Comparison of File Formats for Exchange of Full Page Electronic Data

The present paper gives a comparison of file formats which may be used for exchange of digital files which represent completed or multiple pages. The following formats are explicitly addressed: TIFF, TIFF/IT, EPS, DCS, and PDF. To compare the file formats, digital test documents comprising different elements were produced, converted into the different file formats and tested on different hardware and software RIPs. The comparison addresses the following aspects of file formats: ( workflow to convert a file from an application program to the exchange format ( file editability ( legal usage of type fonts ( file size ( application of imposition programs ( usage of data compression ( rendering of traps, spot colors, vignettes, etc. ( availability of preview images ( compatibility of color management