced result. You can also preview a traced result in a single-pane preview
window, or you can display a wireframe (outline) view of the traced graphic on top of the source bitmap.

You can zoom in and out to get a better view of the graphic, and you can pan to view areas that fall outside the preview window.

To preview traced results


• In PowerTRACE, choose one of the following options from the Preview list box:
• Before and after — displays both the source bitmap and the traced result
• Large preview — displays a preview of the traced result in PowerTRACE
• Wireframe overlay — displays a wireframe (outline) preview of the traced result on top of the original bitmap. To control the visibility
of the original bitmap underneath the wireframe, move the Transparency slider.

You can also

Zoom in or out Click the Zoom in or Zoom out tool, and click in the
preview window.

Tracing bitmaps and editing traced results | 507


You can also

Fit an image in the preview window Click the Zoom to fit tool.

Pan a graphic Click the Pan tool , and drag the graphic.

Fine-tuning traced results


PowerTRACE lets you perform the following adjustments to fine-tune your trace results.

Adjusting detail and smoothing

You can adjust the amount of detail in the traced result and smooth curved lines. When you adjust detail, you change the number of objects
in the traced result. If you used the Outline Trace method to trace the bitmap, adjusting the traced result also changes the number of colors.
Smoothing changes the number of nodes in the traced result. You can also control the appearance of corners in the traced result by setting
the threshold for corner smoothness.

Outline tracing with a low detail value (left); outline tracing with a high detail value (right)

Completing a trace

By default, the source bitmap is preserved after being traced, and objects in the traced result are automatically grouped. You can have the
source bitmap automatically deleted after the trace is complete.

Removing and preserving the background

You can choose to remove or preserve the background in the traced result. With the Outline Trace method, you can also specify the
background color to be removed. If the background color around the edges is removed but some background color still shows through
some areas of the image, you can remove the background from the entire image.

Setting other Outline Trace options

By default, object areas that are hidden from view by overlapping objects are removed from the traced result. You can choose to keep the
underlying object areas. This feature is useful for traced results that will be output to vinyl cutters and screen printers.

To reduce the number of objects in the traced result, you can combine adjacent objects of the same color. You can also group objects of the
same color so that you can manipulate them more easily in CorelDRAW.

Undoing and redoing actions

You can adjust the settings in PowerTRACE and retrace a bitmap as many times as necessary until you are satisfied with the result. If you
make a mistake, you can undo or redo an action, or you can revert to the first traced result.

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To fine-tune traced results
1 Select a bitmap.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click Bitmaps  Centerline trace, and click a command.
• Click Bitmaps  Outline trace, and click a command.
3 On the Settings page, move any of the following sliders:
• Detail — lets you control the amount of original detail that is preserved in the traced result. Higher values maintain more detail and
result in a greater number of objects and colors; lower values discard some detail and result in fewer objects.
• Smoothing — lets you smooth curved lines and control the number of nodes in the traced result. Higher values result in fewer nodes
and produce curves that do not closely follow the lines in the source bitmap. Lower values result in more nodes and produce more
accurate trace results.
• Corner smoothness — This slider works in conjunction with the Smoothing slider and lets you control the appearance of corners.
Lower values maintain the appearance of corners; higher values smooth corners.

You can also

Change the tracing method Choose a method from the Trace type list box.

Change the preset style Choose a preset style from the Type of image list box.

Keep the source bitmap after a trace In the Options area, disable the Delete original image check box.

Discard or preserve the background in the traced result Enable or disable the Remove background check box.

Specify the background color you want to remove (Outline Trace) Enable the Specify color option, click the Eyedropper tool ,
and click a color in the preview window. To specify an additional
background color to remove, hold down Shift, and click a color in
the preview window.

The last specified color is displayed next to the Eyedropper tool.

Remove a background color from the entire image (Outline Trace) Enable the Remove color from entire image check box.

Keep object areas that are hidden by overlapping objects (Outline Disable the Remove object overlap check box.
Trace)

Group objects by color (Outline Trace) Enable the Group objects by color check box.

This check box is available only when the Remove object overlap
check box is disabled.

Merge adjacent objects that have the same color (Outline Trace) Enable the Merge adjacent objects of the same color check box.

Undo or redo an action Click the Undo or Redo button.

Revert to the first traced result Click Reset.

You can also access PowerTRACE from the Trace bitmap flyout button on the property bar.

Tracing bitmaps and editing traced results | 509


Adjusting colors in traced results
When the source bitmap is traced, the application generates a color palette for the traced result. The color palette uses the color mode of
the source bitmap (for example, RGB or CMYK). The number of colors on the color palette is determined by the number of colors in the
source bitmap and the selected preset style.

You can change the color mode of the traced result, and you can reduce the number of colors in the traced result.

Traced graphic that contains 152 colors (left); traced graphic that contains 5 colors (right)

Sorting colors

To edit the color palette more easily, you can sort colors by similarity or frequency. Sorting by similarity arranges the colors based on their
hue and lightness. Colors of similar hue and lightness appear close to each other on the color palette. Sorting by frequency arranges the
colors based on how much they are used in the traced results. The colors that are used most appear at the top of the color palette.

Selecting colors

You can select a color by clicking it on the color palette of the traced result or by clicking the color in the preview window. You can also
select multiple colors.

Editing, merging, and deleting colors

When editing a color, you can choose a color from a color model that is different from that of other colors on the palette. For example, if
you are editing a color in an RGB traced result, you can change the color to a spot color, creating a mixed color palette. This feature is useful
when you are preparing the traced result for commercial printing.

With the Outline Trace method, you can also merge and delete colors.

By default, when two or more colors are merged, their color values are averaged to produce a new color. The merged colors are replaced
by the new color. However, you can change the default setting to replace the colors to be merged with the first color that you selected. For
information on how to change the default setting, see “Setting default tracing options” on page 512.

When you delete a color from the color palette, the deleted color is replaced by the next color on the color palette.

Using and creating color palettes

If you want the traced result to contain only colors from a specific color palette, you can open that color palette in PowerTRACE. The colors
of the traced result are replaced by their closest match on the color palette.

After you edit the color palette of the traced graphic, you can save it to create a custom color palette for later use.

To adjust the colors of a traced result


1 Select a bitmap.
2 Do one of the following:

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• Click Bitmaps  Centerline trace, and click a command.
• Click Bitmaps  Outline trace, and click a command.
3 Click the Colors tab, and perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Change the color mode Choose a color mode from the Color mode list box.

Reduce the number of colors in a traced result (Outline Trace) Type a value in the Number of colors box, and click outside the
box.

Select a color Do one of the following:


•Click a color on the color palette. The selected color swatch
button appears pressed.
• Click the Eyedropper tool , and click a color in the preview
window. A marquee appears around the selected color. To select
an additional color, hold down Shift, and click a color in the
preview window. To deselect a color, hold down Ctrl, and click a
color.

Select a range of adjacent colors Hold down Shift, and click the first and last color swatch in the
range you are selecting on the color palette.

Select multiple nonadjacent colors Hold down Ctrl, and click the nonadjacent color swatches on the
color palette.

Edit a color Select the color you want to edit, click Edit, and modify settings in
the Select color dialog box.

Merge colors (Outline Trace) Select the colors that you want to merge, and click Merge.

If you want to specify how to merge the colors, click Options to


access the Options dialog box, and enable an option in the Merge
colors area.

Delete a color from a traced result (Outline Trace) Select a color, and click the Delete color button .

The deleted color is replaced by the next color on the color palette.

Use a custom color palette Click the Open color palette button , find the folder where the
palette is stored, and click a filename.

Color palettes have a .cpl filename extension.

Each color of the traced graphic is mapped to a similar color on the


custom palette.

Create a custom color palette from the edited color palette of a Click the Save color palette button . In the Save palette as
traced result
dialog box, type a name in the File name box.

The number of colors cannot be reduced, and colors cannot be merged, when you use the Centerline Trace method.

To increase the number of colors in a traced result, you need to change the preset style or increase the amount of detail. For
information about how to change the preset style and the amount of detail, see “To fine-tune traced results” on page 509.

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Setting default tracing options
You can enable any of the following tracing options.
• Quick Trace method — You can change the default Quick Trace settings to any preset style, or to the most recently used settings.
• Performance — This option determines how source bitmaps between 1 and 5 megapixels in size are handled, and how the quality of
the traced results is affected. The performance of PowerTRACE depends on the size and color depth of the source bitmaps as well as on
the available system memory. High-quality traced results require high-quality source bitmaps, which are often quite large. The larger the
source bitmap, the more resources are required. Bitmaps that are too large need to be downsampled before tracing, which may decrease
the image quality. To trace large bitmaps without sacrificing quality, you can set PowerTRACE to trace images as large as 5 megapixels
(provided RAM is sufficient). To achieve maximum performance, you can set PowerTRACE to prompt you to downsample bitmaps larger
that 1 megapixel.
• Merge colors — You can choose whether to merge colors in a traced result by averaging their values or by replacing the colors to be
merged with the first color you select.

To set default tracing options


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the Workspace list of categories, click PowerTRACE.
3 Perform any of the following tasks.

To Do the following

Choose a Quick Trace method From the Quick Trace method list box, choose a preset style or the
most recently used settings.

Determine performance level and quality of a traced result Move the Performance slider to the left to increase performance,
or to the right to increase the quality of the traced results. The
lowest value prompts you to downsample all bitmaps that exceed
1 megapixel. The highest value prompts you to downsample all
bitmaps that exceed 5 megapixels.

Choose how to merge colors in a traced result In the Merge colors area, enable an option. The Average merging
colors option replaces the colors to be merged with a color of their
average value. The Merge to first color selected option replaces
the colors to be merged with the first selected color.

You can also access the PowerTRACE page in the Options dialog box by clicking Options in PowerTRACE.

Tips for tracing bitmaps and editing traced results


The following tips can help you achieve high-quality trace results.
• Use high-quality source bitmaps. If dithering or JPEG compression was used in the source bitmap, the bitmap may contain additional
noise. For best traced results, remove the noise before tracing the bitmap.
• For best results when you use the Centerline Trace method, convert the bitmap to the black-and-white color mode before tracing. Note
that in this case you cannot adjust detail.
• When tracing technical illustrations and sketches with faint lines, you can improve the results by applying the Find edges special effect to
the source bitmap. To do this, click Bitmaps  Contour  Find edges.
• For outline tracing, reduce the color depth of the bitmap by changing the color mode, and then adjust the color and contrast.
• You can adjust the traced results at any time, including during a trace, by changing the PowerTRACE settings.
• To trace a specific area in a bitmap, use the Shape tool to define the area before clicking Bitmaps  Trace bitmap.

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• If important detail has been removed from the traced results, you can disable the Remove background check box on the Settings page
of PowerTRACE. You can also try enabling the Specify color option on the Settings page and sampling the color you want to specify as a
background color.
• If background color is removed around the edges but remains within image areas, enable the Remove from entire image check box.
• If too many colors or details are lost, move the Detail slider on the Settings page.
• To preserve detail in bitmaps that have fine details, thin lines, and no anti-aliasing applied, choose Line art from the Type of image list
box on the Settings page.

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Working with RAW camera files

You can import and process RAW camera files in CorelDRAW.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Using RAW camera files” (page 515)
• “Bringing RAW camera files into CorelDRAW” (page 516)
• “Adjusting the color and tone of RAW camera files” (page 518)
• “Sharpening and reducing noise in RAW camera files” (page 520)
• “Previewing RAW camera files and obtaining image information” (page 521)

Using RAW camera files


RAW camera files contain picture data that is captured by the image censor of a digital camera. These files are called RAW because, unlike
JPEG and TIFF files, they contain minimal in-camera processing and need to be edited and prepared for printing in an image-editing
application.

With RAW camera files, you can control the processing of image data, rather than having the camera make automatic color adjustments and
conversions. You can adjust the white balance, tonal range, contrast, color saturation, and sharpness of a RAW image without any loss of
image quality. In addition, you can reprocess RAW images at any time to achieve the results you want. In this sense, RAW camera files can
be compared to an exposed but undeveloped film.

To take advantage of RAW camera files, you need to set your camera to save files to its own RAW file format. CorelDRAW lets you import
RAW camera files from supported camera models. Supported camera models include:
• Canon EOS-1D X, Canon EOS 650D, Canon 5D Mark III, Canon G1-X, Canon ID-X, Canon EOS 6D, Canon A3300, Canon EOS C500,
Canon EOS SX50
• Casio EX-ZR100
• Fuji X-Pro1, Fuji X-S1, Fuji XS50, Fuji X20, Fuji X100S, Fuji SL1000, Fuji X-E1, and Fuji XF1
• Olympus XZ-10
• Pentax K-5 II (s)
• Samsung EX2F, Samsung NX300, Samsung NX1000, Samsung NX20
• Sigma SD1, Sigma SD15, Sigma DP cameras
• Sony RX100

In addition, the Adobe’s lossy Digital Negative (DNG) file format and the Imacon Flexframe 3f format are now supported.

For more information about supported cameras, visit the Corel Knowledge Base.

