PDF Enhancements

The PDF transparency model modifies shading in images, and the text, box, and shade command shading options.   This allows color AND shading, and allows items below the shaded item to show through, similar to the blending that goes on in PCL output.  Transparency can be set on or off by default with the pdftrans=1 or 0 setting in uf80d.ini.  It can also be turned on or off via the -pdftrans or -pdfnotrans command line options, or the transparency rule set command.  If it is turned off, shading is as in previous releases.

The copies command now produces non-collated copies, like produced in the pcl and postscript drivers.  Former versions treated copies and pcopies as identical in pdf output.  Note that rule sets that used the copies command during PDF output will produce different page ordering than previous releases.  To restore the collated copy order, use the pcopies command.

The protect command now supports 128-bit encryption, by adding the "128" option.

The image command now recognizes a 'page n' option, which leverages Ghostscript to generate a full page image of the nth page of the PDF file.  The normal behavior of the image command and PDF files is to search for the first image element of the file, rather than generating an image of an entire page.

PDF files that contain incremental updates are now supported.  Of particular note for this feature are attachments generated by Microsoft Word, with the 'save as PDF' add-in, which automatically adds an empty incremental update.

The micr command is now supported, using the micr TrueType font licensed for inclusion in UnForm.  If micr commands should be ignored for PDF output, enclose them in 'if driver laser' blocks.