The growth in demand from display producers wanting to work with industry-standard PDFs has led UK-based wide-format RIP software specialist Shiraz Software to develop and launch an integrated plug-in for use with its Signature and Server versions. Designated the Shiraz Adobe PDF Engine plug-in, this new option embeds complete functionality within the existing RIP and now enables users to adhere to the standard delivery format common throughout the digital print market.

Shiraz Software's RIP now benefits from the same core technology used by Adobe to build Acrobat, and this ensures high-performance PDF processing which is optimised consistently on all platforms. The optional plug-in extends the RIP's functionality to full Acrobat 9 (PDF 1.7 +Ext) certification, providing greater security and reliability in distribution and exchange of electronic documents and forms across all work-flow environments. This requirement is becoming increasingly relevant and important to wide-format digital print service providers who are being driven to adopt commonality with other creative professionals in the graphic arts market.

The Shiraz Adobe PDF Engine plug-in is available for integration within Shiraz v6.60 and Signature v7.0. This makes it ideal for users of multiple output devices which use the company's Server option as well as smaller companies using the Signature product for driving a single printer.

Able to handle live transparency and layering, as well as PDF files of virtually all sizes and specifications, this Shiraz plug-in produces high quality rendering for smooth graduations and blends. It provides the exceptional quality and reliability found in proven Adobe technology and is fully interoperable with other products in the company's portfolio, such as Illustrator and InDesign.

All colour spaces are supported, including RGB, CMYK, L*a*b (CIELAB), as well as spot and indexed requirements. Font rendering is accommodated to include unicode (UTF) and double-byte fonts which allow the use of complex and extended character sets. The Shiraz Adobe PDF Engine plug-in is efficient on multiple CPU systems in a thread-safe manner and offers excellent memory management.

"The release of this new, essential option now gives existing and new users of our products the ability to conform with industry standard PDF work-flow which is rapidly becoming an essential requirement within the wide-format digital printing industry," states Ramin Shahbazi, Shiraz Software's business development director. "We've put our Adobe PDF Engine plug-in through intensive and rigorous testing world-wide prior to bringing it to market and this solution will now provide reliable, accurate and supported implementation of the latest Adobe PDF specification."

Shiraz Software provides software, work-flow management and RIP solutions for all users of wide-format ink-jet printers, with products including its Server options for businesses running multiple printers and Signature, which is designed as an entry-level stand-alone solution. All versions are fully upgradable and are available for Windows, Macintosh and Linux platforms. A low-cost image management and printing option, Shiraz Focus, is also available for professional photographers. All current releases are fully compatible with Windows 7 and Macintosh OSX Snow Leopard (10.6).

Further information is available from Ramin Shahbazi at Shiraz Software, Unit 18 Fulham Studios, 17-21 Wyfold Road, London SW6 6SE, telephone +44 (0)845 680 2484, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.shiraz-rip.com