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Bringing RAW camera files into CorelDRAW
When you open single or multiple RAW camera files in CorelDRAW, they are first displayed in the Camera RAW Lab. You can use the controls
in the Camera RAW Lab to adjust the color and tone of the RAW camera images. If you are satisfied with the adjustments of a file, you can
apply the same adjustments to the remaining files.

After processing RAW camera files, you can edit them further by using the tools and effects available in CorelDRAW. Then, you can save the
RAW camera files as TIFF or JPEG files, or you can save them to any other file format supported by CorelDRAW.

Note that RAW camera files cannot be saved to a RAW camera file format in CorelDRAW. Any changes made to the RAW camera files in the
Camera RAW Lab are lost unless you save the files to a supported file format.

Processing RAW camera files

The Camera RAW Lab includes controls that are organized in a logical order for color correction and other adjustments of RAW camera
images. It is recommended that you start from the top of the Color page and work your way down. Once you finish correcting the color and
tone of your image, you can sharpen it and remove noise by using the controls on the Detail page. For information about the settings on
the Color page, see “Adjusting the color and tone of RAW camera files” on page 518. For information about the settings on the Detail
page, see “Sharpening and reducing noise in RAW camera files” on page 520.

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Camera RAW Lab: circled numbers correspond to the numbers in the
following table, which describes the main components of the lab.

Component Description

1. Rotation tools Let you rotate the image 90 degrees clockwise and
counterclockwise

2. Zooming and panning tools Let you zoom in and out of an image displayed in the preview
window, pan an image displayed at a zoom level higher than
100%, and fit an image to the preview window

3. Preview modes and Preview window Let you preview the adjustments made to a RAW camera image in
a single or split window. To compare the original and the adjusted
image, you can display them side by side.

4. Color page Contains controls that let you adjust the color and tone of RAW
camera images to remove color casts and reveal hidden detail

Working with RAW camera files | 517


Component Description

5. Detail page Contains controls that let you remove noise from RAW camera
images

6. Properties page Contains controls that let you view information about a RAW
camera image, such as size, color mode, and camera settings

7. Undo and Redo buttons Let you undo and redo the last action you performed

8. Reset to original button Lets you clear all corrections so that you can start with the original
RAW camera image

9. Create snapshot Lets you capture the corrected version of an image in a “snapshot”
at any time. Thumbnails of the snapshots appear in a window
below the image.

10. Hints area Displays information about the active control

11. Histogram Lets you preview the tonal range of the image.

To bring a RAW camera file into CorelDRAW


1 Click File  Import.
2 Select the RAW camera file or files that you want to import, and click Import.
3 In the Camera RAW Lab, adjust the color and tone of the RAW camera image. If necessary, you can also sharpen the image and reduce
the amount of noise.
If you selected multiple RAW camera files and want to apply the same adjustments to all of them, enable the Apply to all remaining
files check box.

You can rotate the image by clicking the Rotate left button or Rotate right button .

Adjusting the color and tone of RAW camera files


You can adjust the color and tone of an image by using the following settings.

Color depth

Color depth refers to the number of colors an image can contain. One of the advantages of using RAW camera files is that they can contain
more colors than photos saved as JPEG or TIFF files. This greater number of colors makes it easier to reproduce colors accurately, reveal detail
in shadows, and adjust brightness levels.

The Camera RAW Lab lets you process the RAW camera files as 48-bit or 24-bit images. 48-bit images offer more accurate color
representation and prevent loss of image quality during retouching. Note that some of the special effects available in CorelDRAW cannot be
applied to 48-bit images.

White balance

White balance is the process of removing unnatural color casts from images so that image colors appear as they do in real life. White
balance takes into consideration the lighting conditions in which a photo was taken and sets the color balance to produce realistic image
colors.

By default, when a RAW camera file is brought into CorelDRAW, it reflects the camera setting for white balance. This setting appears as the
preset As shot in the White balance list box. If you are not satisfied with this setting, you can have the white balance adjusted automatically
by choosing the preset Auto. You can also apply any of the following presets: Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, or Flash.
These presets let you simulate different lighting conditions.

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RAW camera image with incorrect white balance (left); the same image with adjusted white balance (right)

In addition, you can use the Eyedropper tool to automatically adjust the contrast in an image according to the white or gray point that you
sample in the preview window.

If the White balance options do not produce the results you want, you can use the following controls to remove color casts:
• Temperature slider — lets you correct color casts by adjusting the color temperature of an image to compensate for the lighting
conditions at the time the photo was taken. For example, to correct a yellow color cast caused by taking a photo indoors in dim
incandescent lighting, you can move the slider to the left. Conversely, to correct a blue color cast caused by intense lighting conditions,
you can move the slider to the right.
• Tint slider — lets you correct color casts by adjusting the green or magenta in an image. You can add green by moving the slider to the
right; you can add magenta by moving the slider to the left. Moving the Tint slider after using the Temperature slider lets you fine-tune
an image.

Tonal adjustments

You can use the following controls to adjust the tone of RAW camera files.
• Saturation slider — lets you adjust the vividness of colors. For example, by moving the slider to the right, you can increase the vividness
of a blue sky in an image. By moving the slider to the left, you can reduce the vividness of colors.
• Exposure slider — lets you compensate for the lighting conditions at the time the photo was taken. Exposure is the amount of light
allowed to fall on the image sensor of a digital camera. High exposure values result in areas that are completely white (no detail); low
values result in increased shadows. Exposure values (EV) range from -3.0 to + 3.0.
• Brightness slider — lets you brighten or darken an entire image. If you want to darken only the darkest areas of an image, you must use
the Shadow slider.
• Shadow slider — lets you adjust the brightness in the darkest areas of an image without affecting the lighter areas. For example, a
bright light behind a photo subject (backlighting) at the time a photo is taken can cause the subject to appear in shadow. You can
correct the photo by moving the Shadow slider to the right to lighten dark areas and reveal more detail.

Using the histogram

While you are making adjustments, you can view the tonal range of the image on the histogram to check for any clipping of shadow or
highlight areas. Clipping is the shifting of image pixels to white (highlight clipping) or black (shadow clipping). Clipped highlight areas
appear completely white and contain no detail; clipped shadow areas appear completely black and contain no detail.

The button on the left side of the histogram displays a warning if the image contains shadow clipping. The button on the right side of the
histogram displays a warning if the image contains highlight clipping. You can also choose to apply shading to the clipped areas in the
preview window.

To adjust the color and tone of a RAW camera file


1 Click File  Import.
2 Select the RAW camera file or files that you want to import, and click Import.
3 From the Color depth list box, choose one of the following options:
• 48-bit (16 bits/channel)
• 24-bit (8 bits/channel)

Working with RAW camera files | 519


4 To remove a color cast, select the Auto option from the White balance list box.
If you are not satisfied with the results, you can set the white point more precisely by using the Eyedropper tool to sample a white
or gray color in your image.
5 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Simulate different lighting conditions Select an option from the White balance list box.

Correct color in the image Adjust the Temperature slider, and then fine-tune the color
correction by adjusting the Tint slider.

Make colors more vivid or less vivid Move the Saturation slider to the right to increase the amount of
color in the image or to the left to decrease the amount of color in
the image.

Adjust exposure Move the Exposure slider to the left to compensate for high-
exposure camera settings or to the right to compensate for low-
exposure camera settings.

Brighten or darken an image Move the Brightness slider to the right to lighten the image or to
the left to darken the image.

Adjust the brightness in the darker areas of an image without Move the Shadow slider.
changing the lighter areas

Show clipped shadow areas Click the button to the left of the histogram.

Show clipped highlight areas Click the button to the right of the histogram.

You can capture the current version of your image by clicking Create snapshot. Thumbnails of the snapshots appear in a window
below your image. Each snapshot is numbered sequentially and can be deleted by clicking the close button in the upper right corner
of the snapshot title bar.
To change a color or tone setting one increment at a time, you can click in the box to the right of a slider, and press the Up or Down
arrow keys.

You can undo or redo the last correction you made by clicking Undo or Redo. To undo all corrections, click Reset to original.

Sharpening and reducing noise in RAW camera files


You can sharpen RAW camera files to enhance image edges.

RAW camera files may contain luminous (grayscale) and color (chroma) noise that is especially obvious in the darker areas of an image.
Luminous noise appears as a “white snow” effect; color noise appears as random pixels of different colors scattered against image areas.
You can reduce noise in RAW camera files to improve image quality.

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Before (left) and after (right) the amount of noise is reduced in a RAW camera image

To sharpen a RAW camera file


1 Click File  Import.
2 Select the RAW camera file or files that you want to import, and click Import.
3 In the Camera RAW Lab, click the Detail tab.
4 Move the Sharpness slider to enhance the edges in an image.

To reduce noise in a RAW camera file


1 Click File  Import.
2 Select the RAW camera file or files that you want to import, and click Import.
3 Click the Detail tab.
4 Move any of the following sliders to the right:
• Luminance noise — to reduce the amount of luminance noise
• Color noise — to reduce the amount of color noise. Note that higher settings may decrease the color accuracy of an image.

Adjusting both the Luminance noise and Color noise settings produces better results.

Previewing RAW camera files and obtaining image information


By previewing RAW camera files in various ways, you can evaluate the color and tone adjustments you make. For example, you can rotate
images, pan to a new area, zoom in or out, and choose how to display the processed image in the preview window.

You can obtain information about the color mode, size, and resolution of a RAW camera file. In addition, you can obtain information about
the camera and camera settings used when the photo was taken.

To preview a RAW camera file


1 Click File  Import.
2 Select the RAW camera file or files that you want to import, and click Import.
3 In the Camera RAW Lab, perform a task from the following table.

To Do the following

Pan to another area of an image Using the Pan tool , drag the image until the area that you
want to see is visible.

Working with RAW camera files | 521


To Do the following

Zoom in and out Using the Zoom in tool or Zoom out tool , click in the
preview window.

You can also zoom in and out by dragging the Zoom slider.

Fit an image in the preview window Click the Zoom to fit button.

Display an image at its actual size Click the 100% button.

View the corrected image in a single preview window Click the Full preview button .

View the corrected image in one window and the original image in Click the Before and after full preview button .
another window

View the image in one window with a divider between the original Click the Before and after split preview button . Move your
and corrected versions
pointer over the dashed divider line, and drag to move the divider
to another area of the image.

To obtain information about a RAW camera file


1 Click File  Import.
2 Select the RAW camera file or files that you want to import, and click Import.
3 In the Camera RAW Lab, click the Properties tab, and view any of the properties that are available for the selected RAW camera file, such
as color space, camera manufacturer and model, focal length, exposure time, and ISO speed ratings.

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Printing

Printing basics......................................................................................................................................................................................525

Preparing files for print service providers............................................................................................................................................. 539

Printing | 523
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Printing basics

CorelDRAW provides extensive options for printing your work.

This section includes the following topics:


• “Printing your work” (page 525)
• “Laying out print jobs” (page 526)
• “Previewing print jobs” (page 527)
• “Applying print styles” (page 528)
• “Fine-tuning print jobs” (page 529)
• “Printing colors accurately” (page 530)
• “Printing to a PostScript printer” (page 532)
• “Using print merge” (page 534)
• “Viewing preflight summaries” (page 537)

Printing your work


Using CorelDRAW, you can print one or more copies of the same drawing. You can also specify the page type and the page range that you
want to print.

Before printing a drawing, you can specify printer properties, including paper size and device options. For example, you can specify printer
features such as duplexing stapling.

To set printer properties


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the General tab.
3 In the Destination area, choose a printer from the Printer list box.
4 Click Preferences.
5 Set any properties in the dialog box.

To print your work


1 Click File  Print.

Printing basics | 525


2 Click the General tab.
3 In the Destination area, choose a printer from the Printer list box.
4 In the Destination area, choose a page size and orientation option from the Page list box.
5 In the Copies area, type a value in the Number of copies box.
If you want the copies collated, enable the Collate check box.
6 In the Print range area, enable one of the following options:
• Current document — prints the active drawing
• Current page — prints the active page
• Pages — prints the pages that you specify
• Documents — prints the documents that you specify
• Selection — prints the objects that you have selected
If you enable the Pages option, you can choose to print a range of pages, only even pages, only odd pages, or both even and odd pages.

You can also

Automatically match the printer orientation to the document In the Destination area, choose Match orientation from the Page
orientation list box.

Apply the printer’s default page size In the Destination area, choose Use printer default from the Page
list box.

You must select objects before printing a selection.

Certain printers support the automatic matching of page size and orientation. To enable this option, you need to modify the driver
compatibility settings for the printer by clicking Tools  Options. In the list of categories, double-click Global, double-click Printing,
click Driver compatibility, and enable the Printer can match document page sizes check box. In the Print dialog box, you can then
choose Match orientation and size from the Page list box.

Laying out print jobs


You can lay out a print job by specifying the size, position, and scale. Tiling a print job prints portions of each page on separate sheets of
paper that you can assemble into one sheet. You would, for example, tile a print job that is larger than your printer paper.

To specify the size and position of a print job


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Layout tab.
3 In the Image position and size area, enable one of the following options:
• As in document — maintains the image size as it is in the document
• Fit to page — sizes and positions the print job to fit to a printed page
• Reposition images to — lets you reposition the print job by choosing a position from the list box

Enabling the Reposition images to option lets you specify size, position, and scale in the corresponding boxes.

