This page is for the people who check a proof. You opened a link from a print shop: it shows the artwork as it will print, and lets you look closely, leave comments and approve or reject it. You don't need an account.
The proof page#
- Header. The artwork name, the shop, and whether this is a PDF proof (the file as your browser draws it) or a Separations proof (drawn from the print separations, with overprint). When the artwork has more than one version, previous and next sit with the version menu, and the version's note shows under the name (see Artwork inspection). Then the status, the Approve and Reject buttons, who you are reviewing as, the keyboard shortcuts and a ⋯ menu with Download this version (PDF) and History and reviewers.
- Toolbar. The tools for the proof (below), and the eye button that shows or hides the comments on the artwork.
- Panel. Comments, Plates (separations proofs), 3D (3D proofs) and History. Close it for more room; the tabs stay at the right edge.
- Status bar. The cursor position from the top-left corner of the page, hints for the tool you picked, the unit (mm, in or pt) that positions and measurements use, and the zoom.
On a separations proof, the print preview may still be in preparation the first time it opens. The page shows its progress and opens the proof by itself when it is ready. It is made once per version, in the background; large or many-page files take longer.
Move around#
| Tool or button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hand | Drag to move the page. Hold Space for the hand while another tool is picked. |
| Zoom tool | Click to zoom in there, or drag a box around what you want to see. Option-click (Ctrl-click) zooms out. |
| − and + | Zoom out and in. You can also type a percentage in the box between them. |
| Fit, Width, 100% | The whole page, the page width, or actual size. |
| Page arrows | The previous and next page of a multi-page file. |
⌘ or Ctrl with the scroll wheel, or a pinch on a trackpad or touch screen, zooms at the pointer. On a phone, the tools that don't fit in the toolbar are under the sliders button at its right.
Separations proofs are rendered at up to 600 dpi (less for pages longer than about 20 in / 500 mm, or very large files), and zooming in further keeps the detail sharp, so you can check small text, fine rules and trapping.
The Plates panel#
On a separations proof, the Plates tab lists every ink of the page, in three groups:
- Inks: cyan, magenta, yellow, black and the spot colours.
- Finishes: varnish, foil, emboss and white, shown as a light overlay so the artwork under them stays readable.
- Technical: cutting, creasing and other plates that don't print. They start hidden.
Tick or clear a plate to show or hide it, or use All, None, and Show or Hide for the Finishes and Technical groups. Solo shows one plate on its own; click it again to bring the others back. A plate marked no raster is named in the PDF but has nothing on this page. The layers button in the toolbar shows how many plates are on.
Measure#
Measurements show in a card at the top left of the proof. Esc closes it and goes back to the hand.
Densitometer#
On Advanced links, the Densitometer (the eyedropper) reads the ink coverage of every plate. Click a point for a small spot around it (about 1 mm across), or drag a box for the average of an area. The card shows:
- the colour on screen as RGB, and the TAC (total area coverage) of the inks: finishes and technical plates don't count;
- per plate, the ink percentage; for an area also the Max and how much of the area it Covers;
- for a spot colour, its defined build from the PDF, such as "CMYK 0 90 20 40".
The plates are the measurement: the RGB value is only what your screen shows.
Ruler#
Pick the Ruler, click the start and then the end. The card shows the distance in points, inches and millimetres, the horizontal and vertical distance (Δx · Δy) in your unit, and the angle. A third click clears it.
Barcode#
Pick Barcode and drag a box around a whole code, with a little margin. The card shows the decoded text and the code type, with Copy. It reads QR Code, Data Matrix, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, ITF and Codabar. On separations proofs it also tries each plate on its own, which often reads a code the full colour proof hides. When nothing is found, drag a larger box around the whole code.
Keyboard shortcuts of the proof page#
These keys work on the proof page reviewers open from an approval link (see Reviewing a proof). Press ? there for the same list.
Flat proof#
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Hand (drag to move the page) | H, or hold Space |
| Zoom tool (Option-click or Ctrl-click zooms out) | Z |
| Densitometer (Advanced links) | C |
| Ruler | R |
| Barcode | B |
| Comment | A |
| Zoom in or out | + − |
| Fit the page, actual size | 0 1, also with ⌘ or Ctrl |
| Fit the width | W |
| Zoom at the cursor | ⌘ or Ctrl + scroll wheel, or pinch |
| Previous or next page | PgUp PgDn |
| Previous or next version, when the artwork has more than one | ← → |
| Previous or next content block, while the Content list is open | ↑ ↓ |
| Flip between the two versions while Compare is on | X |
| Back to the hand, clear the measurement | Esc |
Comments#
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Show or hide the comments on the artwork | M |
| Save a comment | ⌘ ↵ or Ctrl ↵ |
| Cancel a comment | Esc |
| Confirm the approve or reject dialog | ⌘ ↵ or Ctrl ↵ |
3D proof#
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Comment on the carton | A |
| Fit the carton in view | F |
| Turn the carton (click it first) | Arrow keys |
| Show or hide the comments | M |
| Stop commenting | Esc |
Colour on screen#
A screen can't show exactly how ink looks on paper or board. Use the proof to check content, position, sizes, inks and codes. When the exact colour matters, ask the shop for a printed proof.