Suggestions Looking for low cost preflight software

[khojem]

A regular client keeps sending final files in RGB without crop marks and it's causing a problem.

Is there a good, reasonably priced/low cost software package out there for preflight where I can convert RGB to CMYK, add crop marks, and see overall resolution of images?
I know Adobe Acrobat has some capability but I've never been able to get it to work correctly.
I'm not a graphic designer by trade and usually have to farm these "fixes" out to someone else. I'd rather bring this in house if there's a quick way to fix these files.

Thanks! Any help is appreciated.

 

[jimdtg]

If you have Acrobat there so you can try with Pitstop Pro, it's an Acrobat plug-in and 30 days trial version is ready.

 

[myront]

A regular client keeps sending final files in RGB without crop marks and it's causing a problem.

Is there a good, reasonably priced/low cost software package out there for preflight where I can convert RGB to CMYK, add crop marks, and see overall resolution of images?
I know Adobe Acrobat has some capability but I've never been able to get it to work correctly.
I'm not a graphic designer by trade and usually have to farm these "fixes" out to someone else. I'd rather bring this in house if there's a quick way to fix these files.

Thanks! Any help is appreciated.

Are the files always pdf? Might try Inkscape (free). that can do crop marks. Don't know about converting the colors though. We print both CMYK and RGB without any problems.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I would probably check out Scribus (open source alternative to InDesign).

SVG, which is the master file format for Inkscape, is designed more for the web compared to print. As such, even Inkscape is not all that on par for printing, especially when it comes to the wonderful world of color.

 

[khojem]

If you have Acrobat there so you can try with Pitstop Pro, it's an Acrobat plug-in and 30 days trial version is ready.

Are the files always pdf? Might try Inkscape (free). that can do crop marks. Don't know about converting the colors though. We print both CMYK and RGB without any problems.

I would probably check out Scribus (open source alternative to InDesign).

SVG, which is the master file format for Inkscape, is designed more for the web compared to print. As such, even Inkscape is not all that on par for printing, especially when it comes to the wonderful world of color.

Thank you all for your feedback. I'm going to check into Pitstop Pro (it looks pretty reasonably priced for a paid product), Inkscape, and Scribus.

 

[Pauly]

Pitstop Pro does this,
Also that's the basic task of your RIP Software also.

 

[DL Signs]

The only issue you'd have with Inkscape is it doesn't support CMYK. The fact that it has CMYK color sliders is deceiving, everything it does/ saves/ exports is RGB.

If Scribusbor Pitstop doesn't fit the bill, look into Affinity, yes it's pay, but the cost is reasonable, it's powerful, and handles almost any file format. You can pretty much do anything you can in Adobe for a one time purchase. They have a free trial too, 30 days, they had a 6 month free special, don't know if that's still going on or not.

 

[Gettin'By]

Another vote for Pitstop. Affinity is nice too, I use it home for my home based side gig.

 

[Pauly]

I dont think Affinity is a "preflight" tool
Preflight should be automated, or quick fixes.

 

[Gettin'By]

I was just saying I like Affinity, never tried to use it to preflight, and don't think I'd want to.

 

[DL Signs]

Affinity Publisher has a preflight tool.
I don't use Publisher very often, I could get by with just Designer for my workflow, but when I do use it, preflight pops up every time I export anything. Don't know how in depth it is, or if there's any automation, because I just don't use it that often. Publisher is their alternative to inDesign, for stuff like the OP is lookin' for, might be worth playing with the free trial to see if it fits the need.

 

[Kbrecken]

Pitstop Actions,

these might come in handy once you have Pitstop installed