You can also choose an imposition layout, such as 2 x 2 (4-up) or 2 x 3 (6-up), from the Imposition layout list box. For more
information, see “Working with imposition layouts” on page 540.

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To tile a print job
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Layout tab.
3 In the Image position and size area, enable the Print tiled pages check box.
4 Type values in the following boxes:
• Tile overlap — lets you specify the amount by which to overlap tiles
• % of page width — lets you specify the percentage of the page width the tiles will occupy

You can include tiling alignment marks by enabling the Tiling marks check box.

Previewing print jobs


You can preview your work to show how the position and size of the print job will appear on paper. For a detailed view, you can zoom in on
an area. You can view how the individual color separations will appear when printed.

Before printing your work, you can view a summary of issues for a print job to find potential printing problems. For example, you can check
the current print job for print errors, possible print problems, and suggestions for resolving issues.

To preview a print job


• Click File  Print preview.

To close the print preview, click File  Close print preview.

You can quickly preview a print job in the Print dialog box by clicking File  Print and clicking the Mini preview button .

To magnify the preview page


1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Click View  Zoom.
3 Enable the Percent option, and type a value in the box.

You can also magnify the preview page by choosing a preset zoom level.

You can also zoom in on a portion of the print preview by clicking the Zoom tool in the toolbox and marquee selecting an area.

To preview color separations


1 Click File  Print preview.
2 On the property bar, click the Enable color separations button .

You can preview the composite by clicking View  Preview separations  Composite.

You can view individual color separations by clicking the tabs at the bottom of the application window.

Printing basics | 527


To view a summary of issues for a print job
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Preflight tab.
If there are no print job issues, the tab name displays as No issues. If there are issues, the tab name displays the number of issues that
were found.

If you want to exclude certain issues from the preflight check, click Settings, double-click Printing, and disable any check boxes that
correspond to issues you want overlooked.

You can save settings by clicking the Add preflight settings button and typing a name in the Save preflight style box.

Applying print styles


A print style is a set of saved printing options. Each print style is a separate file. This lets you move a print style from one computer to
another, back up a print style, and keep document-specific styles in the same directory as the document file.

You can select an existing print style, create a new print style, or edit a print style and save the changes. You can also delete print styles.

To choose a print style


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the General tab.
3 Choose one of the following from the Print style list box:
• CorelDRAW defaults
• Browse

To create a print style


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the General tab.
3 Set any printing options.
4 Click Save as.
5 Choose the folder where you want to save the print style.
6 Type a name for the style in the File name box.

You can also save a print style by clicking File  Print preview, and clicking the Save print style as button.

To edit a print style


1 Click File  Print.
2 Choose a print style from the Print style list box.
3 Modify any of the printing options.
4 Click Save as.
5 Choose the folder where the print style is stored.
6 Click the filename.
7 Click Save.

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You should save the modified settings as a print style or apply the changes before canceling; otherwise, you’ll lose all the modified
settings.

To delete a print style


1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Select a print style.
3 Click the Delete print style button .

Fine-tuning print jobs


You can fine-tune print jobs to ensure print quality. Because problems sometimes occur when you are printing text to a non-PostScript
printing device (GDI printer), you can decrease printing time by specifying driver compatibility for non-PostScript printing devices. For more
information, see “Printing colors accurately” on page 530.

If a printing device has difficulty processing large bitmaps, you can divide a bitmap into smaller, more manageable chunks by setting an
output threshold. If any lines appear when the printing device prints the chunks, you can set an overlap value to produce a seamless image.

On occasion, you may experience difficulties with printing complex files. To print complex files, you may need to spend a considerable
amount of time fixing and correcting the files. Another option is to convert a page to a bitmap, also known as rasterizing, which can allow
you to print complex files more easily.

To reduce file size, you can downsample bitmaps. Because bitmaps are made up of pixels, when you downsample a bitmap, the number of
pixels per line decreases, which decreases the file size.

To specify driver compatibility settings


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Global, double-click Printing, and click Driver compatibility.
3 Choose a non-PostScript printing device from the Printer list box.
4 Enable any of the check boxes that correspond to the settings that you want to specify.

To choose a threshold and chunk overlap


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Global, and click Printing.
3 From the Special settings list, choose one of the following:
• Bitmap output threshold (K)
• Bitmap chunk overlap pixels
4 Choose a value from the Setting list box.

To print as a bitmap
1 Click File  Print.
2 On the General tab, enable the Print as bitmap check box, and type a number in the dpi box to set the resolution.

To downsample bitmaps
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.

Printing basics | 529


3 In the Bitmap downsampling area, enable any of the following check boxes and type a value in the corresponding box:
• Color and grayscale
• Monochrome

Downsampling bitmaps affects them only when their resolution is higher than the resolution specified in the Bitmap downsampling
area.

Printing colors accurately


CorelDRAW allows you to manage colors when printing to ensure accurate color reproduction. You can print the document with the
document colors settings applied or you can choose alternate color settings only for printing. You can also print a document using the color
proofing settings that you previously specified in the Color proof settings docker. For more information, see “Using color management” on
page 295.

In addition, you can choose a rendering intent to effectively interpret the out-of-gamut colors when printing. The rendering intent that you
choose depends on the graphic content of the document. For more information, see “Understanding color management” on page 295.

For more information about color management, see “Using color management” on page 295.

Notes for GDI printers

GDI printers support only two color spaces: RGB and Grayscale. If your document contains colors from multiple color spaces, for example
RGB, CMYK, and spot colors, you must convert all the colors to RGB or Grayscale before printing.

You can determine if a printer is a GDI printer by clicking File  Print and choosing a printer from the Printer list box. If the PostScript
tab does not appear at the top of the dialog box, the selected printer is a GDI printer.

The following table describes different ways of managing color when printing to a GDI printer.

How to In the Print dialog box

Print the document and preserve the RGB or Grayscale colors Click the Color tab, and choose the appropriate color mode from
the Output colors as list box.

Print the document with original colors Click the Color tab, and choose the document color profile from
the Document profile area of the Correct colors using color
profile list box.

Print the document and convert the document colors to the printer Choose the printer color profile from the Correct colors using
colors color profile list box.

Notes for PostScript printers

Most PostScript printers support the use of multiple color spaces in a document. For example, a document can contain colors from multiple
colors spaces, such as RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale.

The following table describes different ways of managing color when printing to a PostScript printer.

How to In the Print dialog box

Print the document with the original colors Click the Color tab, and choose Native from the Output colors as
list box.

Print a document that contains multiple color modes using one Click the Color tab, and choose a color mode from the Output
color mode colors as list box.

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How to In the Print dialog box

If the printer supports only one color mode, you can control the
color conversion within CorelDRAW.

Print a document that contains only one color mode Click the Color tab, and choose the color profilefrom the Output
color as list box and from the Correct colors using color profile
list box.

To specify color settings for printing


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Use document color settings option.
If you selected a PostScript printer, you can choose one of the following options from the Color conversion performed by list box:
• CorelDRAW — lets the application perform the color conversion
• (selected printer) — lets the selected printer perform the color conversion (This option is only available for PostScript printers.)
4 Choose a color model from the Output colorsas list box.
This allows you to merge all document colors into a specific color model when printing.

You can also

Convert spot colors to process colors Enable the Convert spot colors to check box.

If you selected Native from the Output colors as list box, you need
to select a color mode from the list box.

Choose a color profile for correcting colors when printing to a Choose a color profile from the Correct colors using color profiles
specific printer list box.

This option is available only for certain color models.

Retain the color values associated with the selected color model Enable the Preserve (color model) numbers check box.

To print using color proofing settings


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Use color proof settings option to apply the color settings that are defined in the Color proof settings docker.
If you want to correct the proof colors, you can choose a color profile from the Correct colors using color profile list box.
4 Click Print.

To specify a rendering intent for printing


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 From the Rendering intent list box, choose one of the following options:
• Relative colorimetric — for producing proofs on printers, without preserving the white point
• Absolute colorimetric — for preserving the white point and proofing
• Perceptual — for a variety of images, especially bitmaps and photographs
• Saturation — for vector graphics and for preserving highly saturated colors (lines, text, and solid-colored objects, such as charts)

Printing basics | 531


Printing to a PostScript printer
PostScript is a page-description language that sends printing instructions to a PostScript device. All the elements in a print job (for
example, curves and text) are represented by lines of PostScript code that the printing device uses to produce the document. For improved
compatibility, you can choose a device-independent PostScript option. You can also select a PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file. A
PostScript Printer Description file describes the capabilities and features of your PostScript printer and is available from your printer’s
manufacturer.
You can automatically increase the fountain steps in a fountain fill to decrease banding. Increasing the number of steps used to
render fountain fills produces smoother shading when printing. To ensure that your print jobs print properly, you can also reduce
curve complexity by increasing flatness. Curve flatness determines how smooth a curve appears when printed.

A print job that contains too many fonts may not print properly, and a print job that contains too many spot colors increases file size. You
can set the PostScript options to warn you when a print job contains more than a set number of fonts or spot colors.

By default, the printing device driver downloads Type 1 fonts to the printing device. You can disable the Download Type 1 Fonts option so
that fonts are printed as graphics (either curves or bitmaps). This may be useful when the file contains many fonts that would take a long
time to download or would fail to download because of their file size. Bitmap versions of TrueType fonts look better in small print and print
faster than regular fonts. You can choose the maximum number of bitmap fonts that a print job can contain.

To select a PostScript Printer Description (PPD) file


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the General tab.
3 In the Destination area, choose a PostScript printer from the Printer list box.
4 Enable the Use PPD check box.
5 Choose the folder where the file is stored.
6 Double-click the filename.

To print to a PostScript device


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the General tab.
3 In the Destination area, choose a PostScript printer from the Printer list box.
4 Click the PostScript tab.
5 From the list box in the Compatibility area, choose the PostScript level that corresponds to the printer.
If you want to compress bitmaps when printing, choose an option from the Compression type list box in the Bitmaps area. If you
choose JPEG compression, you can move the JPEG quality slider to adjust the compression.

Bitmap compression settings can be saved in PostScript Interpreted (PS or PRN) files when you print to a file using a PostScript driver.
For information about printing to a file, see “To print to a file” on page 540.

To test fountain fills for banding


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Preflight tab.
If there are no print job issues, the tab name displays as No issues.
3 Click Settings.
4 Double-click Printing.

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5 Enable the Banded fountain fills check box.

If you want to optimize fountain fills to reduce complexity, enable the Optimize fountain fills check box on the PostScript tab.

Testing fountain fills for banding applies only to linear fountain fills.

To automatically increase fountain steps


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the PostScript tab.
3 Enable the Auto increase fountain steps check box.

To reduce curve complexity


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the PostScript tab.
3 Enable the Auto increase flatness check box.

Reducing curve complexity can help alleviate printing problems caused by curves that have too many nodes on each curve, but it
results in increased printing time.

To set color separations and font warning options


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Global, and click Printing.
3 Choose Spot color separations warning from the Special settings list.
4 Choose one of the following from the Setting list box:
• If any spot colors are used
• If more than 1 spot color used
• If more than 2 spot colors used
• If more than 3 spot colors used
5 Choose Many fonts (preflight) from the Special settings list, and choose a number from the Setting list box that appears.

To disable the downloading of Type 1 fonts


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the PostScript tab.
3 Disable the Download Type1 fonts check box.

Type 1 fonts can be downloaded only for PostScript devices.

When the Download Type1 fonts check box is enabled, the Convert TrueType to Type1 check box is enabled by default. This ensures
that TrueType fonts are converted to Type 1 fonts so that they can be downloaded. Disable the Convert TrueType to Type1 check box
only if the output device has difficulty interpreting Type 1 fonts.

To choose the maximum number of bitmap fonts


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Global, and click Printing.

Printing basics | 533


3 Choose Bitmap font limit (PS) from the Special settings list.
4 Choose a value from the Settings list box.

If you want to set a maximum bitmap font size, choose a font size from the Bitmap font size threshold (PS) list box.

Using print merge


CorelDRAW lets you combine text from a data source with a drawing. When you merge documents, you can produce several different
copies of a drawing. You can use merged documents to create personalized documents, such as mailing lists, questionnaires, and targeted
marketing documents, where each printed document contains specific information from a record in a data source, such as a text file or an
ODBC data source (a Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access file).
When you merge documents, you create a form document in CorelDRAWand combine it with a data source. A form document provides the
pattern and layout for a merged document. A data source supplies information for a drawing during the merge. CorelDRAW supports the
following data source files: Text (TXT) files, comma-separated values (CSV) files, Rich Text Format (RTF) files, and files that can be opened by
means of an ODBC data source.

Data source document (1), form document (2), and merged documents (3)

Creating a data source file

Information in a data source file is organized into fields and records. A field can contain one or more characters. Fields can contain
alphanumeric data or only numeric data. For example, a record may include a first name, last name, address, and other contact information.
Each item within the record, such as first name, last name, or address, is recognized as a field. A record can contain one or more fields.

You can create a data source file or import an existing one. You can create a data text file by using CorelDRAW or a text editor. You can edit
the data in a data source file at any time.

Creating a form document

Creating form documents is similar to creating regular drawings. For form documents, however, you insert merge fields, which are replaced
by information from the data source during the merge.

Associating a form document with a data source file

When you use CorelDRAW to create a data file, or when you import an existing data file into CorelDRAW, the data file is associated with the
form document. The association is always stored with the document and cannot be changed.

Performing a merge

CorelDRAWprovides different output options for merge documents. You can print a merge document or save it to a new document. When
you print a merge document, the form document is merged with the data source file during printing. When you save the merged document
to a new file, the application merges the form document with the data from the data source file in a new CorelDRAW file. You can use this

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file to preview your final output and make minor adjustments before printing. For major changes, such as the addition or repositioning of
merge fields or the addition of new records, you must work in the form document.

To create a data source file by using CorelDRAW


1 Click File  Print merge  Create/Load merge fields to launch the Print merge wizard.
2 Enable the Create new text option, and click Next.
3 On the Add fields page, do one or both of the following:
• To create a text field, type a field name in the Text field box, click Add, and then click Next.
• To create a numeric field, type a field name in the Numeric field box, click Add, and then click Next.
4 On the Add or edit records page of the Print merge wizard, do any of the following:
• To add a record, click New, and then click Next.
• To add data in a field, click in the field, type data, and click Next.
• To modify existing data in a field, click in the field, modify the data, and click Next.
5 Enable the Save data settings as check box.
6 Type a filename, choose the drive and folder where you want to save the file, and click Finish.

You can also

Apply formatting to the data in a numeric field On the Add fields page of the Print merge wizard, click a numeric
field in the list, and choose a format from the Numeric format list
box.

Different numeric formats are available in CorelDRAW. For example,


the X.0 format represents the value 1 as 1.0; the 00X format
represents the value 1 as 001.

Automatically increment the value in a numeric field Enable the Continually increment the numeric field check box,
and specify starting and ending values in the corresponding boxes.

Change the order of merge fields Select a field in the list and click Move up or Move down.

Delete a record On the Add or edit records page of the Print merge wizard, click
Delete.

View records On the Add or edit records page of the Print merge wizard,
choose one of the following options from the Current view list
box:
•All records — lets you display all records in a source data file
•Single record — lets you display one record at a time

Browse records On the Add or edit records page of the Print merge wizard, click
any of the following buttons:
• First record
• Next record
• Previous record
• Last record

Find text in a data file On the Add or edit records page of the Print merge wizard, type
a search term in the box, and press Enter.

You can edit the fields and records in an existing data source file by clicking File  Print merge  Edit merge fields and following the
instructions in the Print merge wizard.

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To create a data source by using a text editor
1 Open a text editor, and create a new file.
2 On the first line, type the number of merge fields that you want to insert in the drawing. For example:
3
3 On the second line, type the names of the merge fields by separating them with a backslash. Each merge field must begin and end with
a backslash. For example:
\Name\\Date\\Instructor\
4 On the next lines, type the data that you want to appear in the merged document. Each line constitutes a record. For example:
\Pixie Parsons\\6 September 2007\\Mr. Randy Harris\
\Shirley Wilkinson\\13 January 2007\\Ms. Corinne Pitts\
5 Save the file as an ANSI text file (.txt extension) or as an RTF file.

Backslashes function as markers to indicate the beginning and end of merge fields; therefore, you cannot use them as data in fields.

Data in fields must end with a character. Blank spaces or lines before backslashes prevent the merge from being completed
successfully.

To import a data source file


1 Click File  Print merge  Create/Load merge fields.
2 In the Print merge wizard, enable the Import text from a file or an ODBC data source option, and click Next.
3 Enable the File option, and navigate to the drive and folder where the data file is stored.
4 Choose a file.
5 Click Open.
6 Click Next.
7 Follow the instructions in the Print merge wizard.

To import an ODBC data source file


1 Click File  Print merge  Create/Load merge fields.
2 In the Print merge wizard, enable the Import text from a file or an ODBC data source option, and click Next.
3 Enable the ODBC data source option, and click Select ODBC data source.
4 In the Select data source dialog box, click the Machine data source tab.
5 Under Data source name, select Excel files, and click OK.
6 In the Select workbook dialog box, choose the database that you want to import, and click OK.

To create a form document


1 Open a drawing in which you want to insert merge fields.
2 Click File  Print merge  Create/Load merge fields.
3 Follow the instructions in the Print merge wizard to associate the drawing with a data source file, and then exit the Print merge wizard.
The Print merge toolbarappears.
4 On the Print merge toolbar, choose a field name from the Field list box, and click Insert.
CorelDRAW places the merge field in the center of the current view. If you want to reposition the merge field, drag it to a new location
on the drawing page.
5 Repeat step 4 to insert additional fields.

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To perform a merge and print the document
1 Do one of the following:
• Click File  Print merge  Perform merge.
• Click File  Print. In the Perform merge dialog box, enable the Perform print merge option, and click OK.
• On the Print merge toolbar, click Merge to new document, and click Print.
2 Specify any printer settings.
3 Click Print.

If you want to print all records and pages, enable the Current document option.

To perform a merge and save the document to a new file


• Click File  Print merge  Merge to new document.

You can also perform a merge and save the document to a new file by clicking Merge to new document on the Print merge toolbar.

Viewing preflight summaries


Preflight checks the status of your file before you decide to output it and provides a summary of issues and potential problems, and
suggestions for resolving them. You can specify which issues Preflight checks for. You can also save Preflight settings. For more information
about specific Preflight settings, see any of the following:
• To check for issues related to printing a file, see “To view a summary of issues for a print job” on page 528.
• To check for issues related to publishing a PDF file, see “To view the preflight summary for a PDF file” on page 589.
• To check for issues related to exporting to Adobe Illustrator (AI), see “To view the preflight summary for an AI file” on page 595.
• To check for issues related to exporting a SWF file, see “To view the issues summary for an Adobe Flash file” on page 623.
• To check for issues related to exporting an SVG file, see “Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)” on page 620.

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Preparing files for print service providers

With CorelDRAW, you can prepare a print job for sending to a print service provider.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Preparing a print job for a print service provider” (page 539)
• “Working with imposition layouts” (page 540)
• “Printing printers’ marks” (page 542)
• “Maintaining OPI links” (page 544)
• “Printing color separations” (page 545)
• “Working with color trapping and overprinting” (page 546)
• “Specifying In-RIP trapping settings” (page 549)
• “Printing to film” (page 551)
• “Working with a print service provider” (page 551)

Preparing a print job for a print service provider


You can use the Collect for Output wizard to guide you through the process of sending a file to a print service provider. The wizard simplifies
processes such as creating PDF and CDR files; gathering different pieces required for outputting an image; and copying the original image,
embedded image files, and fonts.

You can print a drawing to a file, which lets the print service provider send the file directly to an output device. If you are unsure about
which settings to choose, consult the print service provider.

For more information about commercial printing, see “Working with a print service provider” on page 551.

To use the Collect for Output wizard


1 Click File  Collect for output.
2 Enable one of the following options:
• Automatically gather all files associated with the document
• Choose a printing profile (.CSP) for gathering only specific files
3 Follow the instructions in the Collect for output wizard.

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The PDF file settings for the print service provider and the Prepress settings are identical. For information about the PDF Prepress
style settings, see “Exporting documents as PDF files” on page 579.

To print to a file
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the General tab.
3 In the Destination area, enable the Print to file check box.
4 Click the flyout arrow, and click one of the following commands:
• For Mac — saves the drawing to be readable on a Macintosh computer
• Single file — prints all pages in a document to a single file
• Pages to separate files — prints each page to a separate file
• Plates to separate files — prints each plate to a separate file
5 Click Print.
6 Choose one of the following from the Save as type list box:
• Print file — saves the file as a PRN file
• PostScript file — saves the file as a PS file
7 Choose the folder where you want to save the file.
8 Type a filename in the File name box.
9 Click Save.

If you prefer not to prepare PostScript files, print service providers equipped with the application in which you created your work can
take the original files (for example, CorelDRAW files) and apply the required prepress settings.

Working with imposition layouts


Working with imposition layouts lets you print more than one page of a document on each sheet of paper. You can choose a preset
imposition layout to create documents such as magazines and books to print on a commercial printing press; produce documents that
involve cutting or folding, such as mailing labels, business cards, pamphlets, or greeting cards; or print multiple thumbnails of a document
on one page. You can also edit a preset imposition layout to create your own layout.

You can select a binding method by choosing from three preset binding methods, or you can customize a binding method. When you
choose a preset binding method, all but the first signature are automatically arranged.

You can arrange pages on a signature manually or automatically. When you arrange the pages automatically, you can choose the angle of
the image. If you have more than one page across or down, you can specify the size of gutters between pages; for example, you can choose
the automatic gutter spacing option, which sizes gutters so that the document’s pages fill the entire available space in the layout.

When printing on a desktop printer, you can adjust the margins to accommodate the non-printable area of a page. If the margin is smaller
than the non-printable area, the edges of some pages or some printers’ marks may be clipped by your printer.

To choose a preset imposition layout


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Layout tab.
3 Choose an imposition layout from the Imposition layout list box.

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The layout you choose does not affect the original document, only the way it is printed.

To edit an imposition layout


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Layout tab.
3 Choose an imposition layout from the Imposition layout list box.
4 Click Edit.
5 Edit any imposition layout settings.
6 Click File  Save imposition layout.
7 Type a name for the imposition layout in the Save as box.

When editing an imposition layout, you should save it with a new name; otherwise the settings for a preset imposition layout will be
overwritten.

To select a binding method


1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Click the Imposition layout tool .
3 Choose Edit basic settings from the What to edit list box on the property bar.
4 Type values in the Pages across/down boxes.
If you want the page to be double-sided, click the Single/double sided button .
5 Choose one of the following binding methods from the Binding mode list box:
• Perfect binding — cuts apart individual pages and glues them at the spine
• Saddle stitch — folds pages and inserts them into one another
• Collate and cut — collates and stacks all signatures together
• Custom binding — lets you arrange the pages that are printed in each signature

If you choose either Saddle stitch or Custom binding, type a value in the corresponding box.

When you click the Single/double sided button for double-sided printing, and you are printing on a non-duplex printing device,
a wizard automatically provides instructions on how to insert the paper into the printer, so that you can print on both sides of the
page.

To arrange pages
1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Click the Imposition layout tool .
3 Choose Edit page placements from the What to edit list box on the property bar.
4 Click one of the following buttons:
• Intelligent auto-ordering — automatically arranges the pages on a signature
• Sequential auto-ordering — arranges the pages from left to right and top to bottom
• Cloned auto-ordering — places the working page in each frame of the printable page

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If you want to arrange the page numbering manually, click on the page and specify the page number in the Page sequence number
box.
5 Choose an angle from the Page rotation list box.

To edit gutters
1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Click the Imposition layout tool .
3 Choose Edit gutters and finishing from the What to edit list box on the property bar.
4 Click one of the following buttons:
• Auto gutter spacing — sizes gutters so that the document’s pages fill the entire available space in the layout
• Equal gutters — lets you set equal horizontal and vertical gutters
5 Click one of the following buttons:
• Cut location — places cut marks between pages
• Fold location — places fold marks between pages

If you click the Equal gutters button, you must specify a value in the Gutter size box.

You can edit the gutters only if you’ve selected an imposition layout with two or more pages across and down.

To adjust margins
1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Click the Imposition layout tool .
3 Choose Edit margins from the What to edit list box on the property bar.
4 Click one of the following buttons:
• Auto margins — sets the margins automatically
• Equal margins — lets you make the right margin equal to the left one, and the bottom margin equal to the top one

If you click the Equal margins button, you must specify values in the Top/left margin boxes.

When preparing a job for a commercial press, the print service provider may request minimum margin sizes, such as for page
grippers and printers’ marks.

Printing printers’ marks


Printing printers’ marks lets you display information on a page about how a document should be printed. You can specify the position of the
printers’ marks on the page.

The available printers’ marks are as follows:


• Crop/fold marks — represent the size of the paper and print at the corners of the page. You can print crop/fold marks to use as guides
to trim the paper. If you print multiple pages per sheet (for example, two rows by two columns), you can choose to print the crop/fold
marks on the outside edge of the page so that all crop/fold marks are removed after the cropping process, or you can choose to add
crop marks around each row and column. Crop/fold marks ensure that marks appear on each plate of a separated CMYK file.
• Bleed limit — determines how far an image can extend beyond the crop marks. When you use a bleed to extend the print job to the
edge of the page, you must set a bleed limit. A bleed requires that the paper you are printing on is larger than the size of paper you
ultimately want, and the print job must extend beyond the edge of the final paper size.

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• Registration marks — are required to line up film for proofing or printing plates on a color press. They print on each sheet of a color
separation.
• Color calibration bars — are color scales that print on each sheet of a color separation and ensure accurate color reproduction. To see
calibration bars, make sure that the page size of the print job is larger than the page size of the work you are printing.
• Densitometer scale — is a series of gray boxes ranging from light to dark. These boxes are required to test the density of halftone
images. You can position the densitometer scale anywhere on the page. You can also customize the levels of gray that appear in each of
the seven squares on the densitometer scale.
• Page numbers — helps you collate pages of an image that do not include any page numbers or do not contain page numbers that
correspond to the actual number of pages
• File information — prints file information, such as, the color profile; halftone settings; name, date, and time the image was created;
plate number; and job name

To print crop and fold marks


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the Crop/fold marks area, enable the Crop/fold marks check box.

If you want to print all crop/fold marks, disable the Exterior only check box.

To print crop and fold marks, ensure that the paper on which you print is 0.5 inches larger on all sides than the page size of the
image that you are printing.

To set crop and fold marks, see “To edit gutters” on page 542.

To print composite crop and fold marks


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Global, and click Printing.
3 Choose Composite crop marks (PS) from the Option list.
4 Choose Output on all plates from the Setting list box.

To set a bleed limit


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Layout tab.
3 Enable the Bleed limit check box.
4 Type a value in the Bleed limit box.

Usually, a bleed limit of 0.125 to 0.25 inches is sufficient. Any object extending beyond that uses memory needlessly and may cause
problems when you print multiple pages with bleeds on a single sheet of paper.

To print registration marks


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the Registration marks area, enable the Print registration marks check box.
4 Choose a registration mark style from the Style picker.

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To print registration marks, ensure that the paper on which you print is 0.5 inches larger on all sides than the page size of the image
that you are printing.

To print color calibration bars and densitometer scales


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the Calibration bars area, enable any of the following check boxes:
• Color calibration bar
• Densitometer scales

If you want to customize the levels of gray in one of the densitometer scale squares, choose a number from the Densities list (lower
values represent lighter squares), and type a new density for that square.

To print page numbers


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the File information area, enable the Print page numbers check box.

If you want to position the page number inside the page, enable the Position within page check box.

To print file information


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the File information area, enable the Print file information check box.
4 Type a job name in the Print file information box.

If you want to position the file information inside the page, enable the Position within page check box.

To position printers’ marks


1 Click File  Print preview.
2 Click the Marks placement tool .
3 Click the Auto-position marks rectangle button on the property bar.

4 Type values in the Marks alignment rectangle boxes.

You can also change the position of printers’ marks by clicking a printers’ mark icon in the print preview window and dragging the
bounding box.

If you want to affix printers’ marks to the object’s bounding box instead of to the page bounding box, click File  Print, click the
Prepress tab, and enable the Marks to objects check box.

Maintaining OPI links


Open Prepress Interface (OPI) lets you use low-resolution images as placeholders for the high-resolution images that appear in your
final work. When a print service provider receives your file, the OPI server substitutes the high-resolution images for the low-resolution
placeholders.

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To maintain OPI links
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the PostScript tab.
3 Enable the Maintain OPI links check box.

The Maintain OPI links option is available for PostScript devices only.
You can reduce your work time by using OPI and print management server solutions, such as Creo Color Central. Low-resolution
samples are automatically created from the high-resolution originals and are placed in CorelDRAW. These files contain their own OPI
comments, which the Creo Color Central server recognizes when it receives the job and then substitutes the high-resolution version of
the file for the low-resolution version.

Low-resolution images must be flagged as OPI images (this must be done using third-party software) before you can import them
into a document.

Printing color separations


When you send color work to a print service provider or printing shop, either you or the print service provider must create color separations.
Color separations are necessary because a typical printing press applies only one color of ink at a time to a sheet of paper. You can specify
the color separations to print, including the order in which they print.

Printing presses produce color using either process color or spot color, or both. You can convert the spot colors to process colors at printing
time. For more information on spot and process colors, see “Choosing colors” on page 250.

When setting halftone screens to print color separations, we recommend that you use the default settings; otherwise, screens can be
improperly set and result in undesirable moiré patterns and poor color reproduction. However, if you are using an imagesetter, the screen
technology should be set to match the type of imagesetter the print service provider uses. Before customizing a halftone screen, consult the
print service provider to determine the correct setting.

If you have overprinted areas, you can choose how you want those areas to print. For more information about overprinting, see “Working
with color trapping and overprinting” on page 546.

To print color separations


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print separations option.

If you want to print specific color separations, click the Separations tab, and enable the corresponding check box in the list of color
separations.

You can change the order in which color separations print, by enabling the Use advanced settings check box in the Options area. In
the separations list at the bottom of the dialog box, click in the Order column next to the color separation that you want to change.
Chose a new order value from the list box.

If you want to print separations using a color profile that is different from the document color profile, you can click the Color tab and
choose a color profile from the Correct colors using color profile list box.

To convert spot colors to process colors


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.

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3 Enable the Print separations option.
4 Enable the Convert spot colors to check box.

Changing the spot colors to process colors does not affect the original CorelDRAW file; it affects the way colors are sent to the
printer.

To customize a halftone screen


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print separations option.
4 Click the Separations tab.
5 In the Options area, enable the Use advanced settings check box.
6 Click Advanced.
7 Change any of the following settings:
• Screening technology
• Resolution
• Basic screen
• Halftone type

You can set the screen frequency, screen angle, and overprint options for spot colors as well as process colors. For example, if you
have a fountain fill made up of two spot colors, you can set one to print at 45 degrees and the other at 90 degrees.

Working with color trapping and overprinting


When colors are trapped, they are intentionally overlapped so that misalignments of print separations are not noticeable. In manual
trapping, one color must overprint the other. Overprinting is achieved by printing one color over another. Overprint trapping works best
when the top color is much darker than the underlying color; otherwise, an undesirable third color may result (for example, cyan over yellow
results in a green object). In some cases, you might actually want to create a third color; for example, you can overprint two spot colors to
create a third color.

How overprinted colors mix depends on the type of colors and ink you are mixing and the types of objects you are overprinting. For example,
an object that uses a CMYK color overprints differently from an object that uses a spot color. Bitmaps also overprint differently from vector
objects. You can preview a simulation of how overprinted colors will mix by enabling the Enhanced viewing mode and the Simulate
overprints viewing mode. For more information about choosing a viewing mode, see “Choosing viewing modes” on page 42. Some
variation between the preview and the printed version may occur, depending on the printer you use.

When you are ready to print, you can choose to preserve overprint settings if you want to trap objects in a document, or if you want to mix
the overlapping colors for effect. You can also choose to knock out the overprinted areas so that only the top color is visible. If you want to
print a proof version of the file, you can simulate overprints. Simulating overprints rasterizes the file, and it prints using process colors only.

You can set a group of objects to overprint. You can allow text to overprint overlying objects. You can also overprint bitmaps; or each vector
object’s fill, or outline, or both. In addition, you can overprint specific color separations and specify in which order they will print, as well as
whether you want to overprint graphics, or text, or both.

The two methods for automatic color trapping include always overprinting black and auto-spreading. Overprinting black creates a color trap
by causing any object that contains 95% black or more to overprint any underlying objects. This option is useful for artwork containing a lot
of black text, but it should be used with caution on artwork with a high graphics content. You can adjust the threshold, if the print service
provider recommends a black threshold value other than 95%.

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Auto-spreading creates color trapping by assigning an outline to an object that is the same color as the object’s fill and having it overprint
underlying objects. Auto-spreading is created for all objects in the file that meet three conditions: they do not already have an outline, are
filled with a uniform fill, and have not already been designated to overprint.

For advanced trapping options, see “Specifying In-RIP trapping settings” on page 549.

To preserve or ignore overprints when printing


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Choose one of the following options:
• Print composite
• Print separations
4 Click one of the following tabs:
• Separations
• Composite
5 From the Document overprints list box, choose one of the following options:
• Ignore — does not overprint areas; color on top prints and underlying colors are knocked out
• Preserve — preserves overprinted areas

To print a simulated overprint


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print composite option.
4 Click the Composite tab.
5 From the Document overprints list box, choose Simulate.
The Simulate option rasterizes the file; the file is printed with process colors.

To overprint selected objects


1 Select an object.
2 Click Edit, and choose any of the following:
• Overprint outline
• Overprint fill
• Overprint bitmap

You can also set an object to overprint by right-clicking the object and choosing an overprint option from the context menu.

To print text over underlying objects


1 Using the Text tool , select the text.
2 In the Character area of the Object properties docker, enable the Overprint fill check box.

To overprint selected color separations


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print separations option.

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4 Click the Separations tab.
5 In the Options area, enable the Use advanced settings check box.
6 Click Advanced.
7 In the Advanced separations settings dialog box, choose a color separation from the Screening technology list box.
8 In the Overprint column, click one or both of the following icons:
• Overprint graphics

• Overprint text

The icons appear darker when the separation is set to overprint.

You can change the order in which color separations print by selecting a color separation and choosing an order from the Order list
box.

To trap by always overprinting black


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Choose one of the following options:
• Print composite
• Print separations
4 Click one of the following tabs:
• Separations
• Composite
5 In the Options area, enable the Always overprint black check box.

To set the overprint black threshold


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Global, and click Printing.
3 Choose Overprint black threshold (PS) from the Option list.
4 Choose a number from the Setting list box.

The number you choose represents the percentage of black above which black objects overprint.

To trap by auto-spreading
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Choose one of the following options:
• Print composite
• Print separations
4 Click one of the following tabs:
• Separations
• Composite
5 In the PostScript trapping or Trapping area, do one of the following:

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• Enable the Auto-spreading option, and type a value in the Maximum box.
• Enable the Fixed width option, and type a value in the Width box.
6 Type a value in the Text above box.

The value that you type in the Text above box represents the minimum size to which auto-spreading is applied. If you set this value
too low, small text may be rendered illegible when auto-spreading is applied.

The amount of spread assigned to an object depends on the maximum trap value specified in the Maximum box and the object’s
color. The lighter the color, the greater the percentage of the maximum trap value. The darker the color, the smaller the percentage of
the maximum trap value.

Specifying In-RIP trapping settings


In-RIP trapping allows you to specify advanced trapping settings. Before selecting In-RIP trapping, ensure that your PostScript 3 printer
supports In-RIP trapping options.

You can select a trap width — the amount that one color spreads into another. You can also specify image trap placement, which
determines where the trap occurs. You can, for example, specify whether the trap is a choke or a spread, depending upon the neutral
densities of adjacent colors. Neutral density indicates the lightness or darkness of a color and helps determine how adjacent colors spread
into one another.

You can specify a threshold at which a trap is created by specifying a step trap limit. If trap colors are of similar neutral densities, the trap
placement adjusts accordingly. The step trap limit specifies a threshold at which a trap adjusts.

Before trapping, you can set the inks; for example, you can set an ink to opaque, as in the case of a metallic ink, so that nothing shows
through it. To reduce the visibility of a trap, you can decrease the amount of ink color in a trap. This is especially helpful in the case of pastel
colors, contrasting colors, and colors with similar neutral densities.

To select a trap width


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print composite option.
4 Click the PostScript tab.
5 Choose PostScript 3 from the Compatibility list box.
6 Click the Composite tab.
7 Enable the PostScript level 3 In-RIP trapping check box.
8 Click Settings.
9 Type a value in the Trap width box.

If you are trapping to black, type a value in the Black trap width box.

To select In-RIP trapping options, you must have selected PostScript 3 from the Compatibility list box under the PostScript tab of the
Print dialog box.

To specify image trap placement


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print composite option.
4 Click the PostScript tab.

Preparing files for print service providers | 549


5 Choose PostScript 3 from the Compatibility list box.
6 Click the Composite tab.
7 Enable the PostScript Level 3 In-RIP trapping check box.
8 Click Settings.
9 From the Image trap placement list box, choose one of the following placements:
• Neutral density — used to determine the lighter object and thus the direction and placement of the trap
• Choke — used to trap a dark foreground object to a light background image
• Spread — used to trap a light foreground object to a dark background image
• Centerline — used when adjacent images and objects have similar neutral densities or when image density changes along an object’s
edge

If you want to trap an object to an image, enable the Trap objects to images check box.

To specify a threshold
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print composite option.
4 Click the PostScript tab.
5 Choose PostScript 3 from the Compatibility list box.
6 Click the Composite tab.
7 Enable the PostScript 3 In-RIP trapping check box.
8 Click Settings.
9 Type a value in one or more of the following boxes:
• Step limit — specifies a threshold between color variations. The lower the threshold value, the more likely it is that a trap will be
created.
• Black limit — specifies the threshold at which process black is considered pure black
• Black density limit — specifies a neutral density value for the black ink
• Sliding trap limit — specifies the difference between the neutral densities of adjacent colors at which a trap adjusts (slides) from the
darker side of a color edge toward the centerline. The lower the sliding trap limit, the more gradual the transition.

To choose In-RIP trapping options, you must have selected PostScript 3 from the Compatibility list box under the PostScript tab in
the Print dialog box.

To set inks for trapping


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print composite option.
4 Click the Composite tab.
5 Enable the PostScript Level 3 In-RIP trapping check box.
6 Click Settings.
7 In the Type column, select one of the following for each color separation:
• Transparent — the selected ink doesn’t get trapped, but anything beneath it does
• Neutral density — the neutral density of the selected ink determines how it is treated
• Opaque — the selected ink is treated as opaque
• Opaque ignore — the selected ink doesn’t get trapped nor does anything beneath it

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To choose In-RIP trapping options, you must have selected PostScript 3 from the Compatibility list box under the PostScript tab in
the Print dialog box.

To select a trap color reduction


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Color tab.
3 Enable the Print composite option.
4 Click the Composite tab.
5 Enable the PostScript 3 In-RIP trapping check box.
6 Click Settings.
7 Type a value in the Trap color reduction box.

A reduction value of 100% indicates no reduction, while a lower value reduces the neutral density.

Printing to film
You can set up a print job to produce negative images. An imagesetter produces images on film that may need to be produced as negatives
depending on which printing device you are using. Consult your print service provider to determine whether you can produce images on
film.

You can specify to print with the emulsion down. Printing with the emulsion down produces a backward image on desktop printers.

To print a negative
1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the Paper/film settings area, enable the Invert check box.

Do not choose negative film if you are printing to a desktop printer.

To specify film with the emulsion down


1 Click File  Print.
2 Click the Prepress tab.
3 In the Paper/film settings area, enable the Mirror check box.

Working with a print service provider


When you send a file to a print service provider, the provider takes your file and converts it directly to film or to plates.

When you prepare a print job for printing, you can send camera-ready paper output or the work on disk. If you send the work on disk, the
print service provider needs either a PostScript file or a native file from the application that you use. If you are creating a file to send to an
imagesetter or a plate-setter, speak with the print service provider about the best file format and printing device settings to use. Always
provide a final printout of the work to the print service provider, even if it is only a black-and-white representation. This helps the print
service provider to identify and assess any potential problems.

Preparing files for print service providers | 551


Before printing a drawing, you must choose and properly configure the appropriate printing device driver. Consult the printing device
manufacturer instructions, or the print service provider or printing shop that you use to print the work, to find out the best way to set up the
printing device driver.

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Web graphics

Creating objects for the web............................................................................................................................................................... 555

Exporting to HTML.............................................................................................................................................................................. 567

Web graphics | 553


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Creating objects for the web

CorelDRAW lets you export objects that are optimized for viewing in a web browser. You can also create interactive rollovers from
CorelDRAW objects. In addition, you can add hyperlinks and bookmarks to a drawing.

After creating the web-compatible object in CorelDRAW, you can add the object to a design using a web-authoring tool. You can also export
the object to HTML. For more information, see “Exporting to HTML” on page 567.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Exporting bitmaps for the web” (page 555)
• “Saving and applying web presets” (page 560)
• “Exporting objects with transparent colors and backgrounds” (page 561)
• “Creating rollovers” (page 562)
• “Adding bookmarks and hyperlinks to documents” (page 563)
• “Adding hotspots and alternate text to objects” (page 565)

Exporting bitmaps for the web


CorelDRAW lets you export the following web-compatible file formats: GIF, PNG, and JPEG.

While specifying exporting options, you can preview an image with up to four different configurations of settings. You can compare file
formats, preset settings, download speeds, compression, file size, image quality, and color range. You can also examine previews by zooming
and panning within the preview windows.

Creating objects for the web | 555


Component Description

1. Preview window Displays a preview of the document.

2. Preview modes Lets you preview the adjustments in a single or split frame.

3. Zooming and panning tools Lets you zoom in and out of a document displayed in the preview
window, pan an image displayed at zoom level higher than 100%,
and fit an image in the preview window.

4. Eyedropper tool and sampled color swatch Lets you sample a color and display the sampled color.

5. Preset list box Lets you choose preset settings for a file format.

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Component Description

6. Export settings Lets you customize export setting, such as color, display options,
and size.

7. Format information Lets you view file-format information, which is available for each
preview frame.

8. Color information Displays the color values for a selected color.

9. Speed list box Lets you choose an Internet speed for saving the file.

You can export web-compatible files using preset settings. This allows you to optimize the file, without the need to modify individual
settings. You can also customize the settings to produce a specific result. For example, you can adjust its color, display quality, and file size.

Choosing a web-compatible file format

This table is a quick reference for choosing a web-compatible file format.

File format Ideal for

GIF Line drawings, text, images with few colors, or images with sharp
edges, such as scanned black-and-white images or logos.

GIF offers several advanced graphic options, including transparent


backgrounds, interlaced images, and animation. It also lets you
create custom palettes for the image.

PNG Various image types, including photos and line drawings.

The PNG file format (unlike the GIF and JPEG formats) supports the
alpha channel. This allows you to save transparent images with
superior results.

JPEG Photos and scanned images.

JPEG files use file compression to store an approximation of an


image, which results in some loss of image data, but does not
compromise the quality of most photographs. You can choose the
image quality when you save an image — the higher the image
quality, the larger the file size.

Exporting palette-based documents

Palette-based documents, such as paletted GIF and 8-bit PNG, allow individual pixels to retain their exact color value. This lets you control
the display of colors in the file when exporting. Palette-based documents also allow you to introduce transparency to a file by choosing a
color in the image and making it transparent. For information, see “Exporting objects with transparent colors and backgrounds” on page
561.

To adjust the object-export preview


1 Click File  Export for  Web.
2 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

View the bitmap in a single preview frame Click the Full preview button on the View toolbar.

View two versions of the bitmap in side-by-side frames Click the Two vertical previews button .

Creating objects for the web | 557


To Do the following

View the two versions of the bitmap with one frame placed above Click the Two horizontal previews button .
the other

View four versions of the bitmap in separate frames Click the Four previews button .

Fit a bitmap in the preview window Click the Zoom to fit button .

Display each pixel in the image data to a single pixel on-screen Click the Zoom 1:1 pixel button .

Display a bitmap at its actual size Click the Zoom to actual size button .

Pan to another area of the bitmap Using the Pan tool , drag the image until the area you want to
see is visible.

Zoom in and out Using the Zoom in tool or Zoom out tool , click in the
preview window.

Change the display options for the object in a preview frame Click a frame, then choose different export settings from the export
settings area.

To export a web-compatible bitmap


1 Click File  Export for  Web.
2 In the Export for web dialog box, choose preset settings from the Preset list box in the upper-right corner of the dialog box.
If you want modify the preset settings, you can change the exporting options in the dialog box.
3 Click Save as.
4 Choose the drive and folder where you want to save the file.
5 Type a name in the File name box.
6 Click Save.

You can also

Choose a color mode In the Settings area, choose a color mode from the Color mode
list box.

This option is unavailable for the GIF file format.

Embed the color profile In the Advanced area, enable the Embed color profile check box.

You can also export to a web-compatible format by clicking File  Export, and choosing a file format from the Save as type list box.

You can choose an Internet connection speed from the Speed list box at the bottom of the dialog box.

To resize an object when exporting a web-compatible bitmap


• In the Export for web dialog box, perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Choose a unit of measurement for the bitmap In the Transformation area, choose a unit of measurement from
the Units list box.

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To Do the following

Specify the bitmap dimensions In the Transformation area, type values in the Width and Height
boxes.

Resize the bitmap to a percentage of its original size In the Transformation area, type values in the Width % and
Height % boxes.

Avoid distortion by maintaining the width-to-height ratio of the In the Transformation area, enable the Maintain aspect ratio
bitmap check box.

Specify the bitmap resolution In the Transformation area, type a value in the Resolution box.

Maintain the size of the file on your hard disk when you change the In the Transformation area, enable the Maintain size check box.
resolution of the bitmap

To customize options for exporting a JPEG bitmap


1 In the Export for web dialog box, choose JPEG from the Format list box.
2 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Control document quality In the Settings area, choose a quality option from the Quality list
box, or type a percentage value.

Choose an encoding setting In the Settings area, choose an option from the Sub-format list
box.

Blur the transition between adjacent pixels of different colors In the Settings area, type a value in the Blur box.

Load the JPEG file gradually in certain web browsers to display only In the Advanced area, enable the Progressive check box.
portions of the image before it finishes loading

Use the optimal encoding method to produce the smallest JPEG file In the Advanced area, enable the Optimize check box.
size

You can also

Apply the document-color settings In the Advanced area, enable the Use document color settings
option.

Apply the color-proof settings to the document In the Advanced area, enable the Use color proof settings option.

Enable the overprinting of black when exporting to CMYK In the Settings area, enable the Overprint black check box.

Apply a matte color to the object’s background to help blend the In the Settings area, open the Matte color picker, and click a color.
edges of anti-aliased objects

To specify display-quality options for exporting web-compatible bitmaps


• In the Export for web dialog box, perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Apply a matte color to the object’s background to help blend the In the Settings area, open the Matte color picker, and click a color.
edges of anti-aliased objects

Smooth the edges of the object In the Advanced area, enable the Anti-aliased check box.

Creating objects for the web | 559


To Do the following

Load the file gradually in certain web browsers to display only In the Advanced area, enable the Interlaced check box.
portions of the image before it finishes loading

To specify color settings for exporting palette-based web-compatible bitmap


• In the Export for web dialog box, perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Choose a color mode In the Settings area, choose a color mode from the Color mode
list box.

This option is unavailable for the GIF file format.

Choose a color palette In the Settings area, choose a palette from the Color palette list
box.

Specify a dithering setting and amount In the Settings area, choose a dithering option from the Dithering
list box, and type a value in the box.

Embed the color profile In the Advanced area, enable the Embed color profile check box.

You can also

Load a color palette In the Settings area, click the arrow next to Color palette list box,
and click Load palette.

Sample a color and add it to a color palette Click the Eyedropper on the toolbar, and then click in the drawing
window to choose a color. In the Settings area, click the Add the
sampled color to palette button .

Add or modify colors Double-click a color swatch on the color palette.

Choose the number of colors that you want to display In the Settings area, choose a value from the Number of colors list
box.

Delete a color from the color palette In the Settings area, click a color on the color palette, and then
click the Delete the selected color button.

You can also add transparency to a palette-based document by choosing a color in the image and making it transparent. For
information, see “Exporting objects with transparent colors and backgrounds” on page 561.

Saving and applying web presets


Web presets allow you to save custom settings for exporting web-compatible file formats.

To save a preset for exporting web-compatible images


1 In the Export for web dialog box, choose a file format from the Format list box.
2 Choose the settings that you want to store as a preset.
3 Click the arrow next to the Preset list box, and click Save preset.
4 Type the name of the preset in the File name box.
5 Click Save.

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You can delete a saved preset by choosing a preset from the Preset list box, clicking the arrow next to the Preset list box, and clicking
Delete preset.

To apply a preset for exporting web-compatible images


1 In the Export for web dialog box, click the arrow next to the Preset list box, and click Load preset.
2 Click the name of the file.
3 Click Open.

Exporting objects with transparent colors and backgrounds


CorelDRAW lets you export palette-based bitmaps, such as paletted GIF or 8-bit PNG, with transparent colors and backgrounds. These
bitmaps can contain objects, such as buttons and logos, which are commonly used on webpages with colored or patterned backgrounds.

If you place an object with an opaque background onto a webpage, the object background color appears as a rectangle on the page. By
making an object background transparent, the object background blends in with the page. Transparent object backgrounds also let you
change the color or pattern of a webpage background without having to change the backgrounds of the objects to match.

You can create a GIF with a transparent background to use on a webpage.

To save a bitmap with a transparent background


1 In the Export for web dialog box, choose a paletted file format, such as GIF or 8-bit PNG, from the Format list box.
2 Perform one or more tasks from the following table.

To Do the following

Make the background of the object transparent In the Settings area, enable the Transparency check box.

Make a selected color transparent Click the Eyedropper on the toolbar, and then click the image to
choose a color. In the Settings area, click the Make the selected
color transparent button .

Apply a matte color to the object’s background to help blend the In the Settings area, open the Matte color picker, and click a color.
edges of anti-aliased objects

For best results, choose None from the Dithering list box in the Settings area.

Creating objects for the web | 561


Creating rollovers
Rollovers are interactive objects that change in appearance when you click or point to them. You can create rollovers using objects.

To create a rollover, you add the following rollover states:


• Normal — the default state of a button when no mouse activity is associated with the button
• Over — the state of a button when the pointer passes over it
• Down — the state of a clicked button

You can apply different object properties to each of the rollover states. You can also preview the rollover states.

Rollovers showing Normal (left), Over (center), and Down (right) states

To add a rollover object to a web design, you must save the rollover to a the Macromedia Flash (SWF) format. For more information about
creating and editing objects such as rollovers, see “Working with objects” on page 175.

To create a rollover object


1 Select an object.
2 Click Effects  Rollover  Create rollover.

To modify an object’s rollover state


1 Click Window  Toolbars  Internet.
The Internet toolbar appears.
2 Click the rollover object to select it.
3 On the Internet toolbar, click the Edit rollover button .
4 From the Active rollover state list box, choose a state:
• Normal
• Over
• Down
5 Modify the object properties, such as the color.
6 Click the Finish editing rollover button .

You can also

Delete a rollover state On the Internet toolbar, click the Delete rollover state button
.

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You can also

Duplicate a rollover state On the Internet toolbar, click the Duplicate rollover state button
.

Undo a rollover On the Internet toolbar, click the Extract rollover objects button
.

Specify what frame appears when the rollover is clicked On the Internet toolbar, choose a target frame from the Target
frame list box.

You cannot close a drawing in which you are editing a rollover. You must finish editing first.

To view rollover properties


1 Click Window  Dockers  Object manager.
2 Click the page and layer where the rollover resides.
3 Click the rollover name, and expand the Normal, Over, and Down states.

You can preview a rollover object’s states in the drawing page by clicking the Rollover live preview button on the Internet

toolbar. To quit previewing the rollover so that you can edit it, click the Rollover live preview button . You cannot undo while
previewing a rollover.

Adding bookmarks and hyperlinks to documents


CorelDRAW lets you add bookmarks and hyperlinks to your document. You can apply these to objects, including text objects, rollovers, and
bitmaps. For information, see “Including hyperlinks, bookmarks, and thumbnails in PDF files” on page 581.

Bookmarks

To create an internal link within a file, you can assign a bookmark to text or to an object. You can then assign a link to an object so that,
when it’s clicked, it opens the bookmark.

Hyperlinks

You can also assign a hyperlink to an object. You can link to a web address, FTP server, email address, bookmark, or file. When the object is
clicked, it opens to the assigned location in a appropriate application. After you create hyperlinks, you can display and verify them. You can
also delete links and bookmarks. When working with text, you can assign a hyperlink to both artistic and paragraph text.

To assign a bookmark
1 Click Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.
2 In the workspace, click the object that you want to bookmark.
3 Click the New bookmark button .

4 Type the name of the bookmark in the name box.

To assign a hyperlink to an object


1 Click Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.
2 In the workspace, click the object to which you want to apply a hyperlink.

Creating objects for the web | 563


3 Click the New link button .
4 From the Link type list box, choose one of the following link types:

Link types

http:// Type a web address, or URL, for a webpage that opens when you
click the link.

ftp:// Type a web address, or URL, to the FTP server that opens when you
click the link.

mailto: Type an email address.

file:// Click the browse button and navigate to the file that you want to
open when you click the link.

bookmark Choose a previously created bookmark from the list.

You can also assign a bookmark from the Object properties docker by clicking Window  Dockers  Object properties to open the
docker, and then clicking the Internet button.

To assign a hyperlink to text


1 Click Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.
2 Using the Text tool , select the text characters to which you want to assign a hyperlink.
3 Click the New link button .
4 From the Link type list box, choose one of the following link types:

Link types

http:// Type a web address, or URL, for a webpage that opens when the
link is clicked.

ftp:// Type a web address, or URL, to the FTP server that opens when the
link is clicked.

mailto: Type an e-mail address.

file:// Click the browse button, and navigate to the file that you want to
open when the link is clicked.

bookmark Choose a previously created bookmark from the list.

You can also assign a hyperlink from the Internet toolbar by clicking Window  Toolbars  Internet to display the toolbar.

To verify a link
1 Click Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.
2 Choose the link that you want to open.
3 Click the Open link button .

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To delete a bookmark or link
1 Click Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.
2 Choose the link or bookmark that you want to delete.
3 Click the Delete button .

Adding hotspots and alternate text to objects


You can also set a hotspot that follows the outline of the object, or fills the object’s bounding box. CorelDRAW applies a crosshatch pattern
to an object containing a link.You can change the color of the crosshatch pattern as well as its background fill. In addition, you can add
alternate text to objects for text-only browsers or screen readers.

To set a hotspot
1 Click Window  Dockers  Internet.
2 In the Internet docker, choose Link from the Behavior list box, and type a web address in the URL box.
3 In the Define hotspot using area, click one of the following buttons:
• Shape — defines the hotspot using the object’s shape
• Bounds — defines the hotspot using the object’s bounding box
4 Open the Background color picker , and click a color.

5 Open the Cross-hatch color picker , and click a color.

If you choose a hyperlinked object first and then change the crosshatch and background hotspot colors, the change applies to the
selected object only.

To add alternate text to an object


1 Click Window  Dockers  Internet.
2 In the Internet docker, type the alternate text in the Alt comments text box.

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Exporting to HTML

You can ensure that your CorelDRAW files and objects publish to HTML successfully by setting document elements to be HTML-compatible,
selecting the settings you want, and checking Preflight issues. You can then publish to HTML. The resulting HTML code and images can be
used in HTML authoring software for creating a website or webpage.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Setting preferences for exporting images to HTML” (page 567)
• “Creating web-compatible text” (page 568)
• “Previewing and verifying files before exporting to HTML” (page 568)
• “Exporting to HTML” (page 569)

Setting preferences for exporting images to HTML


You can set preferences for exporting images that are destined to be viewed on the web. For example, you can determine layout options,
such as size and position of the image white space.

You can also publish your document as a single image, from which the application creates an image map. An image map is a hypergraphic
whose hotspots link to different URLs — including pages, locations, and images — when you view the HTML document with a browser.
Note that large image maps might cause slow downloads for those with a slow Internet connection.

To set preferences for exporting images to HTML


1 Click Tools  Options.
2 In the list of categories, double-click Document, and click Export HTML.
3 Set any bitmap options.

You can also

Specify the number of pixels text can be automatically nudged to Type a value in the Position tolerance box.
avoid introducing rows or columns that are only a few pixels in size

Specify the number of pixels that can occur in an empty cell before Type a value in the Image white space box.
it’s merged with an adjacent cell
This lets you avoid splitting a single graphic that spans adjacent
cells.

Specify the amount of white space allowed in an image Type a value in the Position white space box.

Exporting to HTML | 567


You can also

Create a Server-side image map In the Image map type area, enable the Server check box, and
choose a format.

Creating web-compatible text


When you convert paragraph text to web-compatible text, you can edit the text of the published document in an HTML editor. If you
are exporting text to HTML, you can change text font characteristics, including the font type, size, and style. The web-compatible text
sizes, numbered 1 through 7, correspond to particular point sizes between the 10-point and 48-point range. For more information about
formatting text, see “Formatting text” on page 361.

The default web font style is used automatically unless you override it with another font. If you choose to override it, the default font is
used when visitors to your website don’t have the same font installed on their computers. The bold, italic, and underline text styles are also
available. You can apply uniform fills, but not outlines, to web-compatible text.

Any non-web-compatible text in your drawing is converted to bitmaps when you publish your drawing to the World Wide Web as HTML.

To make text web-compatible

To Do the following

Change paragraph text to web-compatible text Using the Pick tool , select the paragraph text frame. Click
Text  Make text web compatible.

Make new text web-compatible Click Tools  Options. In the list of categories, double-click
Workspace, Text, and click Paragraph. Enable the Make all new
paragraph text frames web compatible check box.

Ensure that the web-compatible text does not intersect or overlap other objects or extend beyond the boundaries of the drawing
page; otherwise the text will be converted to a bitmap, and it will lose its Internet properties.

Artistic text cannot be converted to web-compatible text and is always treated as a bitmap. However, you can convert it to paragraph
text and then make it web compatible. For information on converting text, see “Finding, editing, and converting text” on page 349.

Previewing and verifying files before exporting to HTML


You can preview your files and objects in a browser before exporting them to HTML. You can also identify any potential exporting problems
by checking for Preflight issues.

To preview a webpage
1 Click File  Export HTML.
2 Click Browser preview.

To set HTML preflight options


1 Click File  Export HTML.
2 Click the Issues tab.
3 Click Settings.
4 In the Issues to check for list, expand the Publishing to web tree.
5 Deselect the issues you do not want to check for.

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Exporting to HTML
When publishing a document or selection to the World Wide Web, you can choose several options, such as image format, HTML layout,
export range, and file transfer protocol (FTP) site parameters.

To export to HTML
1 Click File  Export HTML.
2 Set the following options in the Export HTML dialog box:
• General — contains options for HTML layout, folders for HTML file and images, and FTP site and export range. You can also select,
add, and remove presets.
• Details — contains details of HTML files produced, and allows you to change the page name and file name
• Images — lists all images for the current HTML export. You can set individual objects to JPEG, GIF, and PNG formats. Click Options to
select presets for each image type.
• Advanced — provides options for generating JavaScript for rollovers and cascading style sheets, and maintaining links to external files
• Summary — shows statistics for files according to various download speeds
• Issues — displays a list of potential issues, including explanations, suggestions, and tips

CorelDRAW assigns the extension .htm to documents you publish in the HTML format. By default, HTML files share the same name as
the CorelDRAW (CDR) source file and are saved in the last folder you used to store exported web documents.

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File formats

Importing and exporting files.............................................................................................................................................................. 573

Exporting to PDF................................................................................................................................................................................. 579

Working with office productivity applications...................................................................................................................................... 591

Supported file formats.........................................................................................................................................................................593

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Importing and exporting files

Your application provides filters that convert files from one format to another when you import or export files.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Importing files” (page 573)
• “Exporting files” (page 576)

Importing files
You can import files created in other applications. For example, you can import an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), JPEG, or Adobe
Illustrator (AI) file. You can import a file and place it in the active application window as an object. You can also resize and center a file
as you import it. The imported file becomes part of the active file. You can also import a bitmap as an externally linked image. When you
import a linked bitmap, edits to the original (external) file are automatically updated in the imported file.

While importing a bitmap, you can resample it to reduce the file size, or crop it to eliminate unused areas of the image. You can also crop a
bitmap to select only the exact area and size of the image that you want to import.

When you import a file from an earlier version of CorelDRAW that contains text in a language different from the language of your operating
system, you can use code page settings to ensure that object names, keywords, and notes saved with the file are displayed correctly.

To import a file into an active drawing


1 Click File  Import.
2 Choose the folder where the file is stored.
If necessary, you can search for a file by using the search box. You can search for such things as file name, title, subject, author, keyword,
comment, bitmap name, object name, and so on.
3 Choose a file format from the list box next to the File name box.
If you don’t know the file’s format, choose All file formats.
4 Click the file name.
If the file contains text in a language different from that of your operating system, choose the corresponding option from the Select
code page list box to ensure that object names, keywords, and notes are correctly displayed.
These options are not available for all file formats.
5 Click Import, and do one of the following:
• Click the drawing page to maintain the dimensions of the file and position its top-left corner where you click.

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• Drag on the drawing page to resize the file. The import cursor displays the dimensions of the resized file as you drag on the drawing
page.
• Press Enter to center the file on the drawing page.
• Press the Spacebar to place the file in the same position as it was in the original file (CDR and AI files only).

Active snapping options are applied to the imported file.

You can also

Link to a bitmap externally instead of embedding it Click the arrow on the Import button, and then click Import as
externally linked image check box.

If you want to display a list of the linked images, click


Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.

Link to a high-resolution file for Open Prepress Interface (OPI) Click the arrow on the Import button, and then click Import as
output high-resolution file for output using OPI check box.

This procedure inserts a low-resolution version of a TIFF or Scitex®


Continuous Tone (CT) file into a document. The low-resolution
version is linked to the high-resolution image, which resides on an
Open Prepress Interface (OPI) server.

Merge layers in an imported bitmap Enable the Combine multi-layer bitmap check box.

Save the embedded International Color Consortium (ICC) profile Enable the Extract embedded ICC profile check box to save the
ICC profile to the color folder where the application is installed.

This option is not available for all file formats.

Check for watermark or copyright information Enable the Check for watermark check box.

This option is not available for all file formats.

Use the default settings for the filter instead of opening the dialog Enable the Do not show filter dialog check box.
box
This option is not available for all file formats.

Preserve layers and pages in an imported file Enable the Maintain layers and pages check box. If you disable
the check box, all layers are combined into a single layer.

This option is not available for all file formats.

Select the pages to import when importing multi-page TIFF In the Import TIFF dialog box, enable an option in the Select the
documents page(s) to import area.

This option is available only for the TIFF file format.

Open only part of an image (Windows 7 and Windows 8) In the Load partial file dialog box, type the range of frames to
open in the Load frames box.

Not all importing options are available for all file formats.

You can import multiple files. Hold down Shift and click to select consecutive files in a list. Hold down Ctrl and click to select non-
consecutive files.

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To import a bitmap as an externally linked image
1 Click Window  Dockers  Links and bookmarks.
2 In the Links and bookmarks docker, click the New linked image button.
3 Browse to the drive and folder where the image is stored.
4 Click Import.
5 Click in the workspace to place the image.

You can also

Update a linked image Click the Update linked image button.

Break the link to an externally linked image Click the Break link button.

To resample a bitmap while importing


1 Click File  Import.
2 Choose the folder where the image is stored.
If necessary, you can search for an image by using the search box. You can search for such things as file name, title, subject, author,
keyword, comment, bitmap name, object name, and so on.
3 Choose a file format from the list box beside the File name box.
If you don’t know the file’s format, choose All file formats.
4 Click the file name.
5 Click the arrow next to the Import button, and then click Resample and load.
6 In the Resample image dialog box, type values in any of the following boxes:
• Width — specifies the width of the graphic in a chosen unit of measure or as a percentage of its original width
• Height — specifies the height of the graphic in a chosen unit of measure or as a percentage of its original height
7 In the Resolution area, type values in the following boxes:
• Horizontal — lets you specify the horizontal resolution of the graphic in pixels or dots per inch (dpi)
• Vertical — lets you specify the vertical resolution of the graphic in pixels or dots per inch (dpi)
8 Click the drawing page.

You can also

Maintain the width-to-height ratio of the image Enable the Maintain aspect ratio check box.

Change the unit of measure Choose a unit type from the Units list box.

Maintain equal horizontal and vertical resolution values Enable the Identical values check box.
automatically

If a dialog box for the import format opens, specify the options you want. For detailed information about file formats, see
“Supported file formats” on page 593.

Not all importing options are available for all file formats.

To crop a bitmap while importing


1 Click File  Import.
2 Choose the folder where the image is stored.
If necessary, you can search for an image by using the search box. You can search for such things as file name, title, subject, author,
keyword, comment, bitmap name, object name, and so on.

Importing and exporting files | 575


3 Choose a file format from the list box beside the File name box.
If you don’t know the file’s format, choose All file formats.
4 Click the file name.
5 Click the arrow next to the Import button, and click Crop and load.
6 In the Crop image dialog box, type values in any of the following boxes:
• Top — specifies the area to remove from the top of the graphic
• Left — specifies the area to remove from the left edge of the graphic
• Width — specifies the width of the graphic that you want to keep
• Height — specifies the height of the graphic that you want to keep
7 Click the drawing page.

You can also resize a graphic by dragging the selection handles in the preview window.

You can change the unit of measure by choosing a unit type from the Units list box in the Crop image dialog box.

Exporting files
You can use the File Export command to export files to a variety of bitmap and vector file formats that can be used in other applications.
For example, you can export a file to the Adobe Illustrator (AI) or JPG format. You can also export a file so that it is optimized for use with a
suite of office productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office or Corel WordPerfect Office.

When you are exporting a file, the original file is left open in the drawing window in its existing format.

You can use the File  Save as command to save files to various vector formats. After you save a file to a different format, the saved file is
displayed immediately in the drawing window. It is recommended that you first save the file as a CorelDRAW (CDR) file because some file
formats do not support all of the features found in a CorelDRAW file.

To export a file
1 Click File  Export.
2 Choose the folder where you want to save the file.
3 Choose a file format from the Save as type list box.
4 Type a file name in the File name list box.
5 Enable any of the following check boxes:
• Export this page only — exports only the current page in a multipage file
• Selected only — saves only the objects selected in the active drawing
• Do not show filter dialog — suppresses dialog boxes that offer more advanced exporting options
These options are not available for all file formats.
6 Click Export.
If a dialog box for the export format opens, specify the options you want. For detailed information about file formats, see “Supported file
formats” on page 593.

You can also

Compress a file on export Choose a compression type from the Compression type list box.

Specify information about a file Type any comments you want in the Notes box.

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Not all of the options or compression types in the Export dialog box are available for all file formats.
Objects on a hidden layer are displayed in the exported file unless the printing and exporting function for the hidden layer is disabled.
For information about the options available when you export to a bitmap file format, see “To convert a vector graphic to a bitmap
when exporting” on page 476.

If you are using an expired trial version, you will not be able to export files.

You can specify which layers will appear in the exported file. For more information, see “To enable or disable printing and exporting
of a layer” on page 228.

To export a file to Microsoft Office or WordPerfect Office


1 Click File  Export for  Office.
2 From the Export to list box, choose one of the following:
• Microsoft Office — lets you set options to meet the output requirements of Microsoft Office applications
• WordPerfect Office — optimizes the image for Corel WordPerfect Office by converting it to a WordPerfect Graphics file (WPG)
3 If you chose Microsoft Office, choose one of the following options from the Graphic should be best suited for list box:
• Compatibility — lets you save the drawing as a Portable Network Graphic (PNG) bitmap. This preserves the appearance of the
drawing when you import it into an office application.
• Editing — lets you save the drawing in the Extended Metafile Format (EMF). This retains most of the editable elements in vector
drawings.
4 If you chose Microsoft Office and Compatibility, choose one of the following options from the Optimized for list box:
• Presentation — lets you optimize the file for outputs such as slide shows or online documents (96 dpi)
• Desktop printing — lets you maintain good image quality for desktop printing (150 dpi)
• Commercial printing — lets you optimize the file for high-quality printing (300 dpi)
An estimated file size appears in the lower-left corner of the dialog box.
5 Click OK.
6 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
7 Type a file name in the File name list box.
8 Click Save.

You can also

Zoom in and out in the preview window Using the Zoom in or Zoom out tool, click in the preview
window.

Pan to view another area of the drawing Using the Pan tool , drag in the preview window until the area
that you want to see becomes visible.

The Graphic should be best suited for and Optimized for options are available only if you choose the Microsoft Office and
Compatibility options.

Layers in a drawing are flattened when exported to Microsoft Office or Corel WordPerfect Office.

To save a file to a different format


1 Click File  Save as.
2 Choose the folder where you want to save the file.

Importing and exporting files | 577


3 Choose a file format from the Save as type list box.
4 Type a file name in the File name list box.
5 Enable any of the following check boxes:
• Selected only — saves only the objects selected in the active drawing
• Save with embedded VBA project — lets you save, with the file, macros you have created in the VBA editor
These options are not available for all file formats.
6 Click Save.

You can also

Specify information about a file Type any comments you want in the Add comments box.

Add keywords Type any keywords you want in the Add a tag box.

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Exporting to PDF

PDF is a file format designed to preserve fonts, images, graphics, and formatting of an original application file.

This section contains the following topics:


• “Exporting documents as PDF files” (page 579)
• “Including hyperlinks, bookmarks, and thumbnails in PDF files” (page 581)
• “Reducing the size of PDF files” (page 582)
• “Working with text and fonts in PDF files” (page 583)
• “Specifying an encoding format for PDF files” (page 585)
• “Specifying a viewing option for EPS files” (page 585)
• “Specifying color management options for exporting PDF files” (page 585)
• “Setting security options for PDF files” (page 586)
• “Optimizing PDF files” (page 588)
• “Viewing preflight summaries for PDF files” (page 589)
• “Preparing PDF files for a print provider” (page 589)

Exporting documents as PDF files


You can export a document as a PDF file. A PDF file can be viewed, shared, and printed on any platform provided that users have Adobe
Acrobat, Adobe Reader, or a PDF-compatible reader installed on their computers. A PDF file can also be uploaded to an intranet or the web.
You can also export an individual selection or an entire document to a PDF file.

When you export a document as a PDF file, you can choose from several PDF presets, which apply specific settings. For example, with the
Web preset, the resolution of the images in the PDF file is optimized for the web.

You can also create a new PDF preset or edit any existing preset. PDF file security settings are not saved with a PDF preset. For information
about PDF file security options, see “Setting security options for PDF files” on page 586.

If you have used symbols in a document, they will be supported in the PDF file. For more information on symbols, see “Working with
symbols” on page 231.

To export a document as a PDF file


1 Click File  Publish to PDF.

You can also save a PDF file by clicking the Publish to PDF button on the Standard toolbar.

Exporting to PDF | 579


2 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Choose one of the following options from the PDF preset list box:
• Archiving (CMYK) — creates a PDF/A-1b file, which is suitable for archiving purposes. In comparison to traditional PDF files, PDF/A-1b
files are better suited for long-term preservation of documents because they are more self-contained and more device-independent.
PDF/A-1b files include embedded fonts, device-independent color, and their own description as XMP metadata. This PDF style preserves
any spot or Lab colors included in the original document, but it converts all other colors, such as grayscale or RGB, to the CMYK color
mode. In addition, this style embeds a color profile to specify how CMYK colors should be interpreted on the rendering device.
• Archiving (RGB) — similarly to the previous style, creates a PDF/A-1b file, preserving any spot and Lab colors. All other colors are
converted to the RGB color mode.
• Current proof settings — applies the proofing color profile to the PDF
• Document distribution — creates a PDF file that can be printed on a laser or desktop printer and is suitable for general document
delivery. This style enables JPEG bitmap image compression and can include bookmarks and hyperlinks.
• Editing — creates a high-quality PDF file intended to be sent to a printer or digital copier. This style enables LZW compression, embeds
fonts, and includes hyperlinks, bookmarks, and thumbnails. It displays the PDF file with all the fonts, with all of the images at full
resolution, and with hyperlinks, so that you can edit the file at a later date.
• PDF/X-1a — enables ZIP bitmap image compression, converts all objects to the destination CMYK color space
• PDF/X-3 — This style is a superset of PDF/X-1a. It allows both CMYK and non-CMYK data (such as Lab or Grayscale) in the PDF file.
• Prepress — enables ZIP bitmap image compression, embeds fonts, and preserves spot color options best designed for high-end
quality printing. Before preparing a PDF file for printing, it’s always best to consult your print provider to find out which settings are
recommended.
• Web — creates a PDF file intended for online viewing, such as a PDF file to be distributed by email or published on the web. This style
enables JPEG bitmap image compression, compresses text, and includes hyperlinks.
5 Click Settings.
The PDF settings dialog box appears.
6 In the Export range area, enable one of the following options:
• Current document — exports the current document
• Documents — exports the documents that you specify
• Selection — exports the objects that you have selected
• Current page — exports the active page
• Pages — exports the pages that you specify
7 In the Page size area, choose one of the following options:
• As defined in CorelDRAW — applies the page size that is defined in the document
• Set by the selected objects — allows the page size to be determined by the size of the objects on the page
8 Click OK.
9 Click Save.

If you want to create a PDF file for archiving purposes that conforms to the PDF/A-1b standards, embedding must be allowed for
all the fonts in your document. To check for fonts that cannot be embedded, view the preflight summary of the PDF file. For more
information about viewing summaries, see “To view the preflight summary for a PDF file” on page 589. You can substitute any
fonts that cannot be embedded, or you can convert all text to curves by enabling the Export all text as curves check box on the
Objects page of the Publish to PDF settings dialog box.

To check if a font can be embedded, you can view licensing information and embedding restrictions by using a free tool, such as the
Font properties extension tool available on the Microsoft website.

To export multiple documents as a single PDF file


1 Click File  Publish to PDF.
2 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.

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4 Click Settings.
The PDF settings dialog box appears.
5 On the General tab, enable the Documents option from the Export range area.
6 Enable the check box for each document you want to save.
7 Click OK.
8 Click Save.

To create a PDF preset


1 Click File  Publish to PDF.
2 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Click Settings.
5 In the PDF settings dialog box, specify any settings.
6 Click the General tab.
7 Click the Add PDF preset button next to the PDF preset list box.
8 Type a name for the style in the Save PDF preset as list box.
9 Click Ok.
10 Click Save.

If you want to delete a PDF style, select the style and click the Delete PDF preset button next to the PDF preset list box.

To edit a PDF preset


1 Click File  Publish to PDF.
2 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Click Settings.
5 In the PDF settings dialog box, specify any settings.
6 Click the General tab.
7 Click the Add PDF preset button next to the PDF list box.

8 Choose the style you want to edit from the Save PDF preset as list box.
9 Click Ok.
10 Click Save.

If you save changes you make to preset settings, the original settings will be overwritten. To avoid this, save any changes to preset
settings with a new name.

Including hyperlinks, bookmarks, and thumbnails in PDF files


You can include hyperlinks, bookmarks, and thumbnails in a PDF file. Hyperlinks are useful for adding jumps to webpages or to Internet
URLs. Bookmarks allow you to link to specific areas in a PDF file. You can specify whether bookmarks or thumbnails are displayed when the
PDF file is first opened in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

Exporting to PDF | 581


For information about assigning hyperlinks and bookmarks, see “Adding bookmarks and hyperlinks to documents” on page 563.

To include hyperlinks, bookmarks, and thumbnails in a PDF file


1 Click File  Publish to PDF.
2 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Click Settings.
The PDF settings dialog box appears.
5 Click the Document tab.
6 In the Bookmarks area, enable any of the following check boxes:
• Include hyperlinks
• Generate bookmarks
• Generate thumbnails
If you want to display bookmarks or thumbnails on startup, enable the Bookmarks or Thumbnails button in the On start, display area.
7 Click Ok.
8 Click Save.

Reducing the size of PDF files


You can compress bitmap images, text, and line art to reduce the size of a PDF file. Options for bitmap image compression include JPEG,
LZW, and ZIP. Bitmap images that use JPEG compression have a quality scale ranging from 2 (high quality, less compression) to 255 (lower
quality, more compression). The higher the image quality, the larger the file size.

You can also reduce the size of a PDF file by downsampling color, grayscale, or monochrome bitmap images.

To set the bitmap compression in a PDF file


1 Click File  Publish to PDF.
2 Locate the folder in which you want to save the file.
3 Type a filename in the File name box.
4 Click Settings.
The PDF settings dialog box appears.
5 Click the Objects tab.
6 Choose one of the following from the Compression type list box:
• None
• LZW
• JPEG
• ZIP
• JP2
7 Click Ok.
8 Click Save.

The JP2 (JPEG 2000) option is available only for Adobe Acrobat 6.0, Adobe Acrobat 8.0, and Adobe Acrobat 9.0

If you choose JPEG compression, you can specify the compression quality by moving the JPEG quality slider.

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